As your wedding planner, one of the questions I often hear is, “What exactly do you do on the wedding day?” While the planning leading up to it is extensive, the actual day-of is a meticulously choreographed dance, and my role transforms into that of a conductor, overseeing every single note. It’s a day when countless hours of preparation by an incredible team of professionals comes to life, and understanding who is responsible for what labor is key to a flawless celebration.

Let’s pull back the curtain and talk about the incredible effort that goes into creating your perfect wedding day, and how each vendor plays their part.

Your Planner: The Big Picture Conductor

On the wedding day, my focus is entirely on the big picture. I’m the first to arrive and often the last to leave, ensuring every detail is perfectly executed. My responsibilities include:

• Overseeing all setup: From ceremony to reception, I’m making sure everything is placed exactly as we planned.
• Running the event timeline: Where all the details live! I ensure we stay on schedule, moving seamlessly from one moment to the next.
• Watching time in general: Are we running late? Can we squeeze in an extra moment for photos? I’m constantly adjusting and adapting.
• Communicating with all vendors: I’m the central hub, answering questions, giving cues, and troubleshooting anything that arises so you can relax and enjoy.
• Overseeing strike/tear down: Ensuring everything is packed up, returned, and the venue is left pristine.
• Management of your personal items: Those lovely DIY projects, special decor pieces you purchased, the card box, your personal items – I make sure they are safely set up and collected at the end of the night.

Think of me as the invisible force behind the scenes, making sure everything appears effortless while orchestrating a complex symphony of details.

The Vendor Dream Team: Defining Roles & Labor

Every single vendor on your team has a crucial role, and it’s their specialized labor that brings your vision to life.

• The Caterer: More Than Just Food Your caterer is absolutely vital, and their responsibilities extend far beyond just serving delicious food. A full-service caterer will handle the set up of all table settings, including linens, glassware, flatware, and plates. They manage the food and beverage replenishment, keep the kitchen running smoothly, and handle all bussing throughout the event. Crucially, they’re also responsible for trash removal and maintaining a clean, organized space. A critical note: If your caterer is not full-service (perhaps they are a food truck or drop-off service), it’s essential to understand that you will need to hire separate banquet staff. This team will be responsible for all the service aspects mentioned above – setting tables, refilling drinks, bussing, maintaining restrooms, managing trash, and general kitchen tasks. This is a significant labor component that needs to be factored into your budget and plan.
• The Florist: Crafting Beauty Your professional florist is responsible for creating and installing all your gorgeous floral arrangements. This includes everything from the ceremony arch and aisle decor to centerpieces, bouquets, and boutonnieres. Floral installation can be a significant undertaking, requiring a team and often specialized equipment. Considering DIY florals? If you’re not planning to hire a professional florist for certain elements, this is something that must be discussed in detail with your coordinator during our planning meetings. We need to determine who will be responsible for setting up those DIY pieces, ensuring they look perfect, and what the associated costs for that added labor will be on your coordinator’s end. We want to avoid any last-minute surprises!
• The Venue & Rentals: The Foundation Generally, your venue typically handles the set up of their in-house tables and chairs. They’ll place them according to our floor plan, setting the stage for your event. However, if you’re renting tables, chairs, or any large furniture (like lounge sets, specialty bars, or staging) from a separate rental company, please remember that labor should be added to that rental estimate to cover their set up and tear down. These items often require a dedicated team and significant time for proper placement and removal.

The Power of Pre-Wedding Meetings

All of these crucial details – who is responsible for each task related to set up, tear down, and service – are meticulously determined and documented in our meetings leading up to the wedding day. This ensures everyone is on the same page, roles are clearly defined, and there are no ambiguities. It’s how we transform a complex logistical puzzle into a seamless, joyful celebration for you.

Your wedding day is a collaborative masterpiece, and with a clear understanding of each vendor’s role and the incredible labor involved, we ensure that every single element comes together flawlessly. My job is to make sure you simply get to soak it all in and celebrate!