What is the difference between a onsite coordinator and a Wedding Coordinator?

Why would I need someone else?

These questions come up frequently when I am speaking with Brides and Grooms who are starting their planning process. Having an on site coordinator at your venue is a huge asset. They have a ton of knowledge of the facility and what works best there. They have seen weddings done in many different ways in the same space, some probably more successful then others. They may know tricks and have ideas of how to make the space work, that someone coming in may not have. There is some overlap to what your wedding coordinator and on site coordinator do. This is wonderful, and how it should be! You want as many people working with you on your wedding day as possible.

I love working with on site coordinators. They have the knowledge of what works best for their space, staff, and with their restrictions. Great on site coordinators are a pleasure to work with. Working with great vendors makes my job that much easier. There are so many wonderful ones out there at the fantastic Seattle Venues. Kristin Shea at Hotel 1000 is a great example of an on site coordinator. She knows how to make the timing of a dinner or lunch wedding work for her staff and enjoyable for the bride and groom. She is able to get things that need to be done, done correctly and quickly.

An example of this, is I worked with Kristin at her last wedding at the Woodmark Hotel on Carilion Point, before she moved to Hotel 1000. The day was going flawlessly. The couple was successfully married, pictures were complete, and the evening was just getting going. Salad service had started and the bride and groom noticed that their parents tables were not served immediately after the head table. They wanted to honor their parents, and show respect to them by ensuring that they were served first. They called me over and let me know how important this was to them. Before entrees went out I ask Kristin if she could make sure that the two parents tables were the first to be served. She of course said yes. She stopped all servers on their way out the door to drop off their tables meals, and held them until the servers on the parent's table had gone first. This is a very small detail that may not matter to many, but to the bride and groom it was what they wanted. Because Kristin knew her facility and the way staff worked so she was able to make it happen for us.

This all sounds wonderful and all you need, is probably what you are thinking. Well, wonderful is correct! But the on site coordinator is just one small piece of the wedding day. What I do as a wedding coordinator is work with ALL your vendors to execute your wedding day flawlessly and exactly as you would like. I am there from the start of the day until the sweet end! I work with every aspect of your wedding day, not just the location. I know what time hair and make up are coming, and what room you are staying in. I know how you are getting to the ceremony and then to reception. I know what time your photographs are starting and who is supposed to be where at what time. I know how many tables there are supposed to be for cocktail hour, dinner, and dancing. I know your first dance song. I know who is taking your present home for you, and so much more!

I also make sure ALL your vendors are on the same page. They ALL understand how the days events are to go and what your vision for the day is. They each know their role in the day, because they have been shown the big picture by the coordinator. I make sure that ALL your vendors are going by the same timeline. Not your DJ has his, your on site has theirs, the photographer has theirs, and so on. They all go by mine. Making of my timeline is somewhat of a collaboration. I ask for their input ahead of time to make sure they are successful with the timeline I provide. If we get behind, which can happen on your wedding day, I make changes and update all you vendors. I get us back on track!

I am also the ONLY go to for ALL your vendors on and leading your wedding day. I know every detail and maybe more, that you have put into your wedding. I have had the most contact with you and all the vendors leading up to the wedding. I have been in contact with your on site coordinator at both the ceremony and reception site, your Photographer, Videographer, Officiant, Band, DJ, Ceremony musicians, Florist, Cake baker, Shuttle and Limo Driver, Hotel where your guest are staying, Rental companies, and any other vendor you are working with. If something was to go wrong, I am there with a solution. I have probably seen it before. It is my job to make sure that all your vendors stay on target with what you want. To create the day of your dreams. So you can relax, be the bride, and cherish the best day of your life!