In a survey by SuperWeddings.com and the International Institute of Weddings, 72% of recently married brides who did not use a wedding coordinator for their weddings said that based on their experience, if they had to do it over again, they would hire a wedding coordinator to assist with the planning, or at least be on hand to supervise the wedding day itself. 49% reported that if they could only change one thing about the entire wedding, this would be the thing they would do differently!

It makes sense that this would be the case - planning a wedding is a HUGE job, and it's impossible to know how huge it is until you're knee-deep in wedding planning, and stressed out. Most couples today are both working full-time and are very busy, and don't necessarily have any experience at event planning. Planning a wedding includes endless details to arrange, logistics to organize, large numbers of service providers to coordinate and contracts to negotiate... it's no wonder most people end up wishing they had some experienced help with all these details! Your most important "job" for the wedding day is to enjoy it, and celebrate with your new spouse, family, and friends. How much easier that would be with a wedding coordinator on hand to handle all of the details, act as the main contact for all service providers, and troubleshoot when required, leaving you and your groom free to enjoy every precious minute of your day.

Wedding coordinators can do as little or as much as you need them to do, so if your budget is tight, consider using them for "day of" coordination only. Also, have a thorough discussion up front to let the coordinator know what you're looking for in your wedding, how much you have to spend, and whether it can be provided for your budgeted amount. The fee should then be included in your budget.

Interview wedding coordinators until you find one who is a good match for you and your fiancé, in terms of personality and work style. You should select someone who acts professional, organized and pleasant. And be sure to follow up on references.