When you first get engaged, it can be overwhelming trying to navigate exactly what you need to make your day perfect! There are a number of different vendors who seem to do the same thing, so how can you be sure to hire exactly what you need. Nobody wants to spend too much and overlap services nor leave a gaping hole in services either. With many different vendors in the wedding industry, here is the difference between a Floral Designer, an Event Designer, a Wedding Planner, and a Wedding Coordinator.
Floral designer
Floral design is the process of selecting the individual blooms and determining what style of centerpieces, bouquets, etc. will be included in the event and how they will flow with the overall event design. Typically, the floral designer will arrive in time to set up their centerpieces, design any floral installations, drop off those lovely bouquets and be on their way. They are not there to make sure the rest of the wedding runs smooth, that the cake was delivered, or that the catering staff as arrived in time for cocktail hour.
Photo: Niki Marie Photography
Event designer
Event design is the process of creating the visual, aesthetic elements for the event. These include but are not limited to; linens, chair style, backdrops, accessory tables, and tabletop elements. By hiring a wedding designer, you will have a gorgeous, cohesive wedding that fits your style! Even if you don’t think you have a “style”, you probably do. They get to know you to ensure your ideas will fit cohesively together and not just a bunch of Pinterest ideas. Think of them as the Joanna Gaines of your wedding. They also have a lot of insight on where is best to allocate your budget so that you are putting your decor money in the most “bang for your buck” places.
Venue Coordinator or Onsite Coordinator
A venue coordinator works directly for the venue and will handle the specific daily operations of the venue only. This person (or persons) may ensure venue staff has set up the ceremony and/or reception areas how you wish. If your venue offers onsite catering and bartenders, they are responsible for making sure their own staff understands their role as discussed and outlined in your contract with the venue. They typically won’t help plan an itinerary of events leading up to the ceremony and reception. That is up to you or a wedding planner/coordinator you may hire!
While onsite during the day of the event, we will gladly work alongside the venue coordinator as well as other vendors you have hired. We will work with the venue coordinator in advance to schedule our set up and strike timing that works with our schedule and the venue’s requirements. When booking with us for floral and event design only, we do not provide the service of an event coordinator.
Full-Service Wedding Planner
For the couple who has no idea where to even begin, hiring a Full-Service wedding planner is a perfect fit for you! They will assist with full hiring vendors, creating a budget, design plans, the entire days’ timeline, ceremony planning, rsvp tracking, ongoing updates and consultation with clients about vendors services/products and SO much more. Once the wedding day arrives, the hours they spent behind the scenes will make your dreams come to life. They will be responsible for managing all vendors, final payments, set-up and strike, and fixing any problems that will arise.
Day of Coordinator
Typical coordinators will begin their service (roughly) 6 weeks prior to the wedding day. Already the term “Day of Coordinator” is a bit of a misnomer. Hiring a coordinator is perfect for the couple who enjoys the planning process but wants to ensure their family, friends, or (GASP!) themselves aren’t stuck working. Nobody wants to be setting up, running the show or cleaning up on their wedding day. The coordinator will prepare itineraries to be provided to all vendors and handle the logistics of the day. A coordinator is the first person to arrive, and turns out the lights long after the party has gone home. It is their main focus to oversee everyone else is doing their job exactly how you wish.
Did you know All Grand Events + Floral offers services under each of these designations (other than the venue coordinator)? We offer wedding planning and coordination services to an exclusive number of clients each year if we are also hired as their floral designer. We are going on 7 years of being one of the top wedding planners and coordinators in Michigan possessing extensive knowledge of vendors, timelines, to-do lists, and event management systems. Visit our contact page
here to inquire with us to best meet your wedding design and planning needs!
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Beautiful Pictures and Great Article on Floral Design. If you are in need of a Floral Designer in the Tampa Bay Area please Contact us