Wedding Planner, Coordinator or Stylist, Which One Is Right for You?

Planning a wedding in Western Australia is a deeply personal and beautifully layered experience. Among the many decisions couples face, determining who to engage for support, whether a wedding planner, coordinator, or stylist, is often one of the most important. These roles, though interconnected, each serve a distinct purpose. Knowing the difference between a wedding planner, coordinator and stylist can bring clarity, reduce stress, and ensure your celebration is shaped with both intention and ease.

At Aron James Creative, we recognise the emotional weight and aesthetic nuance involved in planning such a significant event. This guide is designed to gently walk you through what each role entails and how they relate to the tailored services we offer.

What Does a Wedding Planner Do?

Supporting Every Step from Start to Finish

A wedding planner is your trusted advisor and steady hand across the entire journey, from the earliest visioning to the final farewell. Their role is fundamentally logistical: planning timelines, managing budgets, sourcing and liaising with vendors, overseeing guest communications, and ensuring nothing is left to chance.

For couples drawn to complete guidance, a wedding planner becomes an indispensable partner, offering both structure and calm in equal measure.

Typical responsibilities of a wedding planner include:

• Developing and managing a detailed planning timeline

• Budget management and contract negotiation

• Vendor research, recommendations, and bookings

• Venue scouting and logistics planning

• Accommodation and transport coordination

• RSVP and guest list tracking

• Full oversight on the day

Our Full Planning + Design service is designed around this approach, offering complete support from day one. It’s a deeply collaborative process where we interpret your values and vision, carefully curating a team of aligned professionals and holding space for you to enjoy the more personal aspects of the experience.

What Is the Role of a Wedding Coordinator?

Seamless Execution in the Final Weeks

A wedding coordinator typically steps in later in the process, usually six to eight weeks before the wedding, to help finalise logistics, confirm vendor details, and create a comprehensive run sheet for the day. On the wedding day itself, they’re the behind-the-scenes point of contact, quietly ensuring everything unfolds as planned.

While they don’t assist with initial planning or design, coordinators are ideal for couples who’ve led much of the preparation themselves, but need someone they can trust to bring it all together.

Key duties of a wedding coordinator may include:

• Reviewing all vendor contracts

• Conducting a final venue walk-through

• Creating detailed timelines and layout plans

• Managing the rehearsal

• Coordinating vendor arrivals and set-up times

• Being the go-to contact on the wedding day

At Aron James Creative, our Styling + Management service aligns closely with this role, but with a more refined and design-led perspective. We step in six weeks before the wedding to coordinate logistics, manage creative vendors, and ensure all design elements are implemented with care and precision.

What Does a Wedding Stylist Do?

Bringing Visual Harmony to Your Celebration

A wedding stylist focuses entirely on the aesthetic, the look, feel, and emotional atmosphere of your wedding. They interpret your style and story into a cohesive design concept, selecting and coordinating all visual elements, from colour palettes and florals to linens, furniture, lighting and layout.

Stylists don’t manage logistics or vendors (unless related to the creative direction), but they do ensure every visual detail feels considered, aligned and effortlessly beautiful.

A wedding stylist’s scope typically includes:

• Creative consultations and concept development

• Mood board creation and colour palette curation

• Sourcing décor, props, and furnishings

• Liaising with florists and hire companies

• Creating floor plans and styling briefs

• Overseeing setup on the day

Our Design and Styling service reflects this approach, tailored for couples who have the planning well in hand but seek expert guidance on the visual expression of their day. We work closely with you to translate your ideas into a refined design direction and ensure that the styling on the day is executed with intention and grace.

Choosing the Right Support for Your Wedding in Western Australia

Understanding What You Truly Need

The choice between a wedding planner, coordinator or stylist depends on where you are in your journey, your priorities, and how much time and creative input you wish to give. Here’s a gentle guide to help clarify:

• Opt for a wedding planner if you’re time-poor, planning from afar, or want comprehensive support from a trusted expert.

• Choose a coordinator if you’ve already planned most of your wedding, but would prefer to hand over the reins for final execution.

• Engage a stylist if the aesthetics are deeply important to you, and you want a professional to interpret and express your vision.

  
  

In many cases, couples benefit from a hybrid of these services, and this is where the flexibility of our offerings comes into play. Each of our services is designed with nuance and adaptability, always grounded in our commitment to personal connection and timeless design. If you’re still deciding where to hold your celebration, our guides to the best wedding venues in Perth, Swan Valley, and Margaret River in 2025 offer helpful inspiration.

How Venue Coordinators Fit Into the Picture

Venue-Specific vs. Client-Focused Support

It’s also worth noting the distinction between wedding professionals you hire independently and a venue coordinator provided by your location. While venue coordinators are invaluable for managing internal logistics (like catering, access times and bump-out schedules), their responsibilities stop at the venue’s scope.

They typically don’t liaise with your external vendors, manage your styling, or troubleshoot personal details. That’s where a planner, coordinator, or stylist becomes essential, ensuring your whole wedding, not just the venue, is taken care of.

A Considered and Calm Approach to Planning

At Aron James Creative, we see each wedding as a meaningful expression of your story, shaped with intention, creativity and care. Whether you’re seeking full planning, styling, or support in the final stages, our approach remains the same: quietly confident, deeply relational, and thoughtfully attuned to every detail.

If you’re unsure which service is the best fit, we invite you to connect with us. We’re here to listen, guide, and support, wherever you are in your journey.