Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been coordinating weddings for years, having a solid checklist is one of the most important tools in your toolkit when it comes to pulling off a seamless event (and delivering an excellent client experience!). A well-organized list isn’t just about staying on top of tasks; it’s your guide to ensuring everything runs smoothly on the big day. And today? I’m sharing the ultimate checklist for wedding coordinators!
PS: While I consider the list below to be the best free checklist for wedding coordinators that you can find on the internet, I go WAY deeper inside my Month-of Coordination Playbook. This guide reveals my exact approach to handling Month of Coordination clients, including what to offer in your MOC services. I’ll show you how to set up your services, manage the client experience, and increase your profit through Month of Coordination. It’s 102 pages (so yeah, she’s THOROUGH).
Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
A Quick Disclaimer
While the tasks below are essential to check off your to-do list as a wedding coordinator – like creating timelines, coordinating with vendors, and managing the wedding day logistics – they’re only part of the picture. It’s important to remember that running a successful wedding planning business involves much more than just these wedding-focused duties.
Behind the scenes, you’ll need to tackle a range of business tasks, from marketing and client management to bookkeeping, networking, and staying on top of industry trends. Balancing these business responsibilities with your role as a wedding coordinator is important if you want to build and sustain a wedding planning business.
Now, let’s get into it!
Pre-Wedding Preparations
- Schedule an Initial Consultation with the Couple
- Review and Sign the Contract
- Gather Details About the Wedding
- Create a Preliminary Timeline
- Initiate Communication with Vendors
When you’re first hired as a wedding coordinator, the first steps you take set the tone for the entire planning process. Start by scheduling an initial consultation with the couple. Use this meeting to start getting to know their vision, preferences, and any specific details they have in mind for their big day. It’s also an opportunity to discuss your role, clarify expectations, and answer any questions they might have about your services.
Once you’ve had this consultation, it’s important to review and sign the contract if you haven’t already. Especially for a quick (and incredibly important!) service like this, it’s important that both of you are clear on the scope of work and payment terms right from the get-go. A well-drafted contract protects you and the couple, providing a solid foundation for the work ahead. I recommend Legally Set for their contract templates!
After the contract is signed, it’s time to gather all the details about the wedding, such as the venue, vendor contacts, guest count, and any specific requests the couple may have. This information will help you create a preliminary timeline, but at this stage, the timeline doesn’t need to be set in stone.
Finally, start reaching out to the vendors that the couple has already booked. Introduce yourself as the coordinator so you can open up the lines of communication. This will help you build rapport with the vendors and ensure that everyone is on the same page as the wedding day approaches.
One Month Before the Wedding
- Confirm All Vendor Details
- Finalize the Wedding Day Timeline
- Review Logistics with the Venue
- Check-In with the Couple
As the wedding day draws closer, the month before the event is usually when everything really kicks off. Start by confirming all the details with the vendors. Reach out to each vendor to review their responsibilities, confirm arrival times, and address any last-minute changes. Don’t rush this — this is your opportunity to make sure everyone is on the same page and that there are no surprises on the big day.
Next, finalize the wedding day timeline. By this point, you should have a detailed, minute-by-minute schedule that includes everything from vendor arrivals to the couple’s send-off. Share this timeline with the vendors, the wedding party, and the couple to ensure everyone knows what to expect.
Next, we need to iron out the logistics. Review all the logistical details with the venue, including setup, breakdown, and any special requirements the couple may have. If the wedding involves multiple locations or has complex logistics, now is the time to iron out any potential issues.
Finally, check in with the couple. A month out is a great time to address any last-minute concerns they may have, confirm final guest counts, and make sure they feel confident and excited about the day. This touchpoint reassures the couple that everything is under control and allows you to adjust any details as needed (because you don’t want any last minute surprises!).
One Week Before the Wedding
- Conduct Final Vendor Check-Ins
- Confirm and Print Final Documents
- Prepare the Emergency Kit
- Double-Check the Timeline
- Hold a Final Meeting with the Couple
Before you know it, you’ll be counting down the days until the wedding! As you enter the last week before the wedding, start by conducting final check-ins with all vendors. This is your last chance to confirm details like delivery times, setup needs, and any special requests. It’s your job to make sure that everyone has the final timeline and knows exactly what’s expected of them.
