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Day of Coordinator: Is it too risky to enlist an acquaintance?

justsuziejustsuzie member
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in Snarky Brides
My wedding will be in a barn where we have to bring everything in except the table and chairs.  I have a limited budget for this 100 person wedding (8,000 max). I have bartered services with a photographer who happens to be my MOH's sister-in-law.  She is extremely organised in an OCD way.  Would it be completely crazy to also ask her to take on the role of coordinator, or will she be too busy taking photos? The alternative is to not have a DOC.  What are your thoughts on DOCs? 

(I will also have 2 professional photographers that are members of the family snapping shots throughout the day.  I have purchased memory cards for their cameras so that I will have the raw pic files for editing.  I can do the editing on my own because of my own photography background.) 
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Re: Day of Coordinator: Is it too risky to enlist an acquaintance?

  • kaitlanmwkaitlanmw member
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    I would either ask her to step down from the photography (if you have 2 other photographers who can cover it) and pick up DOC duties (if she''s willing) or ask someone else / don't worry about a DOC.  I just think it's too much for one person.

    A few weddings I've been involved in had DOCs as part of the venue package, but for the others (on the beach, at someone's home) did not and seemed to go off just fine.
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] member
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    I'm not a fan of using family members for more than absolutely necessary.  But from the standpoint of a photographer, please don't make her shoot and coordinate.  Either hire someone else to take photographs for you and have her step down to coordinate or hire someone to coordinate.
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  • climbingsingleclimbingsingle member
    First Anniversary First Comment First Answer 5 Love Its
    She can't do both. 

    I come from a family of professional photographers. And honestly, there's no way I would have asked any of them to shoot my wedding. I wanted them there are guests. Working a wedding taking pictures is not the same as attending a wedding. I did get a great recommendation on another photographer my aunt knew and he gave me a great deal. Please don't enlist your family members to work your wedding. 
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  • justsuziejustsuzie member
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    climbingwife said:
    She can't do both. 

    I come from a family of professional photographers. And honestly, there's no way I would have asked any of them to shoot my wedding. I wanted them there are guests. Working a wedding taking pictures is not the same as attending a wedding. I did get a great recommendation on another photographer my aunt knew and he gave me a great deal. Please don't enlist your family members to work your wedding. 
    What if they insist?
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  • justsuziejustsuzie member
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    not insist on doing both, but insist on taking pictures?  
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  • CasadenaCasadena member
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    I'd let them take pictures if they want to or insist, but definitely hire a professional outside of the family to work for you for the day. 

    Also, I don't understand the need for DOC's and didn't have one - so I'm no help there.

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  • climbingsingleclimbingsingle member
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    justsuzie said:
    not insist on doing both, but insist on taking pictures?  
    Then they can take pictures. But I'd still have another pro photographer that I hired. 
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  • justsuziejustsuzie member
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    Do you ask your DJ to do all the announcing for the first dance, cake cutting, and so-on?  
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  • climbingsingleclimbingsingle member
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    We had our DJ announce our first dance. We skipped cutting the cake, bouquet toss, etc. I personally can't stand that. 
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  • lembasloverlembaslover member
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    justsuzie said:
    My wedding will be in a barn where we have to bring everything in except the table and chairs.  I have a limited budget for this 100 person wedding (8,000 max). I have bartered services with a photographer who happens to be my MOH's sister-in-law.  She is extremely organised in an OCD way.  Would it be completely crazy to also ask her to take on the role of coordinator, or will she be too busy taking photos? The alternative is to not have a DOC.  What are your thoughts on DOCs? 

    (I will also have 2 professional photographers that are members of the family snapping shots throughout the day.  I have purchased memory cards for their cameras so that I will have the raw pic files for editing.  I can do the editing on my own because of my own photography background.) 
    Please don't make your friends/family set up all of the stuff you bring. You need to pay someone outside the wedding to do that. I helped the wedding party and family set up for my FSIL's wedding and while yes it looked beautiful at the end of the night we had to stay behind and tear it all down. What do I remember most of her wedding... setup and tear down. My FMIL was so relieved when we told her that our venue will be setting up and tearing down. Trust me your friends and family will be totally willing to help you and they will do it with a smile on their faces and probably never say a word of complaint to you... but that will be what they remember.

    It sounds like this photographer probably wouldn't be getting an invite if she wasn't doing photos so if you want to hire her to set up and tear down and coordinate instead that is an option if she's willing to. I agree with PPs that doing both would be a lot of work. Our DJ is pretty much running the show for announcement stuff like first dance, cake, etc... 
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