Wedding Planner vs On-Site Coordinator
By Tarisha Beniprashad
Wedding Planner vs On-Site Coordinator?!
What’s the difference? Do I need both? What do they do?!
The wedding planner vs on-site coordinator debate is a pretty popular one in the wedding industry, but to be honest, we don’t think it should be a debate at all. The roles of a wedding planner and the duties of an on-site coordinator are completely different- each position has its own merits. If you’re unsure of your stance in this debate, we’ve got you covered- we’ll tell you all there is to know about wedding planners vs on-site coordinators!
Wedding planners:
That’s us! Wedding planners are independent planners that you can hire to help you coordinate all of the little details of your wedding day, and even the days leading up to it. We help you plan everything from the invitations to flowers to caterers to transportation, and pretty much everything in between.
Alisha & Michelle coordinating a styled shoot. Photography by Thomas Zitnansky Photography.
We’re with you on the day of your wedding from the beginning right until the end to ensure that everything runs smoothly from the morning of the wedding to the end of the reception. We aim to build both professional and personal relationships with our clients and really get to know them during their wedding planning journey so that we can do our best to make sure we plan a day they can’t forget, and have a little fun along the way!
On-site Coordinators:
These guys are usually employed by the venue of your wedding or reception, and don’t typically work with you on details outside of that. They’re the ones you meet to sign contracts and go over food and beverage choices, and pretty much anything else that’s going on at the venue. Their main job is to ensure that the festivities run in a smooth and timely manner, and that all of their services are delivered flawlessly. They may also suggest some vendors to you that they’ve worked with in the past, but that isn’t necessarily a part of their job description. You can depend on these guys to be present during your time at the venue, but they’ll likely leave before dinner is over and turn things over to the Banquet Manager, who will supervise things until the party is over.
On-site coordinators work behind the scenes to make sure that the venue delivers everything in your contact.
So now that you know the specific roles of a Wedding Planner vs On-Site Coordinator, we’re sure that you can understand where we’re coming from when we say this shouldn’t be a debate in the first place. These positions cater to different needs, and generate the best results when they work together. If you’re trying to decide between a wedding planner vs on-site coordinator, here’s our advice: why not both? These two can work together to ensure your day goes off without a hitch, and will actually make each other’s jobs a whole lot easier. With a wedding planner you get someone to guide you through the entire planning process from start to finish and manage your vendors, and your on-site coordinator will take care of all the logistics relatingto the venue on the day of. Their jobs are equally important, and you’re guaranteed to have the day you’ve been dreaming of with both of them working together to make your vision a reality!
Whim Event Coordination and Design is a team of Toronto wedding planners who service the GTA and beyond. Leave a comment below and let us know what your thoughts are on the wedding planner vs on-site coordinator debate, and contact us today so we can help you get started on your wedding planning!
- Published in 2015, Wedding TIps
Napkin Folding Styles – Toronto Wedding Planner
Okay, let’s be real for a second. Who REALLY cares about napkin folding styles? Chances are that if you’re reading this blog, you probably should! It may sound like an insignificant and frivolous little detail that you don’t really need to give any thought, but it’s one of those quaint details that’ll let your guests know that you put a ton of effort into planning your event. Putting in a little extra thought to certain things like napkin folding styles will definitely tie the decor aspect of your event together, and be reflected in the overall ambiance. Want to know about how to add an extra flair to your table settings? Keep reading for some cool ideas on how to arrange the napkins at your next event.
These first three folds are pretty conservative, yet they still serve to spice up your place settings- they can all be prettily placed on top of your table settings.The single pocket fold can be made a little less simple by adding flowers that match your theme into the pocket:
These next two options are pretty simple and functional- they’ll hold your cutlery in a minimalist yet fashionable fold. You could even switch out the utensils for some fresh blossoms to liven up your tables!
These designs can either be placed inside a goblet-style glass, inside a napkin ring, or even just laid on top of your place settings:
These five types of napkin folds are a little more quirky and unique. They’ll add a very cute personal touch to your place settings, and can be used for themed events like Valentine’s day and Christmas
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the various types of napkin folds out there. You can actually have a lot of fun when deciding which design to go with- and feel free to get creative! You can find instructions on how to achieve these designs along with others on Buzzfeed, and the Napkin Folding Guide Website.
Leave us a comment below letting us know your favorite napkin folding concept!
Introducing Pantone’s 2015 Color of the Year: Marsala
The Pantone Color Institute recently announced Marsala 18-1438 as their choice for 2015’s color of the year! Described as a “naturally robust and earthy wine red” on Pantone’s website, we are ecstatic about this color palette. 
We’ve seen variations this color show up in quite a few different areas this year already- in the dark, sultry makeup trend that’s so popular this season and even on the red carpet. With all of the hype around this vampy palette, we aren’t surprised Pantone chose to feature it this year.
Marsala is a pretty cool name for a color, right? We thought so too. Marsala is a town in Italy, quite famous for their wine- no wonder this hue made us crave a glass of red.
“Much like the fortified wine that gives Marsala its name, this tasteful hue embodies the satisfying richness of a fulfilling meal while its grounding red-brown roots emanate a sophisticated, natural earthiness,” states the institute.
This color is a little more sultry and universally pleasing than past colors of the year, such as Tangerine Tango, Mimosa, and last year’s Radiant Orchid. The versatility of this shade was also a major selling point: “it translates beautifully to fashion, beauty, industrial design, home furnishings, and interiors.” Marsala is also unisex, flattering the stylish tastes of males and females alike.
The Pantone color institute also says that that this shade “enriches [the] mind, body, and soul, exuding confidence and stability. Marsala is a subtly seductive shade, one that draws us into its embracing warmth.” Whoa. That’s a whole lot for a color to accomplish… but if anyone can do it, Marsala can.
We love this color and the palette it belongs to, and cannot wait to make use of it with some of our clients in the upcoming year!
Do you think Pantone made the right choice this year? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think!