Today, we’re diving into a hot topic in the wedding world: the month-of coordinator. And while you might have been told to run for the hills when it comes to this service (and other BS advice like the only way to make money is by selling luxury), the truth is that you can make good money offering month-of wedding coordination. So, is being a month-of wedding coordinator a niche? Let’s talk about it!
What Exactly is a Month-of Coordinator?
A month-of coordinator is a wedding planner who steps in around 8-12 weeks before the wedding, taking the reins from the couple and making sure everything they’ve planned runs smoothly. You’ll be tying up loose ends, confirming details with vendors, creating a timeline, and being the point person on the day of the wedding. This role can also be called “wedding management” or “day-of coordination.”
It’s a great option for couples who’ve done most of the planning themselves but want a pro to ensure their vision comes to life without any hiccups. Plus, it’s a perfect way for new wedding planners to get their feet wet without taking on the full load of planning from start to finish. It’s also one of the easiest services to book (because the demand tends to be high and the price tends to be low), so it can be a great way to fill holes in your calendar when you’re not fully booked.
In the 8-12 weeks before the wedding, you’re:
- Collecting all planned details
- Reviewing contracts
- Identifying missing information
- Communicating with every vendor
- Creating a master wedding day timeline
- Running rehearsal
- Fully managing the wedding day
Just as importantly, here’s what month-of coordination typically does not include:
- Sourcing vendors
- Attending planning meetings throughout the engagement
- Managing budget or design
- Handling all communication from day one
And because month-of coordination requires a TON of communication in a compressed timeframe, planners often rely heavily on templates, scripts, and tools like AI to stay efficient. If you want help with that, my guide on how to use ChatGPT for your wedding biz is a great place to start.
The Big Question: Is Month-of Wedding Coordinator a Niche?
Okay, here’s the tea: Month-of coordination can be a niche, but it doesn’t have to be. What that means is you can offer month-of coordination as your main service, or simply keep it as one part of your overall lineup. Both approaches can work beautifully.
Why Month-of Coordinator Can Be a Niche
1. It Requires a Unique Skill Set
Offering month-of coordination is truly a unique skill set that requires a special kind of talent. You need to be excellent under pressure because you’re stepping in at the last minute to pull together all the moving parts of a wedding. Unlike a full-service planner, you won’t have the chance to select the vendors or shape the planning process from the start, so your ability to adapt quickly and work seamlessly with a diverse group of people is going to be key. Most planners avoid month-of because it requires speed, efficiency, and strong communication systems (with a lot of factors outside of your control). But if that’s your strength, this service is made for you.
If you’re still building your foundational planning skills, my guide on how to become a wedding planner walks you through the core abilities every planner needs, month-of or otherwise.
2. Defined Target Market
There’s a clear audience for month-of coordination: couples who enjoy the DIY aspect of wedding planning (or don’t have it in their budget to hire for full service) but still value hiring a professional to make sure everything comes together perfectly. By marketing to this group (that, let’s be honest, most other wedding planners are ignoring), you can carve out a specialized niche for yourself.
3. Focused and Efficient Services
By zeroing in on month of coordination, you can streamline your processes and become highly efficient in your business. Streamlined operations are KEY to making this a profitable service for you despite the lower price point. If you’re not sure what a wedding coordination workflow should look like, you can grab my playbook detailing the entire service (from start to finish) here.
And if you want to streamline your communication and save time writing emails, timelines, or confirmations, my list of ChatGPT prompts for wedding pros will help you automate more of your month-of workflow.
4. Flexible Time Commitment
If you’re not interested in lengthy planning engagements, don’t want to book your calendar two years in advance, or have other commitments, month-of coordination can be absolutely ideal. It allows you to work with more couples over shorter periods, offering a better work-life balance while still growing your business.
Being a Month-of Coordinator Doesn’t Have to Be a Niche
We’ve just talked about why month-of coordinator can be a great niche, but it doesn’t have to be! Here are three ways that it can fit well into the services you already provide as a wedding planner.
1. It can be a great way to fill your calendar
Many successful wedding planners offer month-of coordination as part of a broader service lineup, including full-service planning, instead of choosing to go “all-in” on month-of coordination. In my experience as a business coach for wedding pros, month-of coordination is one of the easiest services to book, so it’s a good idea to offer it in the early stages of business or if you are having trouble filling your calendar.
2. There are opportunities to upsell
Month-of coordination can serve as a gateway service, where once couples get a taste of what it’s like to work with you, they upgrade their packages or add additional planning hours. By keeping your options open with month of coordination, you can maximize your revenue potential from the service for couples who can’t afford full planning.
Upsells are easy when:
- A couple realizes their design vision needs help
- They’re overwhelmed picking their last few vendors
- They need rehearsal dinner coordination
- They want extra hours on the wedding day
- Their DIY approach hits a wall
You can also price-add for:
- Additional planning meetings
- Design assistance
- Vendor recommendations
- Rehearsal dinner or farewell brunch management
One key boundary: Don’t accidentally give away partial planning. This is where clear service descriptions (and template wording) are crucial.
If you want help strengthening your brand voice so everything you write sounds polished, here’s a guide on check out my guide on how to train ChatGPT to write like you.
