While sitting with clients to discuss Wedding Day Coordination (or WDC) services, one of the most common questions I get asked is; ‘What the difference is between the service we offer and the bridal attendants that usually are included within the package you have with your chosen facility?’ It seems there are also common misunderstandings between our service and whether or not it competes with the role of a bridal attendant. It’s time to set the record straight.
The first major difference between a bridal attendant and wedding coordinator is the WDC service starts the month before the wedding. This allows a WDC to be a liason between the bride and the vendors from that point on. A bridal attendant’s services start on the day of the wedding. A reliable wedding coordinator will have a meeting with you the month before your wedding to go over all details of the day. By getting copies of vendor contracts and discussing your wedding day expectations, your wedding day coordinator has the tools they need to be prepared. The bridal attendant does not have to go into this detail with their bride and grooms in order to successfully do their jobs on the wedding day. They have their own set of responsibilities.
A WDC will start with the bride at her starting location on the morning of the wedding. They will make sure that all of the girls are getting ready and that everything is off to a good start. If something needs to be steamed, sewn, or even pinned a bride will have a wedding day coordinators assistance all morning so that she can relax and be a the bride while they take care of everything else. By the time the bride arrives at the facility, a wedding day coordination service will be close to ending unless hired for over-time. Usually a Wedding Day Coordinator is done when the bride walks into the reception room and approves all decor, right before the party begins. At this point the bride is in the hands of the bridal attendant.
A bridal attendant’s services will start when the bride arrives at the facility. They will immediately make sure that the bride and bridal party are well taken care of. They will set her up in a suite for photos or even just relaxation where they will begin to serve drinks and make sure that appetizers are available. While Wedding Day Coordinators are checking on vendors and decor, a bridal attendant will hold the bride’s dress up and bouquet while you walk around the grounds taking pictures. If a bride goes to a picture taking location, at times, this responsibility will fall in the hands of the coordinator.
It’s important to understand the difference between a Wedding Day Coordination service and the duties of a bridal attendant. Hiring a Wedding Day Coordinator is the same as hiring any other vendor, it’s a service and an important one. Bridal Attendants and Wedding Day Coordinators work together to ensure that everything goes smoothly for bride and grooms.
