Do I Really Need a Wedding Day-Of Coordinator?
Written by Amanda Boroughs, Marketing & Events Manager, Tenth Ward Distilling Company
Generally speaking, Tenth Ward is a fairly new wedding venue on the scene. Even being so young, however, we’ve managed to do a ton of growing and learning in terms of the best services to offer and recommend to our wedding clients. One of those wonderful services is our Day-Of Coordination. As the Events Manager here at Tenth Ward I also double as our resident Day-of Coordinator, and let me tell you: it’s one of my most favorite parts of the job.
Approximately 70% of our upcoming 2020 wedding couples have decided to take advantage of our Day-Of Coordination service so far. The other 30% will probably hire an outside coordinator or take on the lofty role of managing those logistics on their own.
We don’t prohibit couples from providing their own coordinator. We want our wedding clients to do what works best for them and their big day. I will say as our onsite coordinator: we know our venue better than anyone. We’ve got insider knowledge that an outside coordinator might not have, so straight from the gate we’ve got a leg up.
*Main image: A&M Photography
What Does Day-Of Coordination Include?
The big things are easy. Music? Booked. Flowers? Selected. Venue? Secured. Now it’s time for the small details you didn’t expect… Floor plans, timelines, vendor logistics, etc. Luckily our coordination services take care of all those little details so you don’t have to.
Floor Plan Creation
We’ll collaborate to create a floor plan that works best for you and your event. We’ll share the decided upon floor plan with all your vendors and key players so they know what’s what.
Timeline Development
When do guests arrive? When does grandma arrive? When do we cut the cake? When do we take photos? When do we do the ‘first look’? When can I start drinking?! We’ll build it all into the timeline exactly the way you want it! We start out with a basic timeline. From there we’ll work with you to add your most special moments or remove the unnecessary ones. From the meticulous plan-driven couple to the more go-with-the-flow duo, we’ve got your back.
Vendor Coordination
Once you book coordination services with us, you’re given a snazzy vendor worksheet to fill out and assist you during the remainder of your wedding planning. All you have to do is plug in the main details and we’ll take it from there. Even though I’m called a ‘Day-Of Coordinator’ we’ll work together a lot the months leading up to your big day. We’ll have two scheduled in-person meetings and unlimited email correspondence. And we can also meet more if you need it!
General Logistics
As Tenth Ward’s Events Manager, I know all about our event space and our facility in general. I will communicate to your vendors where to park and load in, what’s allowed versus what is not, what we have to provide them versus what they’ll need to bring, etc. General logistics also encompasses what I like to call “catastrophe prevention.”
Accidents happen. Mistakes are expected. People forget things all the time. But it helps when you have a coordinator onsite whose job it is to anticipate those events, look for potential issues, and quickly find a solution.
During a wedding last summer, I noticed 30 minutes before the ceremony was to start that someone had completely forgotten to order dinner plates. Luckily we caught this blip early and a catering staff member was able to pick up dishes last minute. No one was to the wiser and the event went off without a hitch.
Setup and Breakdown
This is a biggy! Our coordination services include setup and breakdown assistance. Show me how you want your reception tables decorated, and I’ll do the rest! All 20 of them! At the end of the night, I’ll pack all your personal items and gifts and place them in a safe place for you to pick up the next day. No bride wants to break down tables and stack chairs at the end of the event. Just leave it to me and go to the after party.
But, Do I Really Need a Day-Of Coordinator?
The short answer? No, you don’t. If you and your significant other feel comfortable managing all those little details leading up to and on the big day – more power to you! But if you want an easy breezy planning experience and a worry free wedding day, give me a call 😉
Testimonials
Check out some of these testimonials from our awesome wedding clients!
Amazing venue for wedding reception and cocktail hour!
“…Working with Amanda was a breeze. She was always available to answer any questions we had, no matter how small. We had multiple meetings to go over layout, timelines, and logistics, which made us feel super comfortable that our day would go flawlessly, and it did. She was wonderful the day of, coordinating with our vendors (in advance) to ensure everything was executed before the arrival of us and our guests… Tenth Ward is the perfect spot. I wish we could do this day all over again!” – Morgan
*Brad Barnwell Photography
Great location and great service
“…We worked with Amanda from beginning to end and couldn’t be happier. She was very responsive to our questions, flexible with the details, was able to suggest vendors and really knows the area. We also used Amanda as our Day-Of Coordinator, which was a huge help as it allowed us to not have to worry about the logistics of all the vendors for setup/breakdown etc. I would definitely recommend using her as a Day-Of Coordinator… Tenth Ward has a lot of good people on board and we think it really made a difference. We highly recommend them for a wedding or other event.” – Mary & Terrance
*Jonalee Earles Photography
We were Tenth Ward’s first Wedding!
“…Amanda was a breeze to work with. She was unbelievably responsive, friendly, and welcoming. She was genuinely happy and excited for us about our wedding. Amanda answered every question thoughtfully and quickly. She was flexible with my schedule and always happy to accommodate my many visits before the big day…. We’ll forever be thankful that we found Tenth Ward and had the honor of being their first wedding. Go see the place. Perfect spot to start forever!” – Andrea
*Anne Lord Photography
