Month-of Wedding Coordinator Checklist: The Final 30 Days

You have made the plans. Now your coordinator needs the information to help carry them out.

This month-of wedding coordinator checklist is for brides preparing to hand over their wedding details. Gather your vendor information, guest arrangements, timeline, setup instructions and remaining decisions so you can explain the plan once, clearly.

Start with your coordinator’s actual handoff date and document checklist. Packages differ, so use this guide to prepare for your conversations, not to assume which services are included.

First, confirm what your coordinator will take over

Before sending files, ask how the handoff will work. Knowing who handles vendor communication, timeline updates and final questions prevents you and your coordinator from doing the same work or assuming the other person has it covered.

• Start date: When does active coordination begin, and when should you send your planning information?
• Responsibilities: Which tasks will your coordinator handle, and which remain with you?
• Communication: When should vendors begin contacting your coordinator directly?
• Coverage: Are the rehearsal, personal décor setup and end-of-night handoff included?
• Approvals: Which changes require your permission, and who can make decisions if you are unavailable?

If you are still deciding what kind of support you need, read the difference between a wedding planner and a wedding coordinator .

Gather your wedding details before the handoff meeting

You do not need a perfect presentation. You need current information that is easy to find, plus an honest list of anything still unfinished.

• Vendor contacts and agreements: Business names, primary contacts, signed contracts and approved changes.
• Venue details: Addresses, access times, floor plans and setup or collection instructions.
• Your working timeline: Getting-ready plans, ceremony time, travel, photography and reception events.
• Guest information: Attendance, meal selections, seating assignments and relevant accessibility arrangements.
• Ceremony plans: Participants, readings, music, reserved seating and traditions you want included.
• Personal-item inventory: Signs, place cards, guest book, favors and other items you are supplying.
• Transportation details: Pickup locations, departure times and the appropriate contact numbers.
• Open decisions: What is unresolved, who is handling it and when an answer is needed.

Share guest information only with the people who need it. Our guide to what your wedding planner should have access to can help you decide what belongs in the shared plan.

Tell your coordinator what matters most to you

A timeline shows when something happens. It does not always explain why it matters to you. Point out the moments, traditions and personal details you do not want lost in the logistics.

• Name the moments you want protected, such as private time together or photographs with particular relatives.
• Explain any family dynamics that affect seating, introductions or the ceremony.
• Identify details that are flexible if the schedule changes.
• Agree on when you want to be consulted and when your coordinator can use their judgment.

Make your open questions visible. If a vendor has not confirmed a delivery window or you have not chosen a ceremony reading, label it as pending. Your coordinator can help clarify the next step more easily when the missing information is explicit.

Use your final meeting to check the whole plan

Walk through the celebration from getting ready to leaving the venue. Ask your coordinator to identify gaps, conflicting times and details that still need confirmation.

Review timing and movement

Confirm where you need to be, when you need to be ready and how you will travel between locations. Include realistic time for dressing, photographs and moving people between events.

Check guest arrangements

Review the latest guest count, seating plan, meal information and arrangements for guests who need assistance. Use the deadlines provided by your venue and vendors rather than waiting for a generic “two weeks before” milestone.

Agree on backup decisions

Ask who makes the call if weather or timing changes the plan, when that decision must happen and how everyone will be informed.

Confirm who is handling outstanding payments

Agree on responsibility without assuming your coordinator will make payments or distribute gratuities. Keep the amounts and deadlines in your wedding vendor payment schedule .

Prepare your personal items for an easy handoff

Before packing décor or ceremony items, confirm what your coordinator has agreed to set up and collect. Then make the instructions simple enough for someone else to follow.

• Group items by ceremony, cocktail hour or reception use.
• Label each box with its contents and destination.
• Include a photo or short setup note when placement matters.
• List which items must come home and who will collect them.
• Assign a trusted person to valuables and irreplaceable items.

Agree on the delivery time and location in advance. Do not assume someone will be available to accept boxes outside the arranged handoff.

Before the wedding, stop being the default contact

Once your coordinator confirms they are ready to take over the agreed responsibilities, tell vendors and relevant participants who to contact for routine logistical questions.

Keep one trusted family or wedding-party contact available for personal questions your coordinator may not be able to answer, such as identifying a relative or finding a sentimental item.

Your final check: Does your coordinator have the current plan, know what is still pending and understand which decisions need your approval? Those answers matter more than creating another elaborate planning document.

Questions brides ask about the coordinator handoff

When should I send my plans to my coordinator?

Ask for their handoff date and preferred format. Gather the information ahead of that date, then send updates whenever an important detail changes. “Month-of” does not mean every coordinator begins exactly 30 days before the wedding.

What if I still have planning decisions left?

Share a short list of unfinished decisions and their deadlines. Ask which items your coordinator can help with under your agreement and which you need to complete or arrange additional support for.

Do I need to create a new binder for my coordinator?

Not necessarily. Ask how they prefer to receive information. A current shared plan and clearly organized documents may be more useful than copying everything into a second system.

Should I keep emailing vendors after the handoff?

Follow the communication plan you agree on. If you approve a change directly with a vendor, include your coordinator so the shared timeline and instructions do not become outdated.

Will my coordinator set up and pack away all my décor?

Only if that work is included in your agreement. Confirm the specific items, any limitations and who handles collection or transport afterward before assigning those jobs.

LaBelle Bridal

Bring your coordinator into the plan you already own.

Organize your vendors, tasks, appointments, guests, budget and timeline with LaBelle Bridal. Invite your professional planner or coordinator when you choose, so you can prepare the handoff without starting your plan over.

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