Venue Coordinator vs. Wedding Planner - Understanding the Difference
“Do I really need a wedding planner if my venue includes a coordinator?”
I hear this question all the time—and it’s a totally fair one!
Many venues do include a coordinator as part of their package, and if you’re getting married at a traditional venue (vs. a raw space or private property), chances are you’ll have someone onsite who knows the ins and outs of that space.
But here’s the key difference - in short:
The venue coordinator runs the venue, the wedding planner runs the wedding!
Let’s break that down a little more.
What a Venue Coordinator Does:
Venue coordinators are awesome at what they do—they're the go-to expert when it comes to the actual space you’ve booked. Their role is to:
Protect and represent the venue
Make sure the property’s rules are followed
Be available for questions that arise with the load-in for vendors
Ensure the venue fulfills its responsibilities under the contract
Oversee what’s happening onsite only within the scope of the venue
They’re usually there for a short window—often just the month before your wedding or even just the wedding day. Their focus is on keeping things running smoothly from the venue’s perspective and making sure the property gets glowing reviews. Which makes sense… they work for the venue!
What a Wedding Planner Does:
Now, enter: your wedding planner (hi, it’s me 👋).
As a Hudson Valley wedding planner (+destinations worldwide) and designer with 15+ years of experience, I work for you. My job starts months (sometimes a year+) before your wedding and includes:
Building your budget (and helping it stretch like magic)
Designing a cohesive aesthetic that reflects your style
Help you design, revise, and perfect your floor plans - then organize everything to make your vendor’s jobs infinitely easier.
Recommending and coordinating with vendors that actually fit your needs
Reviewing contracts and spotting any red flags
Managing timelines, layouts, and logistics (hello, seating charts!)
Navigating family dynamics, weird group texts, and delicate vendor issues
Being the calm in the chaos when Aunt Linda decides to “help”
Running the entire day behind-the-scenes so you don’t have to
From your first “What if we…” to the last sparkler send-off, I’m with you every step. I don’t just want your wedding to be pretty—I want it to feel like you, and for you to actually get to enjoy it.
Both roles are important. But they are not the same.
Having a venue coordinator does not replace a wedding planner—just like having a lifeguard at a pool party doesn’t mean you don’t need someone organizing the guest list, snacks, and that super cute floaty arch.
If you're unsure whether you need both, let’s chat. I’ll help you figure out what makes the most sense for your wedding and your sanity.
They will work closely with each other to ensure everyone is on the same page and have what they need to best do their jobs. Ultimately, they complement each other to help make the wedding day run smoothly. At a simple venue, a Wedding Planner can perform the duties of a Venue Coordinator, in addition to their many other tasks. In contrast, a Venue Coordinator typically doesn't assume the broad range of responsibilities that a Wedding Planner has.