WEDDING COORDINATOR VS. PLANNER: DIFFERENCES AND WHAT TO EXPECT

It’s no secret that New Mexico is among the most enchanting lands in the country, from the northern snow covered landscapes of Taos, to the bustling and artistic cities of Santa Fe and Albuquerque. There is truly no shortage of magic in our beloved land of enchantment, and in the wedding world, that means copious amounts of fantastical wedding venues, outdoor places to take engagement and wedding photos, and SO much more.

If you are a newly engaged couple, there’s no doubt you may be looking for a wedding planner or wedding coordinator. And luckily for us, New Mexico has PLENTY of amazing, talented, absolutely meticulous planners and coordinators to choose from! But before we let you in on all the wedding planning and coordinating experts in the New Mexico wedding game, let us first get clear on something…the difference between the two!

Now, we know you might be thinking… aren’t they the same thing?

Photo: Duenas Photography

They’re not, as a matter of fact! And if you’re just learning this, that’s totally okay—because this week we are making the distinct differences between wedding planning and coordinating clear once and for all with the help of our local wedding professional Lace and Bow Bridal Events!

The roles of wedding planner and coordinator are often interchangeably used, yet they play distinct and crucial roles in orchestrating the perfect wedding celebration. While both professionals contribute to the seamless execution of a couple’s dream day, their responsibilities vary.

Photo: Andrea Van Orsouw Photography

A Wedding Planner

Lace and Bow Bridal and Events, a wedding planning service, describes it best. They say, “a wedding planner plays a major role in the planning process, moving through the journey with the couple every step of the way. Majority of planners assist with venue search, budget creation and management, vendor research, contract reviewing, maintaining a planning schedule, creating timelines/layouts/etc., and really every part of the entire process from the beginning.”

Without a doubt, a wedding planner serves as the visionary architect, conceptualizing and designing the entire event. They are truly the creative mastermind behind a wedding, working closely with the couple to conceptualize their vision, choose themes, and curate every detail.

“The planner is the wedding confidant that walks the couple through the process all the way past the wedding day. The wedding planner creates all plans with the couple, confirms all final details, then executes the plan on the day of the wedding.” – Lace and Bow Bridal Events

A Wedding Coordinator

A wedding coordinator, on the other hand, acts as the meticulous conductor, ensuring that every detail unfolds harmoniously on the big day.

“A wedding coordinator is simply the final piece to put everything together. Generally this involves a month of process, where the couple relays the details informing the coordinator. A wedding coordinator does not vet vendors, manage a budget, or do anything in the planning process.” – Lace and Bow Bridal Events

Photo: Keara Lloyd Photography

Together, these roles complement each other, forming the dynamic duo that transforms wedding dreams into tangible, unforgettable realities. Understanding the unique contributions of each role is key to orchestrating a wedding symphony that resonates with joy and perfection!

“A couple should have everything booked and set prior to starting the month of process with the coordinator. A wedding coordinator is going to take the information from the couple, simply confirm final details, and execute the plan on the wedding day.” – Lace and Bow Bridal Events

Photo: Duenas Photography

New Mexico’s Most Amazing Wedding Planners AND Coordinators

Now that we have a clear understanding of the main differences and nuances between wedding planners and wedding coordinators, let’s introduce you to some of our favorite wedding-directing experts!

Let’s start with the ones who inspired this very conversation:

Lace and Bow Bridal Events: a wedding planning service that is passionate about helping couples have an enjoyable, stress-free experience starting from getting engaged all the way to the end of their wedding day!

Bethany Lyn Weddings: offering both wedding planning and coordinating services, Bethany Lynn Weddings takes care in designing a plan that fits your specific needs and visions, employing their creativity and organization to make your day as adventurous, intimate, or unconventional as you are.

Tiffany Burke Events: specializes in the creation of unique and personalized weddings and events! They offer full-service design and Partial Planning for any wedding or event in the Albuquerque area.

Less Stress Wedding, LLC: offering a personalized wedding planner to walk with you every step of your wedding planning journey. They believe that every couple deserves to realize their dream wedding and needs the support and guidance of professionals during this exciting and uncharted time in their life.

Enchanted Sky Events: have over 20 years of experience in event planning, and offer a multitude of wedding packages to meet your needs and and wedding budget, from full service wedding planning, month of services, to day of coordination.

NJR Event Design & Rentals: continues to build the largest network of preferred vendors so as to be able to create custom and affordable event rentals from anywhere in your area to make your event magical.

Photo: Duenas Photography

Visit our website to find more of New Mexico’s favorite wedding planners and coordinators!

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