Wedding Planners vs Venue Managers
Who they are, what they do, and how they help you excel on your wedding day
When touring venues, you’ve probably met the venue manager. They’re the most knowledgeable about the venue, so do you really need to hire an outside wedding planner? Plus, they mentioned that they would be onsite the day of your wedding should you need anything. Surely you don’t need the added expense of another wedding vendor….right? We’re covering what you need to know about wedding planners vs venue managers. Both play a vital role in your wedding day, and you’ll need both to ensure a smooth wedding day.
Venue Manager
When you first stepped foot into your wedding venue, you fell in love with the stories the venue manager told you about the history of the venue and past events that occurred there. The venue manager is extremely knowledgeable about the venue and can spew facts like how many extension cords you might need and what linen sizes you’ll need to rent. Sometimes, they refer to themselves as a “venue coordinator” and some even offer day-of coordination services. While your venue manager is someone with who you’ll want to keep a healthy relationship, keep in mind who they work for. The venue manager is first hired by the venue. While they want every couple to feel catered to, they are often most committed to the venue first. They also don’t typically cover ceremony coordination, as they might be in the reception space finalizing details for your guests’ arrival. While venue managers can assist with floorplans and floorplan set-up, they probably won’t help you curate the perfect timeline. They will, however, oversee the timeline in terms of venue services – such as catering and bar if provided.
Wedding Planner
A wedding planner is typically an added expense that you should plan for when budgeting for your wedding. This wedding expert is hired by you and will always have your best interest in mind and wants to bring your vision to life. There are a ton of different wedding planners, from full-service planners to day of coordinators. Your planner will likely be included in the planning and coordination of both the ceremony and reception. They manage any other hired vendors, including the venue manager. Your wedding planner should be managing the event design and coordination, including logistics and the set-up/breakdown of the event. Wedding planners are best known for being the world’s best problem solvers. Without a doubt, you will face some sort of hiccup during wedding planning. With a wedding planner, you’ll have someone on your team helping you tackle any unforeseeable problems. Your planner will assist you in creating timelines, floorplans, and will take the lead in set-up and break-down of the event. Overall, your wedding planner connects the dots between the DJ, caterer, venue, and other venues. They’re the ones making it happen and ensuring that your day goes off without a hitch.
It Takes a Village
You’ve heard the phrase: “it takes a village.” Your wedding day is no different! No event can happen on its own. It takes the expertise of everyone involved to pull off a great event. If you stress over the idea of hiring a caterer, a DJ, a cake vendor, a florist, and a rental company, consider hiring one great full-service vendor. SunQuest Beach Weddings offers full-service wedding packages that include everything you’ll need for a successful event. Contact one of our Destin wedding planners to get started!