Why You Should Absolutely Hire a Wedding Coordinator: A Conversation with EHWeddingsPGH

WHO ARE THE FACES BEHIND EHWEDDINGSPGH?

The Team: Emilee and her husband, Alex

Emilee does all the aesthetics, decorating, planning, communicating with vendors and bride, and timeline creation whereas Alex helps with rehearsals, muscle work with carrying heavy boxes, guest control, and of course anything needed on the wedding day. We work together as a team, we each have our strengths that come together on the wedding day.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN BUSINESS?

This will be the 4th year.

WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO BECOME A WEDDING COORDINATOR?

I worked in the Intensive Care Unit for several years, where I felt compelled to show patients compassion, empathy, and to use my critical thinking skills especially when saving their lives.  My end goal was to become an Intensive Care Unit Physician Assistant. However, I never felt at "peace," something always felt "off." Deep down, I knew it was the wrong profession for me, as my God-given talents were not being used. I would always dread going to work, possessed zero passion, and simply viewed it as job security to pay back my student loans. After years of prayers, letdowns, and discernment, God placed on my heart: that the world needs more people to bring couples closer to one another. 

From a young age, the intricate details of designing and planning have always piqued my interest. How so much beauty and love could radiate from something one creates. I always looked forward to the next event to plan! Whether it was planning family vacations, family birthday parties, creating picturesque holiday dinner tables, to designing fairytale weddings later in life. I loved and still love creating that Hallmark / Instagram-worthy picture moment. It's the moment of sacrificial love shining forth from hard work, the moment excitement glows on people's faces, the exact moment that memories are created.   However, when we include God in our lives and marriages, we are blessed with beauty and amazement - similar to the wedding day when everything comes together. It is this delicate balance that reminds us of God's presence through our talents and the gifts we are to share with others. I started this business to help my clients remember the true importance of getting married, all while providing them with Day of Coordinating services!   

WHY SHOULD HIRING A WEDDING COORDINATOR BE ON A BRIDE’S LIST OF THINGS TO DO?

Think of day-of-coordinators as the final piece of the puzzle, something that ties all the individual parts of the wedding into one, creating a cohesive image on the wedding day. That is what we want to provide, we want to take all of your hard work of planning and make sure everything is executed, and smoothly. The bride is putting hundreds of hours into planning, but how can it be executed when she is getting hair and makeup, and photos done? That is where we come in! We are not there to control the other vendors but rather to communicate with each of them on the wedding day, handling any issues they may have, while allowing you and your family to truly enjoy the special day.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A WEDDING PLANNER AND A DAY-OF COORDINATOR?

A Wedding planner is one who helps select vendors from the very beginning, prepares the budget (and sticks to it throughout the process), designs and execution of theme, reviews contracts, handling more of the logistics and details. A Wedding Planner is for the bride who may be very busy with a day job or who may know she is not the best at planning or organizing or wants as little stress throughout the engagement period. I am with the bride from the very beginning, handling all wedding tasks leading up to and through the wedding day itself.

Whereas, A Day of Coordinator, has very little involvement leading up to the wedding, except for some meetings but takes action on the wedding day! We come in, starting with rehearsal, run through it with the officiant, making sure everyone is comfortable for the ceremony. Then we arrive very early at the wedding, set up all the decor, take control of situations, stay on top of the timeline, and then stay through the end of the night to clean up everything. 

HOW ARE YOU DIFFERENT FROM THE VENUE PLANNER?

The venue coordinator only handles aspects that pertain to the venue, such as setting up tables and chairs, in some cases they have an in-house caterer as well. The venue coordinator doesn’t check in with hair or makeup or the photographer. If you are having a church ceremony, they will not make sure you get to the ceremony on time, that transportation shows up, or that the photographer has all the details gathered for the detail shots, nor will they create a master timeline for the entire day (not just the reception portion), bring you breakfast on the wedding day, etc. Those are all things, we as a Day of Coordinator provide :) 

Booking BONUS

BOOK WITH EMMA CRAVEN PHOTOGRAPHY & EHWEDDINGSPGH FOR YOUR WEDDING AND YOU WILL RECEIVE BONUS PRINTS WITH YOUR PHOTO PACKAGE PLUS $300 OFF FROM EMILEE & ALEX!

