Why hire a Certified Wedding Coordinator?

If you’re on my site, it (hopefully) means that you are interested in my services for wedding planning and coordination. Good for you! Some couples inherently understand the benefits of hiring professional help for their wedding, while other couples are new to the idea. Either way, I’ve listed out some commonly asked questions about hiring a Certified Wedding Coordinator. If you have any further questions, do not hesitate to give me a call or shoot me an email.

What kind of services does a Certified Wedding Coordinator provide?

A Wedding Coordinator mainly offers two services – help with the planning and coordinating the day-of (or a combination of both).

Day-Of Wedding Coordination goes without saying. Sure, a couple can plan their wedding, but they definitely cannot run their wedding. Whether it is a small or large function, it is highly beneficial and valuable to have an experienced Coordinator on-site to ensure your day goes smoothly. They are the liaison with the venue, food manager, decorators, MC, DJ, photographer and parents; they pull the pieces of the puzzle together.

How a Wedding Coordinator helps you with planning varies. Consultations are the meat of the planning process, and these can be a la carte or unlimited with a Full Planning package. Planning involves anything from finding your venue or photographer, planning out the theme, to managing the wedding budget. If done a la carte (or pay as you go), a couple can receive help whenever the need arises, whether that be a monthly meeting or a handful of consultations for specific tasks. With a Full Planning Package, I will partner with you in the planning process to ensure all details are taken care of; I can be as involved as you wish.

Can’t I just ask my friend to coordinate my wedding?

On your wedding day, would you ask a friend or family member to volunteer and be in charge of taking your wedding photos or catering your dinner? Chances are you would and have already entrusted your money and wedding day to a professional who has an education, experience and certification to do the job properly. After all, this is your wedding day and you want it done right. Hiring a Certified Wedding Coordinator is a similar, if not more important, investment to help ensure that your wedding day is how you envision it to be.

Let’s say you have a close friend who is competent and available to help you out in planning or coordinating your wedding day. If this friend is close enough to you that they would agree to take on such a big role on your wedding day, chances are they are probably close enough to you that they would want to enjoy your wedding also. From first-hand experience, I can tell you that it is very hard to do the job of coordinator well, while enjoying and taking in the festivities.

Also I am a firm believer that guests really should be guests. If you invited people over for a Christmas party hosted at your house, would you also ask your guests to stay behind to take out the garbage? A gracious host would serve their guests and make sure they are enjoying the night, not doing the grunt work. This is no different for your wedding, when you are inviting guests to be a part of your important day. Many family members and friends will not hesitate to help if asked, especially on such a big occasion, however you don’t want to take advantage of their desire to help.

Bringing a Certified Wedding Coordinator to your wedding day not only ensures that you have the help you need for a successful wedding, but frees up your guests to really enjoy your special day.

How much does it cost?

As with other wedding vendors, you are making an investment into, arguably, the biggest day of your life. Many couples have never embarked on putting together an event of such magnitude and budget before. This can be a great learning experience, but also a headache. You may think that hiring someone to help plan is an added expense, but really the Coordinator will save you frustration, time and money by being a source of ideas, resources and hookups to discounted vendors.

For details on specific services, head to my Wedding Services page or call to set up a meeting to discuss it in depth. All in all, it is an affordable means to a a stress-free wedding day.

What does it mean to be certified?

Certified Coordinators through the Wedding Planners Institute of Canada (WPIC) are upheld to higher standards than the regular event planner. WPIC Certified Coordinators have not only learned about the business, but are upheld to a code of ethics that all are accountable to across Canada. Anyone who is found to be unethical in their practice or undercutting the business will get their certification and privileges taken away.

As a WPIC Certified Coordinator, I am connected to a nationwide network of resources, recommendations and ideas from over 2000 other coordinators. There are many discounts that only WPIC Coordinators are connected to, because of the reputation we have gained over the years. If I can’t find something, there’s a high likelihood that another coordinator has looked for the same thing and found it somewhere.

One other perk is that all the assistants that I bring to weddings are always WPIC Certified and are equipped with what we call a Wedding Day Emergency Kit. If I cannot make it to the wedding because of an unforeseen circumstance, I have a huge network of other competent and experienced Certified Coordinators I can call on to take my place.

I’m interested, what now?

Contact me today to discuss your wedding needs over a relaxing cup of coffee. Hiring a Certified Wedding Coordinator is a small investment towards the biggest event in your life, saving you time, money and stress. Setting up a free initial meeting will be a step in the right direction. I look forward to working with you!