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Marketing and Branding

The Myth of “Day-Of Coordination”

  1. […] is also referred to as wedding day coordination or wedding day management. In this service offering, your wedding clients do all of the planning on […]

  2. Michelle says:

    I never offered day of but struggled with terminology for 8 weeks out planning! I like your ‘wedding management “, thank you ????

  3. […] The Myth of Day-of Coordination on Planner’s Lounge […]

  4. […] run some simple numbers, if you charge $1500 for event management service and you deduct the event day assistant pay from that (let’s estimate $200 for one assistant […]

  5. […] or need someone to help with the entire planning process, so they hire a wedding coordinator for wedding day management services only. Maybe they only need recommendations on vendors in their area which many wedding planners […]

  6. […] when my wedding photographer approached me with a friend who was getting married and needed a wedding day coordinator. So I thought, ok maybe I’ll start my own business for now. She didn’t have a big budget, and I […]

  7. Cheryl, Events by Cheryl says:

    I like the idea of using Wedding Management. I agree that Day Of may not be the best terminology. It usually ends up being way more work than one day! My question is, if you use Wedding Management, how do you differentiate to your clients the differences in your packages? And how do you stick to just “Day Of” services?

    • Thanks for commenting Cheryl. You have to be very specific in what services are provided. If you are providing wedding day management, your contract will have exactly what you are providing before the wedding and on the wedding day. Then it is up to you to only do what you are contracted for.

  8. Faythe Emens says:

    Excellent! I’ve struggled with the terminology of Day-of for years. I’m going to start using Wedding Management Services. Thank you!

  9. Dave Fortin says:

    Hello!

    Thank you so much for this article. I am actually just in the process of getting my Wedding Planning license and am working on creating a website to have it ready to go once my course is complete and am only familiar with the term “Day-Of”. In fact, that’s what I planned on putting on my business cards as well, but after reading this, I will be rewording this on everything. “Wedding Management” sounds much more professional and, in my eyes, much more appealing as well.

    Thank you again!

  10. Barb says:

    What is the average price most of you “Day/Month of Coordinator” charge ?
    And what are the “general duties: you all include. Thank you

  11. Tara Leslie says:

    Great post, and so true! I’ve recently set up on my own as a planner, but have been planning weddings for venues for nearly 20 years. I’ve had to deal with a large number of “day of” coordinators who seriously had no idea what details they were supposed to be managing, as they were often working from a last minute list hurriedly scribbled out by the bride.

    The planners who really had control were, as you said, the ones who had been in much longer-term contact with the couple, had been involved from much earlier in the process and were really involved in all aspects of the wedding.

    As I said, I am just setting up on my own as a planner, and would love to share this blog if you don’t mind, I think it has some valuable information.

  12. Such great advice! I immediately updated my website :).

  13. I am so relieved to hear this! I’ve only been in the industry for a little over a year now and I have to say that I have hated the “day-of” since the beginning! I am inspired by your boldness! When you wrote “Don’t be afraid to make bold changes in your businesses!”, I said to myself, now that’s what I need to hear. I’ve been slowly adding management into my wording all along, but was too afraid that it would be misunderstood. I’m not going to worry about it any more! I do hope that all new and seasoned planners will take on this new terminology…it’s fantastic! After all, like you said, it’s the truth and these clients should better understand what it is that we provide for them.

  14. […] a professional wedding planner, you may or may not include some or all of these items in your wedding management services. Personally, these are all tasks that I do not offer as part of my services. When you run your own […]

  15. Allison says:

    When I first started reading this, I got pretty annoyed. I was thinking, “why is she saying this? My services are not necessarily planning services, I do the coordination. I bring peace of mind to the couple on the DAY OF their wedding.” But, I continued reading because I knew there must be a good reason for it! And, sure enough you expressed so eloquently what I have been trying to articulate to myself and clients. The work truly does go beyond that single day. “Wedding Management” is so perfect, I can’t wait to update this in my chatter and in print! Thank you for articulating what I’ve been feeling!

  16. Sam says:

    I prefer wedding consultant over coordinator, because, in essence, it’s consulting.

  17. What about just using the term Wedding Coordinator? I’ve been thinking about this myself and as I am just starting my business, I don’t want to sell myself short.

    • Erica, you can try out using “wedding coordination” and see how it works for you, especially during the sales process.

    • Hi Erica!

      Personally, as a full service wedding business, I consider planning/consulting, design and coordination three totally different aspects to the whole process.