WHY ARE YOU WORTH THE INVESTMENT?

A couple's wedding is one of the greatest milestones that they will have, you’re investing thousands of dollars into a 24-hour span and more often just leaving it to the chance of the vendors - hoping they do what is needed, but why leave it to chance? As a coordinator, I am there to make sure that those hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars aren't wasted on mistakes and communications. I'm here to collaborate with other vendors. A Day of Coordinator is an investment in peace of mind that at your wedding someone is there to handle things so that you can focus on the biggest priority of the day- having fun :) / (obviously the love between you two as a couple)

WHAT DO YOU SAY TO COUPLES WHO ARE ON A TIGHT BUDGET?

Understand your priorities and personal abilities and understand the priorities of guests as well as where to allocate your budget. DIY to an extent- do not create more stress by biting off more than one can chew. Never skimp on catering. 

WHAT CAUSES THE MOST STRESS AT A WEDDING?

Conflicting opinions between mothers and daughters, and the “scope gap” - making sure that every vendor knows what they are supposed to be doing. When there is a “scope gap” someone needs to pick up the slack which often falls on us the day of coordinators to pick it up, for example, if the bride didn’t pay the caterers to cut the cake, trying to save money, who is going to cut the cake now? That is not in our scope to do so, but have often stepped up to make sure things get accomplished.

What are some duties you take on that brides may not realize they can get help with? 

• Picking up lunch
• Running back to home or apartment as they forgot something
• Mending dresses
• Pining on boutennires
• Bustling dresses
• Someone to be the intense leader (That's Alex) when the guests and friends are unruly
• Coordinating sparkler sendoff
• Rehearsal conduction along with officiant
• Making sure you and the groom don't see each prior to the first look or church
• Bringing a plate of cookies for the bride and groom 
• Repurposing ceremony flowers
• Lighting candles 
• Go out to buy more alcohol if run out

Why is it better to have a wedding coordinator rather than assigning tasks to family members or friends?

One of the main reasons is that family and friends will most likely also be getting hair and makeup done- they surely can’t be in two places at once, both setting up and getting ready. Plus you don’t want all the stress to fall on them either, you want them to really enjoy the wedding, not stress about setting up decor. 

Lastly, and most importantly family and friends do not understand the timing aspect of the day or where things should go. From working so many weddings, set up for us takes about 3 hours as we know where the memory table frames should go or where the seating chart should be etc, whereas family members tend to question where everything goes wasting time, creating more stress and often more opinions are given creating mores tress.

Do you have a favorite wedding moment since you started your business?

We had a guest who thought his succulent table number was a treat! He thought the sign said “take a treat” but it said “here is your seat” He lifted the succulent, drove his fingers into the dirt, lifted it into his mouth, and upon realization horror struck his face. He looked me (Alex) directly in the eyes, dirt in his teeth, and mumbled “this isn’t a treat”.

working with ehweddingsPGH from a photographer's perspective:

I've had the pleasure of working with Emilee & Alex for several weddings now and more of my brides are choosing them in the future, which I am SO excited about! The duo dream team has brought organization, laughter & fun to the weddings we have worked on together. My brides always walk away from the experience feeling that the $ was 100% worth the investment and more importantly - everything throughout their day was taken care of with ease and professionalism. These two go above & beyond to make sure their clients are taken care of AND that the vendors have what they need to get their job done.

My advice? Don't hesitate - book them for your wedding.

Booking BONUS

BOOK WITH EMMA CRAVEN PHOTOGRAPHY & EHWEDDINGSPGH FOR YOUR WEDDING AND YOU WILL RECEIVE BONUS PRINTS WITH YOUR PHOTO PACKAGE PLUS $300 OFF FROM EMILEE & ALEX!