Next, confirm and print all final documents. This includes the wedding day timeline, vendor contracts, seating charts, and any other critical information you’ll need on hand. Having hard copies of these documents ensures that you’re prepared, even if technology fails. Head here to read more about exactly how I set up my wedding day binder.
Next, it’s also time to set up your emergency kit. An emergency kit is a must-have for any wedding coordinator. Spend time this week preparing your kit, including essentials like safety pins, stain remover, first aid supplies, and anything else that might come in handy.
Double-check the timeline one last time. Trust me, just do it.
Lastly, hold a final meeting with the couple. This is the time to go over the final details, answer any last-minute questions, and give them a confidence boost as they head into their wedding day. Reassure them that everything is in place and that you’re ready to make their day as stress-free and enjoyable as possible. By completing these tasks, you’ll be fully prepared to coordinate a flawless wedding day.
The Wedding Day
Listen, I tried to create a checklist for you, but every wedding is truly so unique. What I have below is a starting point, but you’ll want to add in all the details you’ve uncovered over the past 4-12 weeks working on the wedding day!
Morning
- Arrive Early and Set Up Command Center
- Coordinate Vendor Arrivals and Setup
- Manage Wedding Party and Family Arrivals
- Oversee Hair, Makeup, and Getting Ready Process
Ceremony
- Coordinate Processional and Recessional
- Manage Timing and Cues
- Handle Last-Minute Issues or Changes
Reception
- Oversee Room Flip (if applicable)
- Coordinate Grand Entrance and Speeches
- Manage Timeline of Events
- Handle Vendor Meals and Breaks
End of Night
- Coordinate Send-Off
- Oversee Breakdown and Cleanup
- Collect Personal Items and Gifts
- Final Vendor Check-Out
Feeling like there’s a lot to do? There is! And some of it requires you to be in two places at once. Despite what the name implies, most wedding coordinators can’t do everything alone. Here’s my ultimate guide to wedding day staffing!
Post-Wedding Follow-Up
- Oversee Vendor Breakdown and Cleanup
- Return Rentals and Borrowed Items
- Follow Up with the Couple
- Request Reviews and Testimonials
After the wedding day, your work as a coordinator isn’t quite finished. One of your first post-wedding tasks is to oversee the vendor breakdown and cleanup. Make sure that all vendors are packing up according to the venue’s requirements and that the space is left in good condition.
Next, you’ll likely have to handle the return of any rentals and borrowed items. Whether it’s décor, furniture, or specialty items, make sure everything is returned on time to avoid any late fees or complications.
On a list of “to-dos,” don’t forget to follow up with your couple post-wedding. Reach out a day or two after the event to check in on how they’re feeling and to see if there’s anything they need from you. This follow-up not only shows that you care about their experience but also provides an opportunity to address any concerns and gather feedback.
Lastly, request reviews and testimonials from the couple. In my experience, it’s best to strike while the experience is still fresh in their minds and ask them to share their thoughts on your services. Positive reviews and testimonials are invaluable when it comes to attracting future clients and building your reputation as a wedding coordinator. But in most cases? You do need to ASK.
The Ultimate Checklist for Wedding Coordinators
And there you have it—your ultimate checklist for wedding coordination. Because there is no “one size fits all” when it comes to weddings, you’ll likely want to customize it to fit your style and needs, but I hope this gives you a great starting place. For even more support, make sure to grab my Month-of Wedding Coordination Playbook. Plus, make sure to hop on the waitlist for the next time doors open to The Planner’s Playbook (my membership that’s dedicated to helping wedding planners grow a profitable business with purpose!).
Explore More Wedding Industry Resources
- What Should You Have Inside Your Wedding Planner Emergency Kit?
- How To Prepare For Your First Wedding As A Wedding Planner
- 5 Signs You’re Running Your Wedding Planning Business Like a Hobby (And Not a Profitable Business)
- 2025 Wedding Trends (For Wedding Planners!)
- 4 Smart Ways to Scale Your Wedding Planning Business This Year
- Creating Wedding Planner Packages for Your Business: How To Find the Best Way To Position Your Offer
- 6 Things You Need to Include In Your Wedding Planner Pricing Guide
- Here’s What Every Wedding Planner Needs To Include In Their Wedding Design Proposals
- Wedding Planner Pricing: How Much Should You Charge As A Wedding Planner? Learn How To Figure Out Your Price
- Why Honeybook Is The Best CRM for Wedding Planners
- How Much Does It Cost to Become a Wedding Planner?