      Planning I refer to as the foundation…when you are in the very beginning of the process, choosing the venue and the vendors.

      Design, everyone knows this is the fun part! This is where all the details come into play.

      Coordination/Management, this is when everything comes together for the “day-of”.

      So, I think it depends on what your focus is. I also charge separately for each service and offer a full service package.

  18. Tracy Dapp says:

    Thank you for this! I agree this is 100% true!! I have updated my website & advertising sites to reflect this since when I receive an inquiry I always have to explain that there is no such thing as “day of” and anyone who says they just show up on the day of and have a successful event is delusional!

  19. Kate says:

    Thank you! I literally just got home from back to back “Day of” Coordination sales meetings where I was exhausted by explaining how DOC is an industry term and what I actually do is XYZ from the point of hire. As I’m in the midst of a website overhaul, I’ll consider the Wedding Management verbiage.

  20. Ashlee says:

    Preach on!!! ???????? I can’t stop clapping! ???????? I have said this so many times! ❤️ Thank you for putting it so perfectly!!! My month of package just rode into the sunset on a unicorn!!!!

  21. Bonnie Marie says:

    Brides who hire a wedding planner straight away acknowledge the value in the professional and let’s face it: they have the budget. Brides looking for ‘day-of’ assistance (help!) have a limited budget and are mostly your DIY customers who realize in the end that they may need some help putting all those pretty things together so they can enjoy the party.I ADORE calling it ‘Wedding Management’. It gives the right amount of importance and sophistication to charge the proper amount for ‘salvaging’ some bride’s big day.

  22. […] If you are making a minimal amount of money and spending a maximum amount of time, it’s definitely time to raise your rates and raise the bar. An experienced planner is worth a significant amount more than $4, $10, or $15 per hour. If you are marketing your services with the name “day-of coordination”, read this post about the myths of using that term. […]

  23. […] If you are making a minimal amount of money and spending a maximum amount of time, it’s definitely time to raise your rates and raise the bar. An experienced planner is worth a significant amount more than $4, $10, or $15 per hour. If you are marketing your services with the name “day-of coordination”, read this post about the myths of using that term. […]

  24. Hayley says:

    This is fantastic. I 100% agree, and love the new term!

  25. Incredible delivery and a much needed article Renée!!! WE are the industry!! This needs to be shared, implemented, reinforced by our entire community….

    HI-FIVE!!

    • Renee Dalo says:

      Thank you Dana! HI-FIVE right back at ya! Thank you for your sweet comment. Please share with all your local planner friends! Let’s start a “language revolution”! LOL

  26. Laurie Wilcox says:

    Great article! I totally agree and will be changing my info to “Wedding Management” – sound more professional too.

  27. Rachel says:

    Totally true!! “Day of” or even “month of” doesn’t even begin to encapsulate all that I do for my clients!! Wedding management is certainly a more appropriate term!

  28. Rachel says:

    Great post and I’ve heard the same from many others for awhile. The term doesn’t bother me at all. Granted it’s not exactly in line with the actual service being provided but for that matter, neither does full-service planning, when you factor in the variations of what each planner considers full-service. Gradually phasing in the change could help couples refer to it as Wedding Day Management over the course of time.

  29. Leann says:

    100% agree with this! We don’t just work on the day, there is a massive amount of planning before hand that goes into being an on the day coordinator. The brides also seem to think that we don’t really do much as an on the day coordinator and rather believe that we sit around the venue waiting to see if the DJ has arrived and whether the florist/decor company has set up correctly. Sadly in their eyes, they don’t see how big of a job it really is, and that our day actually starts at 05:00 in the morning sometimes, in preparation for their big day, and can sometimes end way past midnight. There’s alot of logistics involved! I think i’m going to make the switch to Wedding Management, thank you for the help on the SEO bit as well.

  30. This was a great post and 100% true! I am changing my website as you mentioned because it is so very misleading, and the wording definitely needs to be changed in the industry. I was initially calling it “Month of Coordination.” I work with my brides from the time they sign their contract with me. I specialize in “Month of Coordination,” however, someone in the industry that I highly respect told me I may be losing business by calling it “Month of Coordination” because brides are not familiar with that terminology, they were more familiar with “Day of.” So I changed my website and put specializing in “Day-of-Coordination better known as “Month of Coordination.” However, I like “Wedding Management” much better!!! Thank you! I hope wedding planners all over will make the change so it can be properly called what it is in our industry and “Day-of” can be removed!!

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