Coordinator Q&A:
1) How many years have you been in this business?
Five years - we just celebrated our 5th year yesterday.
2) Kindly run me through your typical on-the-day coordination.
One week or so before the wedding day, we reconfirm and verify the times that suppliers are to arrive on the wedding day. We normally call the photographer first and verify what time he would be arriving at your hotel for a 2pm wedding (in this case). If he said that he will be at your hotel room at 10am, we would work our time that way - then call the videographer, make-up artist, florist. If the make-up artist will be doing more than one person, this time would adjust for two or three people's worth to ensure all finishes on-time for the photographer to get some pre-make-up and pre-dressed photos. After that, our team would split by 1pm or so and one team would go to the church and ensure all is prepared and fixed ahead of schedule to make sure there is ample time for florist to decorate the church. The same goes after the wedding and altar photos are being taken - for the reception. We ensure a timely and smooth day for you. If we think that the room/decor/cake needs more sprucing, we do it and tell you after the wedding to make sure that you don't have to worry about it. That's what we are paid to do - think, plan, and anticipate ahead for you.
3) Will you make sure that the photographer/florist/make-up artist (cumulatively "they") come at the said time? What happens if they don't come at the said/assigned time, will the coordinator call them or ensure that they nag them enough to ensure that this won't happen? Will they be the one who would maybe call the suppliers the day before to reconfirm the times that the suppliers would be arriving and are expected to come? What happens when the worst case scenario comes along like if they did not come?
We have to first confirm where that particular supplier is and if he's on the way or anything. In the event that he can't make it, we find alternatives to fill this problem. We have contingency plans for things that don't fall through as planned.
We had one photographer who came 2hrs late, and we had to ban him from our events after that. We had to made do. There are other horror stories of florist not being able to come, we managed and found another way to decorate and have flowers that day. The important part is that both bride and groom are happy and worry-free to show to all their guests. If this is not shown in the bride and groom's faces, then the guests will not feel that there's something wrong and will think the wedding is a success either way. Plus if you are at the presidential table, what can you really do? Problem-solvers on the day is what we are getting paid for. Of course we can't predict that everything will be okay and well but the best we can do is to find alternatives and handle the problem on behalf of the bride and groom to ensure this is not known to the guests and the rest of your party.
We do tell you after the wedding of the problems encountered but aside from that, our normal events work out well in the end. One can't really anticipate bad things that could happen and when those things come, this is all indicated in the contract that is signed with the suppliers.
For the supplier that didn't perform as set in his contract, we would advise to withold the supplier's check. This will be up to the bride's discretion on when the funds are to be released.
4) What time will they be on service on the day itself? Will they be coming to my hotel room? Work for them will start at....? Will there be any at the grom's place to ensure all is fine and good with the photographers that is suppose to take photos on his side?
We would come 30mins or so earlier than the first supplier that comes or @least from the time the photographer would be there. We need to fix some things to ensure that the photographer would be able to maximize his phototaking session with you upon his arrival without having to handle room details.
We would be at your hotel room. That's our home base unless the groom is also checked in to the same hotel as you then some of us can also be at his room but most of the time, we shall be with the bride.
If there are photographers arranged to be at the groom's place, we just call to ensure that the photographer is there at the groom's place but we do not dispatch our people there. Most of the work will be at the bride's side so we shall put a good majority of our efforts there.
Additional information:
A coordintor is someone who makes sure that when anything unexpected happens, there is a back-up plan.
They are also there to ensure that payments are given out to a successful job and if the job is unsatisfactory in their eyes, they seek the bride's approval to release the checks to the suppliers.
**I don't know...I guess it's the rapport that I get when I know they are "the one" but I always feel good after talking to this coordinator compared to other ones which I had some conference calls with. It's the impression of tel-con interviews that have to impress me than having them come and give me documents. It's how they can convince me to get them without anything and still give me a good picture on how or what they will do that clinches the deal in the end. :)
I feel wonderful after the conversation. Happy actually so I will have to put my downpayment for the coordinator within the week so as I get the two partners on my wedding day.
