Who You Need to Hire for Your Tampa FL Wedding Day

Congratulations, you’re engaged! Now the wedding planning can begin. You get to pick the Tampa wedding venue of your dreams, your photographer, and so many more vendors who will help bring your wedding vision to life. Beyond your venue and photographer, one of the most important vendors to consider hiring is a wedding planner or wedding coordinator. No matter how much you like to plan or how Type A you are, having a dedicated planner or coordinator will save you so much stress for your wedding day! Wondering where to find a wedding planner or what the difference is between them and a wedding coordinator? Read on through today’s post to understand why hiring a Tampa wedding planner can make your wedding day even better than you imagined! 

Why You Should Hire a Tampa Wedding Planner

Here’s the truth: weddings are expensive. I believe that you should spend your money on the things that matter most to you, whether that’s a particular Tampa venue you’ve always dreamed of, the food you love, or a destination wedding day. That being said, money spent on a wedding coordinator or wedding planner is always well-deserved. Wedding planners and coordinators (while having slightly different roles), both help you bring your wedding day to life with way less stress. They’re with you through the planning process, to answer questions and guide you through how to plan the day of your dreams. Not only that, but they’re available on the day of your event to make sure it all goes smoothly. Being able to celebrate one of the biggest days of your life with less stress seems like a win to me! 

The Difference Between a Wedding Planner and Wedding Coordinator 

Before we go too much further into how to find the perfect planner or coordinator for your wedding, let’s break down the differences between them. 

Wedding Planners

Wedding Planners are with you through the entire planning process. They’re about logistics, contracts, and making sure you find the best people for your Tampa wedding day. If you want someone to help you from start to finish, then you need a wedding planner. Tampa wedding planners will know who to hire, when to hire them, and help you track your budget so you never have any question about what’s next in the planning process. Wedding planners will also be there on the day of your wedding to help things run smoothly. Basically, if you want a vendor who will guide you through the whole planning process, hire a wedding planner! 

Wedding Coordinators

The biggest difference between a wedding planner and coordinator is that a wedding coordinator is often working with you on a smaller time table. They’ll probably jump into the planning process with you about a month before the big day, and then become your go-to person on the day of your wedding. While many will still help take care of last minute confirmations and organizational details, they’re not in this process with you from the start. If you’re someone who’s pretty detail oriented but just wants someone to double check your work, a wedding coordinator is the best option for you. 

When to Hire a Wedding Planner or Coordinator

As you can see, the right wedding planner or wedding coordinator for you can make all the difference when it comes to planning a stress-free wedding. It’s important to know when to hire a wedding planner in the process. For most couples, the first thing you should do is understand your budget. Lay out how much you have to work with. Once that’s done, think about your guest count and when you’d want to get married. After all of those things are decided, choosing a venue and date is next on the list. Once you have a date, you can start reaching out to wedding planners! It’s important to know your event date so that they know they can fit you on their calendar! 

How to Know if You Should Hire a Wedding Planner or Coordinator

Interested in help for your wedding day but not sure who to hire? Here’s a few things to consider: 

Hire a wedding planner if… 

• You have the budget.
• A stress-free wedding is ideal for you.
• You’re super busy and need extra help to plan the big day.
• Your Tampa wedding day is a destination event for you.
• Someone helping you every step of the way is the most beneficial.

Hire a wedding coordinator if…

• Having someone take over and review last minute details is helpful for you.
• Your budget is smaller but you still want extra help planning!  
• Being a Type A/organized person comes naturally. 

Where to Find Your Dream Tampa Wedding Planner

Like most wedding vendors, hiring the right fit for you is the most important part of selecting who to work with. This requires some research on your part and likely some consultations or calls with the potential planners you’re interested in. To start your search for a Tampa wedding planner or coordinator, ask around. Talk to your friends and family who have been married and used a planner. Honestly, word of mouth is one of the best ways to find great vendors. You can also look online at places like the Knot or on social media. Just make sure you actually talk with them before hiring anyone. A wedding planner (especially!) is going to be with you through the whole planning process. You want to like them and feel confident that they’ll help bring your vision to life.  

When it comes down to it, hiring a wedding planner or wedding coordinator is about knowing what you need to bring your wedding day to fruition. The right team will do that – and make it look easy! After you’ve booked your venue and planner, make sure to hire your photographer next.

You deserve a wedding photographer who is invested in you and capturing every moment! Reach out and let’s connect to book your wedding day here in Florida (or around the world)!