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# Do you need a day-of coordinator?

What a coordinator does, and when a friend will do

-   Planning
-   Vendors

2 min read. Updated September 23, 2026.

 ![Candlelit aisle leading to a floral ceremony setup](/_astro/candlelit-aisle.CyOM4esr_Z2hJCgU.jpg)

What a coordinator does on the day, what it costs with us, and when a friend can do it instead.

## What does a day-of coordinator do?

They run the day so you do not have to: vendors, timing, setup and the small problems nobody should bring to you.

With us, day-of coordination covers:

-   Consultation
-   Vendor referrals
-   Walk-through of the reception location
-   Detailed day-of itinerary sent to every vendor
-   Coordination of the rehearsal
-   Wedding coordinator on the day
-   Decor and rental setup supervised on site
-   Wedding party florals handed out
-   Final vendor payments and tips delivered
-   Programs, seating cards and favors set out
-   Cueing the wedding party for the procession
-   Timekeeping up to dinner service

## What does it cost?

Day-of coordination with Cloud Nine is $1,500.

If you want help earlier, month-of coordination is $2,000 and adds a planning timeline, budget and payment tracking, and vendor meetings. Full planning is $3,500 and covers the whole wedding from the first idea. Both include day-of coordination.

## How do you choose one?

Talk to them, ask what they do when something goes wrong, and check that they answer you quickly.

Ask how early they arrive, what is in their scope and what is not, and how they decide whether to tell you about a problem or fix it quietly. A good coordinator fixes most things without you ever knowing.

## Do you need one if you have a planner?

Only if your planner is not there on the day. Ask exactly what their agreement includes.

Some planners help you plan but hand off the day itself. Others are there from setup to the last dance. If your planner is not staying, you need someone who is.

## What should you give your coordinator?

A timeline, every vendor contact with arrival times, and anything special they should know.

The more they have, the less they ask you on the day:

-   The timeline, down to when music starts
-   Each vendor, their phone number and their arrival time
-   The order of the procession and who stands where
-   Seating, if you have it
-   Final payments and tips, in labelled envelopes

## Can a friend do it?

Yes, if they are calm, organized and happy to miss parts of the day.

The problem is not skill. A friend who is coordinating is working, not celebrating, and cannot also be in the wedding party. For a small elopement, our packages already include ceremony coordination, so a friend can just be a guest.

Planning something like this? See [wedding planning and coordination](/plan), read the [Cloud Nine journal](/journal), or tell us the date and the place and we send you a price.

[Get an estimate](/estimate) [See all prices](/prices)

## Read next

[More in Planning](/wiki#planning)

-   [What an elopement in Miami costs Real numbers for a small ceremony in Miami BudgetElopements 2 min](/wiki/budget)
-   [A planning timeline that works backward Working back from the ceremony time TimelinePlanning 2 min](/wiki/planning-timeline)
-   [Wedding Backup Plan Guide Rain plans and spare parts, so nothing ends the day PlanningWeather 4 min](/wiki/backup-planning-guide)