What are you paying???

[meresal]

For your Day of Coordinator? What do they include? And why did you decide you really needed a DOC?

I just got a call from a potential DOC and she quoted me $700. Here is what it entails:

Pre wedding:
One Hour Initial Consultation
Unlimited consultations via email and/or phone
One Hour Consultation to Finalize Planning
Create Timeline and Contact Information
Distribute Timeline to Vendors before Wedding Day
Confirm Vendors one week before Wedding Day
One hour of Wedding Rehearsal Coordination

Ceremony:
Two hours of Wedding Ceremony Coordination
Wedding Day Emergency Kit
Set up Unity Candle, Memorial Candles, Guest Book and Sign In Table
Confirm Possession of Rings Prior to Ceremony
Line Up Bridal Party and Family for Processional
Bustle Wedding Gown for Bride
Transfer Guest Book to Reception

Reception:
Four hours of Reception Coordination
Set up Bridal Table and Cake Table for Required Items
Line up all Bridal Party for Announcements at Reception
Maintain and Coordinate Time Line for All Events during Reception
Cue Bride and Groom, Best Man, and Parents for Special Events
Deliver Final Payments & Tips to Vendors, if applicable
Provide marriage license information


What do you guys think? I also have a coordinator at the reception venue that we will meet with 3 times before the big day. I''m really only worried about everything going smoothly at the church and transporting things from the church to the reception.

 

[blondebunny]

i cant answer your question yet.. but if u have bridal shows in the area.. DOCs usuallly give a discount...??

also howd it go with donnie brown?

 

[meresal]

Date: 1/2/2009 12:29:34 PM
Author: blondebunny
i cant answer your question yet.. but if u have bridal shows in the area.. DOCs usuallly give a discount...??

also howd it go with donnie brown?

I''m going to one in Dallas at the end of the month. I will have to look around! Thanks.

Ohh, Donnie. Actually, my FMIL did book them as coordinator/planner of the RD. I think they wanted to charge something over $1000 for DOC, so that is most definitely NOT an option, for me. The restaurant that they picked is shaped like a hammerhead shark. You walk in at the middle and then there is a seating room to the left, and a seating room to the right. I''m worried that people will split by family. Ohh well. There will be alcohol, so not all is lost

 

[galvana]

Date: 1/2/2009 11:31:39 AM
Author:meresal

For your Day of Coordinator? What do they include? And why did you decide you really needed a DOC?

I just got a call from a potential DOC and she quoted me $700. Here is what it entails:

Pre wedding:
One Hour Initial Consultation
Unlimited consultations via email and/or phone
One Hour Consultation to Finalize Planning
Create Timeline and Contact Information
Distribute Timeline to Vendors before Wedding Day
Confirm Vendors one week before Wedding Day
One hour of Wedding Rehearsal Coordination

Ceremony:
Two hours of Wedding Ceremony Coordination
Wedding Day Emergency Kit
Set up Unity Candle, Memorial Candles, Guest Book and Sign In Table
Confirm Possession of Rings Prior to Ceremony
Line Up Bridal Party and Family for Processional
Bustle Wedding Gown for Bride
Transfer Guest Book to Reception

Reception:
Four hours of Reception Coordination
Set up Bridal Table and Cake Table for Required Items
Line up all Bridal Party for Announcements at Reception
Maintain and Coordinate Time Line for All Events during Reception
Cue Bride and Groom, Best Man, and Parents for Special Events
Deliver Final Payments & Tips to Vendors, if applicable
Provide marriage license information


What do you guys think? I also have a coordinator at the reception venue that we will meet with 3 times before the big day. I''m really only worried about everything going smoothly at the church and transporting things from the church to the reception.

Hi Meresal
I never heard of anyone getting a DOC......... ?? (other than the coordinator at the reception which comes w/place)
I guess I dont understand why you would need one. You said you have a coordinator at the reception so that person will take care of everything that you listed the DOC said she would do at the reception.
As far as things going smoothly at the church, that is what the photographer, officiant and organist do. They work together to make sure things go smoothly (at least that is what my people are doing). and they told me this is how its done (cuz i too asked how things will go "as they should" - they said i dont have to worry and they will take care of it all. Our JP and organist have worked together several tiems before and our photog is also familiar with them.
You said you are worried about transporting things from church to the reception. What type of things are we talking about?
I would just ask a close friend or family member to do that. I have never seen a guest book at the church (just at receptions) -
I know things are done differently all over the US, but this is just my thoughts on it. I thank god i dont need one as that would be ANOTHER expense to add to the list!? ahhhhh - hopefully you can go without one, if you think its possible.

 

[musey]

Ours was included in our venue fee. If she weren''t, we wouldn''t have thought to hire one I don''t think - and that would have been a MAJOR mistake. She was completely indispensable, and we''d have had to incur a lot of the responsibility and stress of getting things managed on our wedding day. Not fun, and SO not worth saving money over.

