DOC or Event Planner or ?

melissadavis0226 · July 2013

If FI and I decide to go to a venue that requires us to decorate ourselves, we don't want to have to decorate, and we would prefer not to have to ask our wedding party to do this either as the day and everything leading up can already be stressful for everyone. Would we need to look into hiring an event planner, day of coordinator or what? I feel kind of dumb for asking this but I am trying to have as much information about each scenario so that FI can sort of guide me which direction we should take as far as a DIY, semi DIY, or all inclusive. And how much do these normally cost or does it depend? Any help, advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you ladies!

fallbride1109 · July 2013

I recommend a DOC whether you go DIY or not. There are so many details besides just decor that have to be coordinated. If your venue comes with an on-site coordinator, that may alleviate the need for one somewhat. However, a DOC will work for YOU while an event planner at your venue works for the venue. If you go the DIY route, I feel a DOC is a must, as the only other alternative is relying on family and friends. I am not sure of cost but I believe they are maybe in the $500-$800 range to start--but better to have someone that actually used one answer that.

melissadavis0226 · July 2013

The reason I was interested was because 809 at Vickery is cheaper and offering about the same as Noah's and The Orchard with minor differences. Just in that the money we are saving for the venue itself plus if we were to get a DOC it will still cost under what Noah's and The Orchard would cost, and we would still be responsible for all the decor on our own.

fallbride1109 · July 2013

Noah's offers set up and clean up. That is something to consider. Also 809 Vickery is a blank slate that will require more decor.

I think you should eliminate Noah's. you don't seem to be feeling it.

melissadavis0226 · July 2013

I liked the reception space, but when I asked them what set up and clean up they offer it's only their tables, chairs, and ceiling decor that is offered. So any decor outside of that would be someone else's responsibility, however, in all reality that would just be moreso the center pieces, and small items like that. It's the ceremony space I think I wasn't really sold on, and the fact of how much it costs in comparison to other places that offer similar things but aren't as local to us. I know FI was sold on it, but I asked him the other day some more and he was asking about an all-inclusive, which just threw me right back into confusion. I haven't totally ruled out Noah's to be honest. There are quite a handful I have ruled out already it's just deciding what would be more cost affective for what we want and the work we are willing to put in. I know he doesn't want to "plan" and we are pretty busy with everything else going on as it is I feel an all inclusive would be our best bet, and a headache saver, and I think he may have to just suck it up about paying either extra hours for alcohol consumption prior to the reception, or he'll have to go some place local, which still works since we have a friend who owns a bar on Fry Street in Denton.

[Deleted User] · July 2013

Most places I have found you have to take our own stuff yourself (tablecloths, centerpieces) basically anything YOU brought you take down. Only a few places I have found that will do it for you. In my research a lot of blank slate rooms tend to cost more in the long run. Also if you get a DOC find out what the service included. Like we needed someone to fully set up a place if we chose one of the venues we were looking at and many of the coordinators we found that wasn't something they really did. (like full set up of tables and what not). Some we found did but charged extra if they had to put the whole room together. So keep that in mind too.

fallbride1109 · July 2013

A DOC is normally not going to set up tables and chairs for you. They will set up your décor and coordinate the events (first look, processional, ceremony, recessional, photos, cake cutting, dances, exit, etc.). They will gather your things and make sure you have them at the end of the night, box up food for you to have in your hotel room, keep up with your card boxes and gifts, make sure people sign the guest book, corral family members for pictures, make sure your vendors have arrived and set up, make sure any unused alcohol you brought in gets back to you at the end of the night, make sure you are where you need to be at the time you need to be there, make sure the two of you have dinner and a glass of champagne in your hand at all times, etc. Things like set up and clean up and tear down are usually things they coordinate, not do themselves.

