Spice Catering Blog

A bride told me the other day that she enjoyed the planning of her wedding but now that its only a few months away she wants someone to deal with all of the logistics and take over. Luckily, that’s one of the services we offer! Let me explain the difference between a Wedding Coordinator vs. a Wedding Planner.

Wedding Coordinator
This is just one of my titles. Don’t think that just because you did all the planning for your wedding that you have to continue to run things the day of. This is YOUR day and you should be able to relax and enjoy it with your friends and family. Let someone else run the show. That’s why I’m here! About 3-4 weeks before your wedding, I’ll meet with you for a detail meeting. This is when you’ll give me all of your vendor contracts so that I can confirm details and delivery/arrival times with them, we discuss an “inventory” list of anything that I have to set up for the ceremony and reception, the order and participants of your ceremony processional, a basic outline of timing for the day (I’ll create a thorough timeline after this), and anything else that is on your mind. I basically take what YOU have planned and implement it.

Some popular wedding venues have an on-site coordinator. They are great because they know the venue best, but they don’t do everything that we do. If your ceremony is not at the venue, who will run things there? Who will make sure that your belongings get returned to you after the ceremony (unity candle, extra programs, etc.)? That’s right. Me. And don’t forget the countless hours spent on walkthroughs, detail meetings and the rehearsal that we attend to make sure that everything goes perfectly on your wedding day.

Most of the time the on-site coordinator at the reception will handle the logistics of the facility like setting the tables, making sure the food comes out correctly and on time, etc. What I do is a bit different. I start at your ceremony to greet the groom and groomsmen and make sure they are where they are supposed to be and on time. I set up any decorations or special items here. When the bride arrives I greet her at the limo and instruct her and the bridesmaids to line up for the processional, then coordinate with any musicians for the processional as I guide everyone down the aisle. Immediately after the ceremony, I go to the reception site and greet the vendors to make sure everyone knows where they are supposed to be and set up any items that I need to there. Throughout the evening, I make sure that everyone is following the timeline I put together and distributed prior to the wedding day and work out any adjustments that need to be made along the way. It’s also my job to make sure that the bride and groom are happy and to handle any mishaps that may occur throughout the day, preferable without the bride’s knowledge of anything going wrong 🙂

Wedding Planner
I love being a coordinator, but being a planner is great too because it gives me more time to build a rapport with the couple and get to know family members and friends throughout the planning process. With this title, I work with the couple from “Yes!” to “I do!”. We’ll start by creating a budget and estimated guest list to narrow down venues to make it easier to set up tours. I’ll go with the couple on those tours, vendor meetings, periodic meetings to firm up details and keep the couple on track, etc. I will help to create a theme or color scheme and work it into different aspects of the wedding. Then I take on the role of wedding coordinator the day of the wedding to implement everything that we planned together.

Considering a wedding planner or wedding coordinator for your big day? Contact Carisa today at Carisal@spicecateringgroup.com to discuss which is right for you!

I have coordinated wedding ceremony processionals that weren’t necessarily “the norm”. There have been men on the “ladies’ side” and vice versa. There have been moms and brothers and sisters stepping in for the father to walk the bride down the aisle. There have been some that did not involve parents at all, or that have involved multiple sets of parents. Sometimes the groomsmen escort the ladies down the aisle, and sometimes they are all standing at the “altar” with the groom. I’ve even had dogs as ring bearers! Anyone that the couple wants can be included in the processional.

But, those who want a more traditional wedding ceremony processional sometimes aren’t sure of the proper order. Here is a guide to help.

Grandparents of the Groom
Grandparents of the Bride
Officiant, Groom, Best Man (and Groomsmen if desired)
Parents of the Groom
Mother of the Bride (typically escorted by an Uncle, Brother, or other male family member)
Bridesmaids
Maid of Honor
Flower Girl and Ring Bearer (if included)
Bride and Father

This, of course, isn’t going to fit every ceremony processional, but it will at least send you in the right direction. Just remember, it is YOUR wedding and you can do it any way you’d like!

“But I’ve never planned a wedding before. How do I know what to budget for everything?”

This is a question we hear often. The fact of the matter is, for most, this is the first time planning an event of this complexity. Most people don’t know what each service costs. We did a little research and it looks like, on average, couples in the Durham, CT area are spending about $50,144 on their wedding. Here is a breakdown by service. As you will see, catering and/or the wedding venue is just about half of the budget.

Note: This chart is based on the spending of other couples getting married, not wedding vendor prices.

If you’re experiencing sticker shock, don’t worry, you’re not the first one to do so. Weddings are not cheap, but we can use this guide to figure out the dollar amount you are likely to spend on your wedding based on your budget:

Attire & Accessories – 5%
Beauty & Spa – 1%
Entertainment – 8%
Flowers & Decorations – 5%
Gifts & Favors – 2%
Invitations – 2%
Jewelry – 13%
Photography & Video – 12%
Planner/Consultant – 5%
Venue/Catering/Rentals – 47%

If you don’t have a $50,000 wedding budget, take the number that you do have and use these percentages to create a spreadsheet for yourself. This will at least give you some idea about the dollar amount you should expect to pay for each service. This is just a guide, and of course, not an exact science. You may want to modify it a bit for your priorities. For example, if you have your heart set on the best wedding DJ, maybe increase that percentage a bit and take some off for, say flowers.

If you’re still unsure, call us! Our wedding planner will help you figure out how to get the best “bang for your buck” and can even save you some money along the way.

Happy planning!