 

[Haven]

Do you have a venue coordinator, or catering coordinator? Our catering coordinator was AMAZING, and she acted as our DOC for everything. She even went out to get stones for our vases at the last minute when we realized that the flowers didn''t look right.

Just putting that out there, you may be able to save a bit of money.

 

[Morgie44]

That is pretty on-point for DOC''s in the Chicago area. The most popular ones are 700-900. I was able to find a few that were just beginning to build businesses for 400 or so plus mileage.


I have heard of many people having the coordinators at their reception site as well as a DOC. It seems that many of the hall coordinators at weddings I have been to have been pretty unreliable, if you have specific plans for how things are to be set up/look or are doing DIY centerpieces and want someone to set them up, I think a DOC is a great option. They are also generally the troubleshooters that day. If something goes wrong, they are the ''first responder'' of sorts. Someone who can deal with the minor little probelms bound to come up so that you can enjoy the day!

We are hoping to find the money in teh budget because the coordinator at our venue is extremely unreliable. I am working so hard to plan all the little details, to me it is worth it to spend a little more to make sure that everything I worked so hard planning comes together as I am hoping.

 

[aggie012]

Hello there. I was thinking of hiring a planner for my whole wedding and need to set up interviews and such, but I was wondering if anyone had a ball park cost for one, we are thinking approx 300 people in at a golf course or a 4-5 star hotel.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Kellybell]

Date: 1/2/2009 9:10:58 PM
Author: aggie012
Hello there. I was thinking of hiring a planner for my whole wedding and need to set up interviews and such, but I was wondering if anyone had a ball park cost for one, we are thinking approx 300 people in at a golf course or a 4-5 star hotel.

Thanks in advance!

Hi aggie012!

You''ll probably get more responses to this question if you start your own thread, but in my experience, the cost of a full service planner varies drastically depending upon location (big city or small), experience level of the planner and the size of his/her staff, services offered, and if she charges by the hour or has a flat fee. I would guess that the cost of a full service planner will range from a couple of thousand dollars to $15,000+. To put it in perspective, I looked at 3-4 planners that were all located in a large city, and the prices ranged from $7,000 - $15,000. Hope this helps.

 

[Gypsy]

I had one and she was INVALUABLE.

I can''t say enough about how wonderful she was. We did have a catering coordinator, and my MUA was like my personal coordinator until all the formals were taken (right up until we walked into the reception), but my day of... was just indispensible.

I didn''t want any of our family members or our bridal party to have to deal with anything, and I certainly didn''t want to be bothered, or have John bothered. I wanted EVERYONE to have a great time and relax. And things did go wrong, emergencies came up (and my catering coordinator was sick as a dog, poor thing) but we weren''t bothered at all. She dealt with everything.

She did NOT set any time limit for us, and I would have been frustrated if she had. She showed up at 1:00 pm. Left at 10:00 pm. She coordinated EVERYTHING... our gifts transferred, timeline, a snack for us at the end of the night, everything.

She also charged us very little, cause though she''s done event coordination before, she was never a DOC at a wedding. And yes, we gave her a tip. She more than earned it.

 

[AmberGretchen]

I LOVED mine - she did all that and more (literally showed up while I was eating breakfast the day of my wedding and I didn''t have to worry about a single thing ALL DAY) - she worked in a team with her husband, and was just amazing. We had a pre-wedding details meeting about 2 weeks beforehand and she thought of everything.

She actually did my wedding for free as she was just starting out, but would have charged $450 I believe for full services (San Francisco area).

 

[meresal]

Thanks everyone!! All of your input is invaluable.

For those that asked about what I would be transferring. We will be having two very large flower arrangeements at the alter, that need to be transferred to the buffet tables at the reception venue. I would like to have someone in charge of that, that is not in my family. I would also like to reuse pew flowers and move any un-picked up programs.

I am a little worried about the church coordinator not being "all there". She's been doing this for probably like 20 years, and even did my sisters wedding in 1997. However, she isn't very talkative, and not a "get in there and control things" kind woman. There is also no way she can carry a large flower arrangement. Would the florist be in charge of transporting it from the church?

Also, I'm not really sure what all will be controled by the reception coordinator. I need to send her an email, and ask if many of the brides have extra coordinators?

Based on your responses I'm guessing that most of their list is extra stuff that looks good as words, but really doesn't matter. I thought it would be nice to get this as a present to my parents, and $700 seems high even for those of you in Chicago and SanFran. I'll keep looking around.

I did find one for $300 but have yet to hear back. Thanks again!!


aggie: My FMIL got a coordinator for the RD, and she is charging a flat rate, plus 15% of the budget spent.

 

[AmberGretchen]

meresal - I think that sounds like a good decision for now. Best of luck with your further inquiries!

 

[mintve]

I contacted a local college that has event management as a degree. I told the program director that I would like him to post the day of coordinator position for my wedding to any recent grads who are interested in real life experience for their resume. I had several people contact me and I am interviewing them next week. The price range I am looking at is a few hundred dollars. I am exicted to have someone looking out for the small details of the day and to help my DJ and caterer.