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behind the price tag: planners and coordinators
- Love Struck
- Sep 30
- 3 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
“Do we really need a planner for a tiny wedding?” Or, “My cousin is super organized—she can run the day.” Common, totally reasonable thoughts. The truth: a great day-of coordinator is your calm command center—building your timeline, cueing every moment, solving problems you never see, and packing your car at the end of the night. They are, functionally, in three places at once so you don’t have to be.
Here’s what’s realistic for a micro-wedding of 50 guests.
The “DIY / Friend Will Coordinate” Option
It can work when the logistics are simple—but hidden gaps appear fast:
No insured point-person to manage vendors, cues, or delays.
Guests-turned-workers miss the celebration (and lack authority with vendors).
No master timeline or backup plans (weather, late arrivals, power/breaker issues).
End-of-night chaos: who packs personal items, cake, cards, gifts, rentals?
Micro-wedding reality: $0–$300 in supplies, but very high risk of missed cues, stressed family, and a messy teardown.
Standard Day-of (Month-of) Coordination
You’re paying for pre-work + day-of execution: timeline building, vendor confirmations, floor plan review, rehearsal management, and a captain on the day.
Micro-wedding range (day-of/month-of): $1,200–$2,200
1–2 planning calls, master timeline, vendor check-ins, rehearsal (often 1 hour), 8–10 hours on the day, emergency kit, and end-of-night pack-out.
Higher-cost markets or complex logistics: $2,500–$3,500.
Partial planning: $2,500–$5,500 (adds design/vendor sourcing for a few categories).
Full-service planning: $5,000–$12,000+ (soup to nuts over months).
What They Actually Do (Yes, even at 50 guests)
Build the timeline and keep everyone on it (hair/makeup ready, first look, vows, portraits, toasts).
Vendor wrangler: confirm arrivals, parking, load-in routes, power needs, meal counts, break-down times.
Cue every moment: processional lineup, music start/stop, mic checks, grand entrance, first dance, cake cut.
Setup/styling: lay out place cards, candles, programs, signage, small rentals.
Problem-solve quietly: late shuttle, missing boutonnière, seating swap, rain plan, blown fuse.
Pack-out: cards/gifts, décor, leftover favors, extra cake/champagne, signage—into your labeled bins and car.
Close the loop: final headcount to caterer, tip envelopes, rental return checklist.
Hidden Costs You Might Miss
Assistants: many coordinators add an assistant for >35–40 guests or multi-location days.
Rehearsal fee: sometimes separate from day-of package.
Overtime: if you run past contracted hours.
Travel/parking/permits: parks, rooftops, or venues with restricted access.
Next-day returns: breakdown help, rental returns, or pickup coordination.
Tips to Save (While Keeping Your Sanity)
One location = fewer moving parts.
Pre-label everything. Create “Ceremony,” “Reception,” and “Pack-Out” bins; include a printed contents list.
Short, focused timeline. Stack your signature moments inside 6–8 hours.
Delegate only truly low-stakes tasks to friends (e.g., welcome sign drop-off), keep cues/vendor management with the coordinator.
Clear floor plan + final list (seating, dietary notes, VIPs) sent one week out.
Questions to Ask Your Coordinator
What’s included in month-of/day-of (calls, rehearsal, hours on-site, assistants)?
Will you build and run the timeline and handle all vendor confirmations?
Setup/teardown specifics: what will you place/strike, and what won’t you?
End-of-night: who packs personal items, gifts, cake, signage—and loads the car?
Overtime rate? Travel or parking fees?
Insurance/COI provided? Backup coordinator plan if you’re ill?
How do you manage weather backup or power issues?
Reality Check
For micro-weddings, a coordinator isn’t a luxury—it’s how you actually experience your day. Expect 4–8% of your total budget for day-of/month-of coordination, depending on market and complexity. The difference you feel: fewer questions to you, fewer delays, and a smooth exit with the car already packed.
Pro Lovestruck Tip
Create a “Last 5%” box with tape, pens, lighter, safety pins, stain stick, phone chargers, spare seating cards, extra envelopes for tips—and put it on the coordinator’s table. At the end of the night, they’ll load it with strays (vow books, cake topper, guest book) so nothing gets left behind.
More Behind the Price Tag: Wedding Budget Breakdowns
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