by: Can you say this about your wedding planning? Effortless. Every detail is falling into place. I'm on time, on task and within budget. My perfectly-behaved family members are a dream and I'm getting more for my money.
Hmmm. Don't worry. A perfect wedding planning experience is rare. Rare indeed.
Considering hiring a professional?
Ask yourself: Do I want to be the go-to person to handle ALL the issues that come up on my wedding day... technical, logistical, familial? Or, do I want to enjoy the day and leave the stress to a professional, experienced in just this area?
Meet the delightful Mary {Bumblebee} Pokluda, owner of Bumblebee Personal Assistants ~Minneapolis. I met Mary at a networking luncheon and she was kind enough to spend some time, sharing with me her expertise and answering my myriad of questions regarding the profession of Wedding Day Coordinator {WDC}.
About Mary A consummate professional, Mary has turned her passion for organization and helping people into a thriving business and most recently, toward helping brides realize their vision on their big day as a Wedding Day Coordinator.
"I have personally been in eight weddings as a bridesmaid and ended up being the WDC in six of them. I like to make the bride's day special and stress-free by handling all the details for them. I love that I am able to do that as part of my business now."
What does a WDC do? A WDC oversees the wedding day according to the bride’s wishes: from acting as her personal attendant, to managing every aspect of the ceremony and reception, to the safe-keeping of the gifts, to cutting the cake, making sure everyone is on time, to mediating with family and managing vendors... A WDC is a highly detail-oriented individual that keeps the bride’s best interests in mind at all times. The WDC’s experience and ability to make quick decisions help to serve the bride and help the bride get the wedding of her dreams.
What is the biggest advantage to hiring a WDC? The biggest advantage a WDC brings to the bride, groom and families, is reducing the stress on the wedding day! The WDC takes care of all the expected and unexpected occurrences that pop up throughout the day. The bride and her family will be allowed to sit back and enjoy their special day because it has been entrusted to the competent WDC.
“It has been my experience that the bride will also discover just how much goes into the day and will be surprised and overwhelmed at the things she didn’t think about. She is always extremely glad that she made the decision to get a WDC.”
Finding and interviewing the right WDC The best resources to finding the right WDC is through word of mouth referrals and scouring local wedding blogs. The bride should find that the WDC is easy to contact by phone, email or text. The bride narrows her choices and sets up interviews to ask lots of “what if” and “what would you do” scenario-type questions. The WDC should be experienced and a member of a professional organization. The bride should trust her intuition and look for a positive connection and comfort level between herself and the WDC. The bride should have full confidence in the choice of WDC she will make. Personality is a must as the WDC will be interacting with your guests and family members.
The Initial Consultation with Mary:
- Go over the wedding day time line
- Create a To-Do list for set-up of each venue.
- Mary asks for a list of family members and friends assisting with wedding duties so if they have questions they can consult the WDC on behalf of the bride.
- The bride is asked to explain her wedding day vision in detail… everything she wants her wedding to look, sound and feel like and how she wants it realized. Mary will make absolutely sure she understands exactly what the bride wants and needs!
- Mary gets the contact info for all of the other vendors involved and will also ask that the bride give the other vendors her contact info too. This is to ensure that on wedding day those vendors can come to Mary with their questions or needs.
“Because I will have thoroughly gone over your wedding day wants and needs with you, I will be able to make decisions on your behalf and in your best interests.”
What can the bride expect from her WDC? Communication! Communication!! Communication!!! The WDC should follow up and touch base with the bride on a regular basis and confirm the wedding day agenda two days before the wedding.
What if the bride has done MOST of the work? Great! Now let her enjoy the fruits of her labor by having a professional handle all the details on the day of the wedding. If something does go wrong, the bride doesn’t have to troubleshoot-that’s my job.
What does planning and communication look like between you and the bride prior to wedding day? Initially, we’ll need a couple of hours during a consultation to: go over the wedding day vision, create the wedding day timeline, get vendors and family contact information. As the wedding gets closer, there will be calls, emails and texts to firm up details. The day before the Rehearsal Dinner, we’ll finalize the details and approve the timeline/agenda one more time.
How soon after engagement should a bride begin looking for the right WDC? Six months before the wedding and up to 3 weeks before the wedding.
What are the qualities of an excellent WDC? Confident. Available. Approachable. A good listener. Asks questions. Flexible. Honest. Proactive.
What About Fees? It really varies depending on WDC services and their experience. Often packages are available or a per-hour rate is charged depending on in what capacity the WDC is hired. This often makes them more affordable than wedding planners who often take a percentage of the total wedding budget.
What MUST be in the contract?
- Hours of services
- List of services requested by bride
- Fees
- Cancellation policy
- Last minute changes
WOW. Thank You for all the great information Mary! If there is one thing I could do-over regarding my wedding… it would be to hire a Wedding Day Coordinator! Oh how I wish I could have diverted all those issues {mostly familial} to a professional.
Brides, if you are considering a Wedding Day Coordinator to help you on your BIG DAY, use this interview to set the bar when interviewing and finding just the right WDC for you. 
Got questions? Mary would be happy to answer any questions you have regarding her services or the WDC profession in general. Feel free to call 612.532.6152 or email Mary@BumbleBeePA.com. Visit her wedding services page here or her main site www.bumblebeepa.com
Cheers to professionals and stress-free wedding planning!
