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"DIY" Wedding Coordination



First things first, when planning a wedding we often hear, you NEED a Day of Coordinator, and the truth is, it truly can help the day flow smoothly and as stress-free as possible. However, the reality is it may not be in everyone's budget...fair! Let's chat about finding a coordinator that aligns with your budget OR perhaps even DIYing your wedding coordination.


  1. Travel: If the wedding planner or day of coordinator (DOC) you had your eye on is out of your budget, see if you are able to find one near to the location of your wedding, this can help minimize or even eliminate travel costs!

  2. Experience: Although experience can help DOC work fast and efficiently. A budget-friendly option may be seeking a DOC that is new to the industry and looking to gain experience!

  3. Budget: Once you review costs, you may be able to re-arrange or reallocate some of your budget to DOC.

  4. Partial planning packages: You can inquire to see if any DOC offers partial or half-day packages. A note here, be sure to respect and be aware of what is included (tasks and hours) in your half-day packages. At times, it can be easy to start stacking an enormous amount of tasks onto DOC and it may NOT be realistic with a partial or half-day package.


Now, what if you don't have any wiggle room in the budget for a wedding coordinator? Fear not! Here are some ideas to help you coordinate your own wedding. Get ready to unleash your inner wedding coordinator.. 1. Create a Wedding Master Plan: The key to successful wedding coordination is organization. Start by creating a detailed timeline of your wedding day. Don't forget to include everything from the hair and makeup session to the last dance and EVERY task in between. A quirky way to remember the plan? Turn it into a song or a poem. You'll be humming your way to a perfectly coordinated day! You can also set the schedule to the screensaver of your phone so at quick glance on your day you or anyone else knows whats going on. 2. Delegate Tasks to your Dream Team: Who says you can't have a team of coordinators? Enlist the help of your reliable friends and family members. Assign tasks based on their strengths. Got a friend who's an early bird? They're in charge of the morning tasks. Know a cousin who's great at managing people? They're your crowd control, Riot wranglers or table trackers! Ensure you give a CLEAR timeline, specific tasks and photo examples to each volunteer! I would recommend planning even MORE time then you may ever think possible for a task, when friend and relatives are helping and setting up, they may take a few extra breaks and may chat and catch up while completing tasks (this can also make it a bit more fun for your volunteers), however, it does often mean that things take a little longer to get done. 3. Use Tech to your Advantage: There are countless free handouts in our blog that can help you stay organized! From digital checklists to timelines, tech can be your best friend in wedding coordination. Take photos of your practice set up. Take videos of the venue and save in a shared file for everyone that is helping. 4. Embrace the Unconventional: Embrace unconventional ideas that reflect your personality. A brunch wedding? Why not! Ice cream truck instead of a fancy cake? Absolutely! A flash mob dance instead of a classic first dance? Your guests will love it! At times, breaking free from the "Expected" can help keep guests on their toes and they may not notice if some items are not going as traditionally planned. 5. 'Plan B' Every good coordinator knows the value of a backup plan. Be sure to have all your Plan b's prepped. What happens if it rains? What is the plan if something breaks? What is the plan if your volunteer team is running out of time, what is cut first? Remember, the most important part of your wedding day is that you're marrying the love of your life, whether you have a DOC or a "DIY team", things are bound to go off the plan, remember to roll with the punches as much as possible!


Happy Planning!


xo


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Hey, thanks for being here.

I'm Lynea, founder of The Wedding Talk. Our mission is to inspire, education, and simplify the wedding industry for those of you getting married and wedding vendors in the industry. Pop over to my socials to get all the tips and tricks you'll need.

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