Hello there! My name is Jamie Gurgul and I’m the owner of HYPE Event Planning. I began this side-hustle back in October 2017. While I work full-time in the nonprofit sector doing fundraising and special events, I love being able to dip my toes into planning social events through HYPE and my wonderful clients!
My experiences in the wedding world first began as a venue manager while finishing up school in Iowa. I was unfortunately not in the position for a long time before making the move to Madison. However, due to the nature of this role, I was able to see a revolving door of different events. From weddings to fundraisers to corporate appreciation events, each client was able to transform the space and make it uniquely them.
This is when I became intrigued with day-of coordination (also known as weekend-of or month-of coordination). Many event planners would say that this is their least favorite package to book with clients. For me personally, I love when a couple and their loved ones put so much time, thought, and personalization into creating a day that perfectly symbolizes their lives together. I absolutely love to hear all the memories that couples have made because they were able to work on DIY projects together leading up to the big day. Because of this, I have never experienced two weddings that were remotely similar to one another.
One of the most common thoughts I hear from clients after their wedding is, “I truly didn’t even realize how much I needed a day-of coordinator”. Even as this package becomes increasingly popular, I still find that there is a lot of confusion surrounding what services are included.
A day-of coordinator is the perfect option for a couple who wants to do all of their planning on their own, but don’t want to stress with the execution on their big day. Overall, your wedding coordinator will be logistically focused and ready to take over all of the planning you have done (booking vendors, décor and design, etc.). Your wedding coordinator’s services will begin about 1-3 months before your wedding date to start collecting details and ensuring plans are ready to be executed. This will leave you with peace of mind knowing you won’t have a lift a finger the day of your wedding.
1. CREATE YOUR DAY-OF TIMELINE:
This is huge! This sole document completely dictates the direction of your wedding. Even if you have your own timeline, the day-of coordinator will likely make their own and ensure there are no holes in the schedule.
2. PROVIDE 2-3 CHECK IN MEETINGS:
For each of my clients, I generally have 2-3 meetings and/or in-person meetings to start collecting their plans. Again, this is a great way to ensure there are no gaps in your plans.
3. ADVISE AND GIVE REFERRALS:
Most day-of coordinators will happily give recommendations, advice, or vendor referrals to you throughout the planning process. This may not always be included, so it is important to ask when inquiring.
4. ATTEND FINAL VENUE WALKTHROUGHS:
I find it helpful to attend final venue walkthroughs if they are scheduled. Again, not every coordinator may provide this service so it may be an important question to ask.
5. RUN YOUR REHEARSAL:
Let the coordinator boss your newly arrived friends and family around, so you don’t have to! Rehearsals can be incredibly stressful and time-consuming if you don’t have a coordinator.
6. COORDINATE WITH VENDORS:
About 2-3 weeks before the big day, I email all my client’s chosen vendors to introduce myself, provide contact information, confirm arrival times, and answer any questions they may have. Extra bonus: this means way less emails for you to answer in the weeks leading up to your wedding!
7. SERVE AS CALL CENTER:
On average, I receive at least 10 phone calls during the morning of a wedding. Now close your eyes and imagine having to answer all of these yourself! A coordinator ensures that you will have the freedom to not answer your phone all day long.
8. SET-UP & TAKE-DOWN:
The most common reason couple choose to hire a coordinator is to have helping hands with décor set-up and take-down. This portion alone usually takes me 3-4 hours minimally the day of a wedding. It is important to chat with your coordinator about this to ensure they are able to do it on their own.
9. KEEP TRACK OF THE DAY:
Remember that wonderful timeline your coordinator put together? It will likely be pinned on a clipboard all day that won’t leave their arms. A wedding coordinator will ensure that your day is constantly on track. As the bride/groom, it’s very easy to lose track of time.
10. RUN ERRANDS & FIELD CRISIS:
In other words, coordinators do the miscellaneous. Like I mentioned before, I have never had a wedding that was like other weddings I’ve done. From coffee runs to running back to the hotel to grab the bride’s forgotten bouquet, I’ve done it all to ensure the day can keep rolling as smoothly as possible.
If you are still on the fence about hiring a day-of coordination, I urge you to remember all of the time, thought, and energy you have put into wedding planning thus far. It would be waste of your efforts to have these important details lost in the shuffle of wedding day chaos. With a qualified day-of coordinator at your side, you can have the picture-perfect day you always dreamt of without the stress and headache.
You can find Jamie online via the following links:
Website: https://www.hypeeventplanning.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hypeeventplanning/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hypeeventplanning/