The three most common wedding-planning packages solve very different problems. Here's how to tell which one fits where you are today — with no upsell.
The one-line version
Full planning is for couples who don't want to plan the wedding. Partial planning is for couples who started planning and hit a wall. Day-of coordination is for couples who've already planned the whole thing and don't want to run it themselves.
That's it. Every legitimate planner offers some version of these three. Below is how to tell where you fall.
Full Planning
You should choose full planning if any of these are true: you have less than nine months, you both work demanding jobs, you have zero interest in reading vendor contracts, you're planning a destination wedding, or the guest count is over 150.
Full planning includes venue and vendor sourcing, budget management, design direction, logistics, and on-site execution. You'll make roughly 30 decisions total instead of 300, and someone else will draft, negotiate, and track every contract.
Partial Planning
Choose partial planning if you've already booked the venue and 2–3 major vendors, you like planning, but you're stuck on the parts you've never done before — florals, rentals, transportation, timeline, day-of run of show.
Partial planning is usually the best value for engaged couples six months out who feel behind. You keep control of the fun decisions, and a professional finishes the operational half and runs the day.
Day-Of Coordination
Choose day-of coordination if you have planned the entire wedding yourself, you're proud of it, and you know that if you're the one on your phone during cocktail hour, the whole thing was for nothing.
Real day-of coordination is never actually one day. Any good coordinator starts 6–8 weeks out, reviews every contract, rebuilds your timeline into a run of show, calls every vendor, and directs your rehearsal. On the day, they arrive early and stay until the last guest leaves.
Be careful of packages that advertise 'day-of' but literally show up the morning of. That is not enough time to catch anything.
Still not sure?
Book a free discovery call — 30 minutes on the phone is usually enough for us to tell you which tier fits, even if that's a smaller package or a DIY kit. hello.ivoryhouse@gmail.com.
