When couples tour wedding venues and hear, “Our venue includes a coordinator,” many assume they’ve checked “wedding planner” off their list. After all, a coordinator is a coordinator right?

Not quite.

As a professional wedding planner who’s worked with countless venues over the years, I can tell you firsthand: while venue coordinators are wonderful to have on your vendor team, they don’t replace the role of a dedicated wedding planner. Both have important roles to play, but they’re not the same. Not even close.

In this post, I’ll break down the key differences between a wedding planner and a venue coordinator, and why having both is essential for a smooth, stress-free experience of your wedding day.

What a Venue Coordinator Does

Let’s start with the venue coordinator. This is someone employed by the venue, meaning their first priority is the venue itself. Their responsibilities typically include:

Ensuring your contract with the venue is fulfilled
Managing venue access and logistics (e.g., load-in/load-out times)
Coordinating the venue’s staff, catering (if in-house), and setup crew
Answering questions related to the space (e.g., lighting, tables and chairs, rules and regulations, etc.)
Overseeing venue-related timelines (e.g., vendor access time, when dinner is served, when cleanup begins, etc.)

Exactly as their title suggests, venue coordinators are fantastic at coordinating anything that falls under the venue’s umbrella. If you need someone to unlock the bridal suite, make sure the bar is staffed (again, if in-house), or confirm that the venue-provided chairs are arranged correctly, they’ve got you covered.

But if you’re expecting someone to create and manage your full wedding day timeline, cue a seamless ceremony, communicate with your entire vendor team, or advocate for your personal vision across every element of your day, you’re looking for a wedding planner.

Venue Coordinator and wedding planner from Grand Entrance Affairs at work

What a Wedding Planner Brings To the Table

A wedding planner is your advocate. From your first consultation to the last guest’s departure, we’re here to manage the entire experience, not just one aspect of it.

Here’s what a full-service wedding planner like myself typically handles:

Referring and coordinating with trusted vendors (photographers, florists, DJs, etc.)
Assisting you with managing your budget and vendor contracts
Designing and executing your wedding’s visual aesthetic
Creating your full wedding timeline from start to finish
Running your rehearsal and orchestrating every important moment of the big day
Troubleshooting any issues that arise (often before you even know they happened!)

Unlike a venue coordinator who focuses solely on what happens at their location, a wedding planner is concerned with everything personal to you—from how the floral palette ties into your color scheme, to whether your DJ is cued up for your grand entrance, to making sure your grandma has a seat near the aisle for the ceremony.

We’re also with you well before your wedding day. Wedding planning is a months-long (sometimes years-long) journey, and we walk it with you—guiding your decisions, offering valuable experience, industry connections, and expert advice, and helping you stay on track at every turn.

Wedding Planner Ingrid Coordinating wedding vendors

Still Not Sure? Here’s a Quick Comparison:

Comparison table for wedding planner and Venue Coordinator.png

Real Talk: You Need Both

The truth is, having both a venue coordinator and a wedding planner makes for the strongest team on your special day. When each person is empowered to play their role, magic happens.

The venue coordinator ensures the space runs smoothly. The wedding planner ensures everything runs smoothly.

Planner directing vendors on site — **Here’s an example from a real wedding**: The venue had a strict policy on when sound had to stop but the DJ had a playlist that ran 10 minutes too long.

While the venue coordinator flagged the issue, it was the wedding planner (me!) who jumped in to quickly rework the timeline and communicate with the DJ, ensuring the couple still got their special dances in *without* breaking venue rules or losing momentum.

That’s the kind of seamless, behind-the-scenes magic planners are constantly managing.

Why This Matters for You

You’ve put your heart, time, and money into your wedding. You deserve to be present for every moment and enjoy it fully, without worrying about whether the cake has arrived or if the chairs are facing the right direction.

A venue coordinator will make sure the venue looks good. A wedding planner will make sure you feel good, and that every piece of your day reflects your story, values, and dreams.

Planning Your Big Day? Let’s Chat!

Happy Couples with their wedding planner Ingrid

At Grand Entrance Affairs, we specialize in creating weddings that are not only visually stunning, but deeply personal. Our goal is to give you peace of mind so you can savor every moment of your celebration, knowing that someone who’s genuinely invested in your experience is looking out for every last detail.

Whether you’re newly engaged or already working with a venue, I’d love to hear more about your vision and see how I can support you in bringing it all together.

Let’s create something unforgettable together.

Contact us today to start planning your unforgettable celebration.

Wedding Planner vs. Venue Coordinator: Why You Still Need a Planner