- Wedding Planners – Should You List Your Wedding Planner Pricing Packages On Your Website?
- Day of Coordination: The Pros and Cons as a Wedding Planner
- How To Sell Your Wedding Planning Services: The 7 Stages Of The Sales Cycle
- Full-Service Design vs. Design Lite: Which Should Wedding Planners Offer?
For More Wedding Planner Business Secrets Follow Me On Instagram
12 years of being the luckiest girl on the planet.💜 happy anniversary to the person who makes everything about this beautiful life we have possible.
📷 @c10ike
DAY TWO // WPI Spring Retreat 💜
If Day 1 was about getting closer to the question, Day 2 was about getting honest with the answer.
We came back together over mimosas and morning hugs (a WPI staple at this point 😉) and got right back into refinement — this time turning the lens inward. What are you actually building? And are your standards, your pricing, and your daily reality all telling the same story?
The member gives went THERE. We talked about how a systems strategist can help you untangle your process, and how saying no (A LOT) helped two photographers book better weddings.
I spoke about two important topics: setting standards and nervous system – two topics that have become very important inside WPI!
In between these conversations was room for the good stuff: small group breakouts, real talk, a few happy tears, a homemade Caribbean lunch (those pressed sandwiches 🤌), and an afternoon of feet in the pool and brains fully stretched.
Not pictured was the homemade Guac I whipped up and other poolside treats!
All these gorgeous moments captured by our retreat photographer + my business bestie @c10ike 💜💜💜
You might see the highlight reel and think ending up here was always my plan all along but you’d be wrong.
Like any good career, there have been lots of pivots and hiccups, and lessons that had to be learned the hard way.
Not seen here? The time…
- I forgot to add chairs to a rental order and ended up footing the $2,000 bill
- A client sat across from me crying that I ruined her wedding because her parents table had a low centerpiece
- I had to borrow $4,000 from Grandma Vera to make payroll, because I didn’t pay attention to my numbers
- About a hundred “dream clients” hired a different planner than me and I felt like an absolute failure
- I cried in my car before a wedding because I was completely and totally overwhelmed with the amount of responsibility on my shoulders (OK, maybe I did this more than once)
- My seasonal launch of The Planner’s Playbook completely bombed and I felt like my entire business was falling apart
…and roughly 700 other moments I’ve chosen to leave off the highlight reel.
So if you’re at the messy, nothing’s-working stage right now? Just know that if you have been to one wedding in your life, you are starting with more experience than I had.
I’m getting ready to embark on an exciting new chapter that I cannot wait to share with you… it’s big, and scary, and I’m sure in another few years I’ll have a lot more lore to share… but in the meantime…
Cheers to all the ups and downs I’ve experienced over the last 19 years!
And a special thanks to the photographers who made a lot of this lore possible: @c10ike @allanzepedaphoto @stevedepino @withincreative @robertandkathleen @thebrandedbosslady 💜🫶🏼😘
I’ve come to realize that many of us want to have a village, but we don’t recognize that we have to be a villager first.
My friend carla @c10ike is one of those rare exceptions and I want to introduce you to her!
When I started my planning business, I had no contacts and no real idea what I was doing. I was so green it makes me laugh to look back on it now!
And somehow, I got lucky enough to be taken under the wing of this incredible woman who showed up for me then when I was a little baby business owner, and has kept showing up ever since in more ways than I could possibly count.
She’s taught me so much over the years, and I don’t mean in the traditional sense of teaching someone something. She simply lived her life, and I paid attention.
She modeled what it means to be a friend.
A sister.
A daughter.
A wife.
A mother.
A business owner.
A boss.
I learned generosity by watching her be generous.
Compassion, connection, leadership… none of it came from advice. All of it came from the way she carries herself and the way she treats the people around her.
She has taught me more than she will ever know by the sheer act of living loudly and joyfully in every corner of her life.
I am so lucky to call her my friend. So lucky to be one of the many, many people she has been a villager for.
Carla thank you for letting me grow up right beside you. I love you. 🤍
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