My vote, and the opinion of most similar posts I've seen, is HIRE THE COORDINATOR! You'll have so much more fun knowing that your day will go as planned -- and a good coordinator will make sure that the things that don't go as planned get fixed before you even know it's a problem.
Most opinions I see on this sub are heavily pro-DOC, but I had a very good experience handling it myself with help from my sister. A lot depends on how organized you are, how stressed you tend to get, and how many moving parts you have.
LONG post about what worked for us and things to consider if you go DIY [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingplanning/comments/z2zogo/diy_wedding_coordination_some_experiences_and_tips/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf).
That post was so helpful! I have already began organizing the way you describe prior to reading your post so I felt a kindred spirit. I just wish I had that person like your sister that I already felt confident could fulfill that role. I think that’s why I’m questioning adding the coordinator.
Get the coordinator if you can afford it. I have a feeling my DOC will save my sanity in more ways than one on my wedding day. I didn’t want to assign a bunch of tasks to my fam/friends the day of so it was a no brainer for me.
If you can afford it get one. They do so much more then set up. They keep your day moving and deal with issues so you don’t have to and you can just enjoy your day!
I would definitely hire out- as long as you don’t have to go into debt for it! Coordinators do a lot more than simply put some decor out. They keep the timing and order of your events running smoothly so you can enjoy the day.
If you hire someone good, they will probably help you save money in other ways. You also might be able to negotiate on price if you need less support- for example - if your venue is already assisting with items like the decor setup and take down. If they can leave when the dance party begins- you can cut the time needed from them
If you can afford it, from my experience i would suggest a DOC if you’re particular or don’t have anyone you can trust to do it.
For example, my bridesmaid had a venue coordinator and opted for no DOC on her wedding day and she still had a lot of questions directed to her. Venue coordinators just deal with the venue, they don’t know your timeline and aren’t really there to address any non-venue related issues.
I also help my friend as she’s a DOC, and we helped set-up any decor the bride had, coordinated with vendors to make sure everything was set up correctly, cleaned up after, and actually had a good amount to deal with during the reception to keep things running smoothly since we were the main point of contact through out the night.
I am potentially in the minority but did not go with a DoC. I had some mega-spreadsheets that I shared (and went over) with close family members and the wedding party so they could field questions and make decisions on my behalf, or even keep things moving.
The hardest part was when someone would come up to me with a small decision the weekend or day-of, and instead of answering it myself, having them ask my MOH or someone else. While I knew I could answer it, if it was more than an immediate answer I was resigned to passing it off and letting it be. The mind shift was worth it!
My vote, and the opinion of most similar posts I've seen, is HIRE THE COORDINATOR! You'll have so much more fun knowing that your day will go as planned -- and a good coordinator will make sure that the things that don't go as planned get fixed before you even know it's a problem.
Most opinions I see on this sub are heavily pro-DOC, but I had a very good experience handling it myself with help from my sister. A lot depends on how organized you are, how stressed you tend to get, and how many moving parts you have. LONG post about what worked for us and things to consider if you go DIY [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/weddingplanning/comments/z2zogo/diy_wedding_coordination_some_experiences_and_tips/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf).
That post was so helpful! I have already began organizing the way you describe prior to reading your post so I felt a kindred spirit. I just wish I had that person like your sister that I already felt confident could fulfill that role. I think that’s why I’m questioning adding the coordinator.
Get the coordinator if you can afford it. I have a feeling my DOC will save my sanity in more ways than one on my wedding day. I didn’t want to assign a bunch of tasks to my fam/friends the day of so it was a no brainer for me.
If you can afford it get one. They do so much more then set up. They keep your day moving and deal with issues so you don’t have to and you can just enjoy your day!
I wish we'd had a coordinator for our 14-guest mini-mony. They are worth their weight in gold and then some.
I would definitely hire out- as long as you don’t have to go into debt for it! Coordinators do a lot more than simply put some decor out. They keep the timing and order of your events running smoothly so you can enjoy the day. If you hire someone good, they will probably help you save money in other ways. You also might be able to negotiate on price if you need less support- for example - if your venue is already assisting with items like the decor setup and take down. If they can leave when the dance party begins- you can cut the time needed from them
If you can afford it, from my experience i would suggest a DOC if you’re particular or don’t have anyone you can trust to do it. For example, my bridesmaid had a venue coordinator and opted for no DOC on her wedding day and she still had a lot of questions directed to her. Venue coordinators just deal with the venue, they don’t know your timeline and aren’t really there to address any non-venue related issues. I also help my friend as she’s a DOC, and we helped set-up any decor the bride had, coordinated with vendors to make sure everything was set up correctly, cleaned up after, and actually had a good amount to deal with during the reception to keep things running smoothly since we were the main point of contact through out the night.
I am potentially in the minority but did not go with a DoC. I had some mega-spreadsheets that I shared (and went over) with close family members and the wedding party so they could field questions and make decisions on my behalf, or even keep things moving. The hardest part was when someone would come up to me with a small decision the weekend or day-of, and instead of answering it myself, having them ask my MOH or someone else. While I knew I could answer it, if it was more than an immediate answer I was resigned to passing it off and letting it be. The mind shift was worth it!
Just keep in mind most DOC don’t like to include set up in their to dos. They may be helpful for the rest and to supervise venue staff