Most brides don't think about hiring a wedding coordinator until after the wedding is already over. Not everyone needs a wedding coordinator. If you are going to plan your own wedding, you need to be extremely organized, responsible, and you should have plenty of time. Wedding planning takes time and that can be challenging, especially if you work full time. You'll also need several family members or friends who are able to help; people who will help you along the way in addition to helping as coordinators on your wedding day. If you don't have all of these elements, you probably need to seriously consider hiring a wedding coordinator.

If you're worried about incurring the extra cost of a wedding coordinator, consider that wedding planners are experts in their field and are used to working within a budget. They can frequently negotiate better deals or rates for you because they have established relationships with vendors.

You pay them to take care of all the hidden details that you don't even know to think of. The responsibility of your coordinator varies depending on what you hire them to do. Coordinating and working with vendors, directing the rehearsal, assisting the wedding party and developing the wedding day itinerary are just a few of the jobs a coordinator can take on.

Some wedding planners work just with certain vendors and get x amount of dollars for each wedding they schedule for them. Make sure that if this is the case you are one hundred percent satisfied with the vendors your coordinator books.

Some brides are willing and able to plan the wedding but need help on the day of the wedding to ensure everything goes smoothly. Your coordinator may be willing and able to help you on the day of your wedding only; inquire about the fees and charges for only this service.

Wedding planners have several methods of charging fees. They might set a percentage of your overall budget; they might charge you a lump sum based on their estimate of the time they work on your wedding[ or they might charge you by the hour. A efficient wedding coordinator is worth his/her weight in gold.

John has been a licensed and ordained minister for 41 years. He has served as wedding officiant for more than 1,000 Maui weddings with his wedding planning business, Maui Me Inc. All of his ceremonies are original and he performed his first wedding 35 years ago. John has written almost 50 Christian books (which have been translated into eight languages). In addition to performing the ceremonies for Maui weddings, he shoots most of the photography.