3. You don’t need to book as far ahead
Some planners choose to offer full planning services up to two years in advance but only open the doors to coordination services 6 months before the wedding. There’s a strategy behind this! By reserving those precious Saturday dates for full planning clients, planners make sure that they’re saving their time and resources for higher-ticket services that require more extensive involvement (and might be more of what they prefer to book!).
The Pros and Cons of Making Month-of Coordinator a Niche
Now that we’ve talked about whether or not you should consider making month-of coordinator a niche, let’s dive in a little deeper into the pros and cons of the service itself.
Pros
- You become the go-to expert in your niche, making you the person everyone thinks of for month of coordination, which can lead to more referrals.
- Marketing is easier when you’re promoting one clear service instead of a wide range of options.
- Focusing on one type of service allows you to create highly efficient systems and streamline your processes.
- With shorter client engagements, it might be easier to achieve a better work-life balance.
Cons
- There’s less flexibility if a client who initially wants month of coordination realizes they need more help, potentially leading to missed opportunities.
- Full-service planning usually commands a higher fee, so you might earn less per client by focusing solely on month-of coordination.
- If you enjoy the creative aspects of full planning, you might miss out on that experience by offering only month of services.
- The wedding industry’s seasonality can be challenging—offering just month of services could leave you overwhelmed during peak seasons and with little work during the off-season.
So, What’s the Verdict? Is Month of Coordination a Niche?
Here’s the thing, wedding pros: there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. The beauty of this industry is that you can shape your business to fit your skills, passions, and lifestyle. If you love the idea of swooping in and helping couples during the final weeks, then make month-of coordination your niche! Own it, market it, and become the go-to pro in your area.
But if you’re like most of the wedding planners I coach and you love the variety of offering different service levels, then keep that month of coordination as part of your wedding planning toolkit (and book it when it best serves you). Use it to attract clients who might later upgrade to full service or to fill in gaps in your schedule.
If you want to dive deeper (and build your business as a month-of coordinator), make sure to grab my Month-of Coordination Playbook where I walk you through everything you need to know (and do!). And, if you really want to grow your wedding business, make sure you hop on the Planner’s Playbook waitlist for the next time doors open! I’d love to support you even more inside!
Want more? Check out this video on my YouTube channel ↓
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Today I got to share Cue with my DI mastermind, and I’m feeling really proud. 🥹
I’ve been so busy building it that it felt good to stop for a minute and share the story with a room full of people I love and admire. So many smart, talented, generous people who I’m lucky to call my friends.
This was a special one. ❤️
Would you guys like to hear what I shared? I’m thinking about breaking it down into a series here on Instagram. Should we do it?
@ninelemonsfengshui encouraged me to share it with you all here, and I think I should. LMK in the comments if you’d be interested in my presentation from today!
Day one in Charleston for the DI Mastermind, and I spent ten hours of it in my hotel room working on Cue. I’ve been at it since 7 a.m., trying to get client portals ready, and I didn’t get as far as I’d hoped.
But I did close my laptop long enough to hug some of my mastermind friends, catch up before sessions start tomorrow, and see this.
I’d love to tell you this sunset inspired some profound revelation, but mostly I think I needed to leave my fucking room. 😂
Although maybe that’s the reminder: there will always be something that needs more of me. I’m allowed to step outside and enjoy where I am before everything is finished.
And so are you! 💜
I’ve been doing brand shoots for almost 20 years, and I have opinions 😂 Here are 9 things that make them great:
1. Hire a photographer who specializes in brand shoots. There’s a big difference in quality when you work with someone who understands how to photograph you AND your business. Go with the best you can afford.
2. Book more time than you think you need. An hour is nice for headshots, but multiple outfits and scenes take hours. If you want lots of variety, give yourself time to create it. If you’re going to do it, go big and do it right.
3. Know how you’ll use the photos. Your website, social media, launches, presentations—tell your photographer what you need. Plan for different crops, orientations, and room for text.
4. Have a creative direction. Build a mood board so everyone understands the vibe. Think about the story you want the photos to tell before you show up.
5. Dress for where your brand is going. This is your chance to show up as the version of yourself you’re stepping into. Bring outfits that make you feel like her.
6. Get your photographer involved in the planning. Ask for their input on locations, outfits, lighting, and timing. You hired an expert—let them help shape the shoot.
7. Plan actual scenes. Hosting, teaching, designing, creating—what are you doing in the photos? Build moments around your work so you leave with more than portraits.
8. Don’t spend the entire shoot behind a laptop. Your business has more personality than that. Give people something interesting to look at.
9. Bring someone to help. Someone to handle outfits, fix your hair, catch a twisted necklace, and keep things moving. Those extra hands make a difference.
Which photo from @c10ike is your favorite?
Off to spend a week in Charleston (my first time!) for @juliecchenell Digital Insiders Mastermind. I absolutely love getting to spend a week with my colleagues and business friends.
We share meals and ideas and laughs and horror stories and wins and it’s truly the best thing ever. If you’re not already in a mastermind group for your business that allows you to get together once or twice a year, I HIGHLY recommend it! I always leave these events feeling inspired and motivated.
This year I get to share with the group my journey in building @planwithcue and I’m both excited and nervous to share what I’ve been working on. Wish me luck!
To my DI crew I can’t wait to see you soon!!!!!!!
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