The Day-Of… and Then Some.
Many couples assume “day-of coordination” means your coordinator shows up with a clipboard to execute whatever’s been planned. And to be fair, for many coordinators, that’s exactly what happens.
By the time a couple reaches out to me, they’ve usually done a lot. They’ve booked their vendors, outlined a timeline, and maybe even created a color-coded spreadsheet. But here’s the thing: those timelines? They’re rarely ready to execute. Not without vendor transitions, contingency buffers, and the minute-by-minute flow that only someone who’s been behind the scenes of hundreds of events knows to plan for.
The moment I start asking questions, there’s usually a pause—and then:
“Oh… we didn’t even think of that.”
Which makes sense. They’re not supposed to think of that. That’s where The Day-Of comes in.
Yes, I’m your day-of coordinator, but I don’t wait until the day-of to get involved.
My approach blends light planning with hands-on coordination. I step in about six weeks out, long before your event, to review what you’ve already put together, spot the gaps, and start building a plan that works. That means coordinating vendor arrival times, managing transitions, flagging red flags in your timeline, and adding the kind of detail most people don’t think to include.
For example, when clients tell me there will be speeches, I don’t just block off 15 minutes and hope for the best. I confirm who is speaking, recommend they keep it to 2–3 minutes max, and build each one directly into the timeline, with cues for the DJ so they know exactly who to announce and when.
That’s how we avoid awkward pauses, lost transitions, and moments where no one knows what’s supposed to happen next.
It’s not about redoing what you’ve done. It’s about making sure what you’ve built can hold up under the weight of real people, real timelines, and real unpredictability.
And while every event is different, there’s a rhythm to what I do behind the scenes from quiet fixes, smart pivots, and all the little things you didn’t know you needed until someone’s there making them happen.
So, what does that look like?
Confirming who’s giving a toast, how long they’ll speak, and whether it’s a casual toast or a formal champagne moment. If glasses need to be poured, I build in time for venue staff to do it, so we’re not announcing a toast while half the room is still empty-handed.
Asking the questions others don’t: Is wine already on the tables? If so, who’s opening it? If there are corks, are wine keys provided at each table or is someone walking around doing it? These details don’t seem big until they are.
Timing dinner service and bussing around key moments like pausing dish clearing during toasts so guests don’t hear clanking silverware over someone’s speech. It’s something I plan for while reviewing timelines because I’ve worked in venues where no one did—and the day-of coordinator had to carry it out anyway, despite the noise, awkward looks from guests, and staff stuck trying to follow the timeline as written or risk throwing off the flow of service.
These aren’t extras. This is the work. The kind that keeps your event from becoming a series of avoidable surprises.
In Closing
You’ve already hired vendors, picked a venue, and planned out the details. My job is to make sure all of that doesn’t fall apart under the pressure of a real event with real people and real timing.
The Day-Of isn’t just the day of. It’s everything leading up to it that ensures you can enjoy it.
Stay tuned for our next post, where we’ll share real-world planning insights, behind-the-scenes tips, and things most couples don’t know they need—until they do.