There is a common misconception about hiring a ‘day-of’ wedding coordinator: That you simply hand them a timeline, pint them toward the vendors, and say, “See you at the altar!”

Not quite! A day-of wedding coordinator is a professional who steps in close to the wedding date to manage final logistics and oversee the event itself.

A great day-of coordinator can be one of the best investments you make for your wedding. They watch the clock, manage vendors, answer questions, solve problems, and ensure you remain blissfully unaware if the cake is running late or place cards are misplaces. However, even the most experienced coordinator cannot successfully manage information they were never given.

‘Day-Of’ Should Start Before the Day My first recommendation is simple: Onboard your coordinator well before the wedding. Ideally, there should be enough time for them to properly review your plans, understand your vision, and identify anything that may have fallen through the cracks.

Remember, they are approaching your wedding with fresh, professional eyes. While you may have spent months communicating with your florist, caterer, and venue, your coordinator needs to know what was actually agreed upon. This is where a good coordinator crosses the T’s and dots the I’s.

They may notice that the photographer’s arrival time doesn’t align with getting-ready photos, discover that no one is assigned to light candles, or find that the DJ, caterer, and photographer have three different versions of the timeline. These are much easier problems to solve a week or two before the wedding than three minutes before the ceremony starts!

The Great Handover

Your coordinator should receive a comprehensive wedding file – the operating manual for your event. Provide them with: Vendor information: Final vendor list with contact details, confirmed scoped of work, payment status, and any outstanding balances or gratuities to distribute.

Schedules & Plans: Complete wedding-day timeline, ceremony order, reception programme, floor plan, seating chart, guest count, vendor arrival/set-up times, and a detailed décor plan (including teardown responsibilities).

Important Nuances: Family dynamics, VIP guests, accessibility requirements, dietary concerns, transportation arrangements, and any planned surprises.

Designed Decision-Makers:

Identify who the coordinator can approach with immediate question while you are taking photos (eg, maid of honour, best man, parent). Giving someone authority to handle minor decisions keeps the focus off the couple.

Don’t Make Them Play Detective

One of the main ways couples unintentionally set a day-of coordinator up for failure is a lack of clear information. If a decorator verbally agreed to provide a table, the caterer promised meals for the crew, or a family member needs early transportation, pass that information along. Your coordinator shouldn’t have to discover these details in real time. (And forwarding dozens of unstructured messages the night before does not count as a handover!)

Give Them Permission to Coordinate Once you hand over the details, allow your coordinator to do their job. Introduce them to your vendors beforehand as the primary point of contact for the wedding day. Let them confirm arrival times, review logistics, and flag potential issues. A professional coordinator asking, “Who is responsible for this?” is simply ensuring the task gets covered.

Your Wedding Day Should Feel Different for You The ultimate purpose of day-of coordination is to allow you to fully experience your day. You shouldn’t be answering calls from vendors, your partner shouldn’t be directing set-up, and your family shouldn’t miss cocktail hour managing logistics. A wellbriefed coordinator serves as the keeper of the plan and the buffer between you and any unexpected hiccups.

Shikima Hinds Managing Director Shikima Hinds Events Concierge Tel: 876-925-4285 or 876-361-0910 E-mail: shikima@ shikimahinds. com www. shikimahinds. com

Shikima Hinds Logo.