Another supplier down! :)
Five years - we just celebrated our 5th year yesterday.
2) Kindly run me through your typical on-the-day coordination.
One week or so before the wedding day, we reconfirm and verify the times that suppliers are to arrive on the wedding day. We normally call the photographer first and verify what time he would be arriving at your hotel for a 2pm wedding (in this case). If he said that he will be at your hotel room at 10am, we would work our time that way - then call the videographer, make-up artist, florist. If the make-up artist will be doing more than one person, this time would adjust for two or three people's worth to ensure all finishes on-time for the photographer to get some pre-make-up and pre-dressed photos. After that, our team would split by 1pm or so and one team would go to the church and ensure all is prepared and fixed ahead of schedule to make sure there is ample time for florist to decorate the church. The same goes after the wedding and altar photos are being taken - for the reception. We ensure a timely and smooth day for you. If we think that the room/decor/cake needs more sprucing, we do it and tell you after the wedding to make sure that you don't have to worry about it. That's what we are paid to do - think, plan, and anticipate ahead for you.
3) Will you make sure that the photographer/florist/make-up artist (cumulatively "they") come at the said time? What happens if they don't come at the said/assigned time, will the coordinator call them or ensure that they nag them enough to ensure that this won't happen? Will they be the one who would maybe call the suppliers the day before to reconfirm the times that the suppliers would be arriving and are expected to come? What happens when the worst case scenario comes along like if they did not come?
We have to first confirm where that particular supplier is and if he's on the way or anything. In the event that he can't make it, we find alternatives to fill this problem. We have contingency plans for things that don't fall through as planned.
We had one photographer who came 2hrs late, and we had to ban him from our events after that. We had to made do. There are other horror stories of florist not being able to come, we managed and found another way to decorate and have flowers that day. The important part is that both bride and groom are happy and worry-free to show to all their guests. If this is not shown in the bride and groom's faces, then the guests will not feel that there's something wrong and will think the wedding is a success either way. Plus if you are at the presidential table, what can you really do? Problem-solvers on the day is what we are getting paid for. Of course we can't predict that everything will be okay and well but the best we can do is to find alternatives and handle the problem on behalf of the bride and groom to ensure this is not known to the guests and the rest of your party.
We do tell you after the wedding of the problems encountered but aside from that, our normal events work out well in the end. One can't really anticipate bad things that could happen and when those things come, this is all indicated in the contract that is signed with the suppliers.
For the supplier that didn't perform as set in his contract, we would advise to withold the supplier's check. This will be up to the bride's discretion on when the funds are to be released.
4) What time will they be on service on the day itself? Will they be coming to my hotel room? Work for them will start at....? Will there be any at the grom's place to ensure all is fine and good with the photographers that is suppose to take photos on his side?
We would come 30mins or so earlier than the first supplier that comes or @least from the time the photographer would be there. We need to fix some things to ensure that the photographer would be able to maximize his phototaking session with you upon his arrival without having to handle room details.
We would be at your hotel room. That's our home base unless the groom is also checked in to the same hotel as you then some of us can also be at his room but most of the time, we shall be with the bride.
If there are photographers arranged to be at the groom's place, we just call to ensure that the photographer is there at the groom's place but we do not dispatch our people there. Most of the work will be at the bride's side so we shall put a good majority of our efforts there.
Additional information:
A coordintor is someone who makes sure that when anything unexpected happens, there is a back-up plan.
They are also there to ensure that payments are given out to a successful job and if the job is unsatisfactory in their eyes, they seek the bride's approval to release the checks to the suppliers.
**I don't know...I guess it's the rapport that I get when I know they are "the one" but I always feel good after talking to this coordinator compared to other ones which I had some conference calls with. It's the impression of tel-con interviews that have to impress me than having them come and give me documents. It's how they can convince me to get them without anything and still give me a good picture on how or what they will do that clinches the deal in the end. :)
I feel wonderful after the conversation. Happy actually so I will have to put my downpayment for the coordinator within the week so as I get the two partners on my wedding day.
Another supplier down! :)
Comments