If you rent tables and chairs, however, that company will take care of the set up. A florist will set up your centerpieces and ceremony flowers, a DJ will announce the events at the reception, your photographer will coordinate the photos. However, even in this scenario, there is still no one to do all those other things I mentioned and you will want someone to do that. A florist will set up your centerpieces but he or she is not going to know that you want a certain picture on your cake table or set up your guest book and gift table for you. There are literally dozens of little details that you are going to think about as you get further in your planning and go, "Oh, who is going to do that for me?" A DOC takes care of all of that.

melissadavis0226 · July 2013

So then in terms of decor, I essentially need a florist? That makes sense. That does help me more than you can imagine to know that although I am sure florist are not cheap.

fallbride1109 · July 2013

I'm just saying that if you have a florist, a DJ, and a photographer, then a lot of stuff that a DOC would do is taken care of. But there are still a lot of details left to take care of that a DOC can help with.

But yes if you want centerpieces, personal flowers, ceremony décor, etc. and you want to use real flowers and not DIY, then hire a florist for this.

melissadavis0226 · July 2013

I did a rough quote for if we used Noah's on a Friday, used their vendor for alcohol, used who we personally want for food if we can choose our own, a dj quote from one of the other threads, cake cost (even though my mom claims she will pay for this but i'm still including it anyways) we are already around $10,200ish. So in terms of matching pricing for what Milestone offers, the main difference is the florist. The Milestone would be food, dj, venue, bouquets, boutineers, basic center pieces, both cakes and that puts us at $12k not including alcohol.

fallbride1109 · July 2013

I am a person that would rather choose my own decor and cake but that's JMO. Cake tastings are fun!

You can easily come in under $2k for flowers. But if you like the decor at the Milestone then that is a big thing to not have to worry about,

You have a budget for photography too right? That's a big one.

Girl you have GOT to price that alcohol at the Milestone before you go any further.

melissadavis0226 · July 2013

I think honestly it will end up costing more at the milestone than the vendor that Noah's makes you go through. In the info that was sent to me from Noah's they at least included pricing for things so that's why I know at least that much. Photography we have someone in mind that we used previously and that I think would be anywhere from $2k-$2500 depending on which one we pick.

seaotter910 · July 2013

I recently had my wedding without a doc, and I don't regret not having one. Like stephiehall said, if you have the right vendors, a lot of things will get taken care of through them. My florist decorated the ceremony and reception space, way beyond what I had even asked for. It was a very reasonable price. my dj handled coordinating special events (toast, cake cutting, garter toss, bouquet toss, etc) she even got us lined up for the ceremony! The photographers got all the pictures taken and rallied who they needed to when they needed them, and the event coordinator at the venue handled dinner, serving us, set up of tables, chairs, etc. The only slightly annoying part was making sure at the end of the night we had everything we needed and didn't leave anything there. We ended up "leaving"and going right back to the venue to change, make sure everything was collected and got home with the right family members. It wasn't a huge deal and my parents and in laws and aunt and uncle were willing to help with that part. However, that would be the only part where if you don't have a doc, then you really need a plan for that part of the night!

professorscience · July 2013

My coordinator was a total lifesaver. Of course, I didn't really have a clear vision for what I wanted, so my situation is slightly different.

The BIGGEST thing for me in hiring a coordinator, though, was that I wanted to enjoy the day without having to worry about where things needed to go, where anyone was, or how anything was going to be set up or torn down. I know our families and friends would have had no problem helping us clean up after the reception, but it was just non-negotiable for us. Our guests were there to celebrate, not work for us. With a coordinator, I didn't have to worry about anything getting set up at the church or at the reception site, and at the end of the night, we were able to just leave and keep partying.

I always, always, always recommend a coordinator if you can work it into your budget.

kstan08 · July 2013

Some places offer to set up for an extra fee. The only downfall is that they may not get it exactly how you like it. I know my venue (Willow Lake Gardens) charges $325 to set up. The upside is that there is no clean up fee!

DOC or Event Planner or ?

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