When you're looking for a wedding planner, you quickly realize that there isn't just one way of working. Some offer full-service planning starting from the engagement, while others are only involved on the wedding day. But what’s the difference between full-service planning and just the wedding day? Here’s how to sort it all out so you can choose what’s right for you.
Comprehensive planning: when the wedding planner becomes your project manager
With this package, the wedding planner will guide you every step of the way—from planning your wedding to putting away the last candleholder on the night of the wedding.
Specifically, this includes finding and selecting vendors, negotiating contracts, managing the overall budget, coordinating all stakeholders, creating the day’s schedule, and, of course, handling all coordination on the big day. You’re involved in all the important decisions—choosing the venue, the caterer, the atmosphere—but you don’t have to deal with the logistics, administrative tasks, or day-to-day operations.
This plan is right for you if:
Are you planning a wedding in Provence from abroad or from another region of France?
Your schedule doesn't allow you to devote the dozens of hours needed to organize
You want to enjoy your engagement to the fullest without letting the planning take over your daily life
You have a substantial budget and want to ensure that it is managed effectively by a professional who knows the local market
Partial support: the tailor-made solution
Between full-service planning and coordination alone, there’s a range of à la carte options. You’ve already booked your venue—and perhaps your caterer. You have a clear vision of the atmosphere you want to create. But you feel you need help with specific aspects: finding the right entertainment providers, negotiating a complex contract, structuring your budget, or simply getting a professional opinion on what you’ve already put together.
This type of assignment is really tailored on a case-by-case basis, depending on where you are now and where you’d like guidance to take you.
This plan is right for you if:
You've already made some progress with the planning, but you feel like something is slipping through the cracks
You are looking for targeted assistance without entrusting the entire project to someone else
You're organized, but you lack knowledge of the local Provençal market
Coordination on the D-Day: the wedding planner takes control at the right moment
This is the most well-known option, often referred to as “wedding day coordination” or “wedding day coordinator.” You organize your wedding entirely on your own, and you entrust a wedding planner with the day-of coordination for the ceremony and reception.
In practice, effective coordination on the big day begins well before the big day. Several weeks or months before the wedding, the wedding planner reviews all the details: contracts, the day-of schedule, contact information for all vendors, the seating chart, and the venue’s technical requirements. She refines the minute-by-minute schedule with you, coordinates with all the vendors, and on the big day, she’s on-site to ensure that everything happens at the right time and in the right place.
This plan is right for you if:
You enjoy organizing, and you managed the entire project on your own
Your only fear is that you won't be able to enjoy your day because you'll have to deal with unexpected events
You want to be there at your wedding as the bride, not as the wedding planner
What D-Day Coordination cannot replace
Let’s be clear on this point: on-the-day coordination cannot make up for months of chaotic planning. If the contracts with vendors are vague, if the schedule has never been confirmed with the venue, or if the seating chart isn’t finalized, the coordinator can help manage emergencies, but she cannot fix in 24 hours what wasn’t properly set up beforehand.
How do I choose?
Ask yourself these three questions:
How much time and energy do I actually have to plan this wedding?
Do I have a good grasp of the wedding vendor market in Provence?
Do I want my wedding day to be that of a bride or that of a planner?
Your answers will naturally guide you to the right plan.