Planner or Coordinator?
Wondering what the difference is between a wedding coordinator, planner (partial or full), and an event designer? From a Charlotte, NC wedding planner, designer, and coordinator, discover which service you truly need so you can enjoy your wedding day without stress—or compromise on the vibe.
What is the difference between wedding planners, designers, and coordinators?
Wedding Designer
This is the “make-it-beautiful from floor to ceiling” role. A wedding (or event) designer is someone who specializes in aesthetics, decor layers, and the vibe of your day. They work on elements like color palette, specialized rentals, floral design, lighting, floor plans, and more to create your visual signature. Wedding designers create a vision that looks and feels like you: stylish, intentional, and on-brand for your love story.
Wedding Planner
Full Planning
A full-service wedding planner is like your wedding BFF, strategist, and logistics guru. They start with you early, create a budget proposal (and track spending), build a vendor team, review contracts review, handle logistics, plus much more. They are at your side throughout the whole process.
Partial Planning
A partial planner kicks in when you’ve done some of the legwork like booking your venue and vendors. They are there to guide you along the way with checklists and support, ensuring you stay on track.
Wedding Coordinator
A wedding coordinator steps in closer to the big day, takes what you’ve already set in motion, and makes it happen. They focus on logistics, timing, and execution, managing vendors, leading your rehearsal, and ensuring things run smoothly.
What is typically included in wedding planning, design, and coordination packages?
Wedding Design
Want your wedding to feel like magic when you walk in the room? You need a wedding designer. Wedding designers collaborate with you to refine color palettes, style elements, lighting, speciality rentals, florals, tablescapes, anything visual. We’re visual storytellers on a mission to make your wedding uniquely you, from the ceremony to the centerpieces. With us, you get: design concept (including a printed design book!), speciality rental sourcing, and stationery design and distribution.
Wedding Planning
Full Planning
Want a wedding bestie who does all the hard work? You need a full wedding planner. Wedding planners are there from the very first vision chat through the grand exit. We assemble your vendor dream team, manage your budget, negotiate contracts, keep all the plates spinning - and then on your wedding day you show up, look amazing, sip your favorite drink, and dance; we handle everything else. With us, you get: customized support (including for your VIPs!), all the planning calls your heart desires, and vendor research and management.
Partial Planning
Have most of the big stuff locked down but want to make sure nothing falls through the cracks? You need a partial wedding planner. You’ve got a great start but you still need us to help pull the rest together: comprehensive custom checklists with frequent support and guidance throughout the process. We’re your right-hand throughout the back half of planning and your day. With us, you get: customized checklists and five planning support calls and check-ins throughout - basically you get a project manager while you do most of the heavy lifting.
Wedding Coordination (or Management)
You’ve planned your wedding and now you’re looking for someone to take over as your big day is getting closer? You need a wedding coordinator (sometimes called wedding manager). Your venue and vendors are booked, the details are falling into place, and you’ve worked hard on crafting your dream wedding. But when the big day hits - you want someone in your corner who’ll keep the show running while you and your VIPs get to be fully present. With us, you get: timeline finalization, rehearsal overseeing, vendor load-in/out coordination, and full day-of support.
How do you know whether you need a wedding designer, wedding planner, or wedding coordinator?
Ask yourself these questions:
How much time/energy do you actually have?
If you’re juggling a full-time job, side hustle, and saying “I do” soon-ish: full planning is your vibe.
If you’ve done part of the work and just need someone to finish strong: partial planning.
If you’ve nailed the planning, you just don’t want to micromanage your day: go coordinator.
If you have the venue, but want the décor to bring it to life: event design.
What’s your comfort level with vendor selection, contracts, logistics?
If you need help deciding who to hire, negotiating, contract review - planner.
If you’ve already picked your team and you’re confident - coordinator.
How important is look & feel vs simply “everything runs smoothly”?
If the aesthetic is a major priority (“my wedding should look like it jumped off my Pinterest board”): event design plus either of the planning levels.
If look & feel is “cool” but your priority is stress-free and fun: coordinator or partial planning.
When is your wedding date and how much have you done?
If your date is soon (under 6 months away) and you haven’t done much - full planning.
If you’re already in motion and want to fine-tune: partial or coordinator.
TLDR
So… which one is for you?
If you have your vendors and plan in place, and want someone to make sure the day flows without hitch: coordinator.
If you’ve done the big stuff but want extra support: partial planner.
If you want hands-on help from the start, value full service, want someone else to do most of the work: full planning.
If aesthetic, décor, ambiance matter a lot: add event design.
At SC Signature Celebrations, we’re ready when you are. Whether you want our full VIP treatment or just a jump-start on the final stretch, we’ve got your back. Our brand isn’t just about logistics - it’s about letting your personality, your vibe, your story shine through every moment.
Ready to chat about YOUR package? Let’s schedule a discovery call and match you with the support you deserve. Because baby, you get to have your moment and stay present for it.
Vendor Credits
Planner – SC Signature Celebrations
Photo - Captured by Leo
