Your venue will assign a wedding coordinator 3 months before — what should you do until then?
Your venue will assign a wedding coordinator 3 months before — what should you do until then?
Luke here.
I hear this all the time during our discovery calls, usually on the very first Zoom call with our couples.
When I start asking questions about the wedding day plan, I often get the same answer:
“I don’t know yet. The resort said they will assign us a coordinator 3 months before the wedding… I’m kind of worried.”
And honestly, that worry makes a lot of sense.
Most couples feel stressed and anxious in this phase, especially when they realize they have many months ahead of them without a clear point of contact.
The reality of waiting months for a resort coordinator
Let’s use a real example.
It’s January 2026 and your wedding is in March 2027.
If the resort assigns a coordinator 3 months before, that means you’ll start working with someone around December 2026.
So the big question becomes: what do you do until then?
How do you organize the details?
How do you give your guests the information they need for a destination wedding in Mexico?
Apart from hiring an independent wedding planner (which is always our top recommendation), there are things you can do — and it helps to understand how resorts work.
Why resorts assign coordinators late (and why it feels stressful)
All-inclusive resorts are big companies focused on hospitality, and their main business is being a hotel, not a wedding venue. Weddings are just one of many services they offer.
They usually assign a coordinator only in the last few months to avoid long back-and-forth conversations, changing decisions, and managing details too far in advance. From their business perspective, it makes sense.
But for couples, the real problem is different.
Most couples don’t yet have all the information they need to share with their guests. And because this is a destination wedding, people are flying in from all over North America.
That uncertainty creates anxiety — and planning a wedding should be an exciting experience, not a stressful one.
Big resorts don’t focus on the client experience during the planning phase.
What you can do while waiting for your resort coordinator
Use Facebook bridal groups (seriously)
One of the first things we always suggest is joining Facebook bridal groups related to your specific venue or resort.
Every resort that hosts weddings has at least one group where past brides share their experience with future couples — and these groups are an incredibly valuable resource.
Brides help each other navigate venue rules, vendor recommendations, upgrades, and budget decisions.
I’ve seen brides save a lot of money just by asking the right question.
One example I remember clearly: a bride was asking if she should upgrade her entire wedding package to get more flowers. A past bride replied explaining that she could simply upgrade the flowers directly, without paying for a whole new package.
That kind of information is priceless.
The same thing happens with vendors. Brides constantly review their experience with photographers, videographers, planners, and other services.
We have many couples telling us they found us through Facebook groups and were excited to jump on a Zoom call after reading about other couples’ experiences.
That’s the power of word of mouth — and it’s incredibly helpful when planning a wedding from another country, often without a responsive coordinator.
How we help couples during early planning (even before a planner)
During the early stages of planning, we help our couples in any way we can.
This usually starts on Zoom calls. We listen, we answer honestly, and we share what we’ve learned from 12 years in the wedding industry and over 500 weddings photographed.
We also started a blog with articles written specifically to help couples navigate the planning process.
Another important step for us was bringing Jacky into the business as our Client Care Specialist.
I couldn’t shoot, edit, answer every couple personally, and still give the level of care we believe in — and I didn’t want to use AI or automated systems.
Jacky has 15 years of experience in client care, 8 of those in the wedding industry. On top of that, we got married almost three years ago, so as a recent bride she brings personal insight, empathy, and real-life experience into every conversation.
For us, this is not “extra” — it’s part of the experience.
The questions we help couples think through early on
These answers help us start building a wedding day that actually feels good.
Who will officiate the wedding?
We always recommend someone you know and trust.
Some couples choose someone from the resort and unfortunately regret it — language barriers, names being mispronounced, or the same outdated ceremony script used over and over again.
Having someone you respect and feel connected to can completely change the ceremony experience.
Will you have a wedding party?
How many bridesmaids or groomsmen?
The bigger the wedding party, the longer getting ready will take. There’s nothing wrong with that — it’s just important to know in advance so we can organize the day properly.
Will you do a first look?
We truly believe this is one of the most valuable choices you can make.
Doing the first look and couple photos before the ceremony allows you to actually enjoy your cocktail hour — eat, drink, mingle, and be present — instead of running around the resort taking photos.
The energy of the day changes completely once you’ve seen each other privately before the ceremony.
Vows and speeches
Will you write your own vows?
Will there be speeches during the reception?
Knowing how many people will speak helps us organize the flow and make sure everything is documented properly — and yes, even plan dinner and bathroom breaks so we don’t miss a moment.
Why all of this matters for your wedding timeline
All of this information allows us to propose a wedding day timeline that keeps everything in mind:
available light
logistics
photography
and most importantly, your experience
It’s not about shooting as many photos as possible.
It’s about balance — telling your story, creating beautiful images, and allowing you to genuinely enjoy your day.
We constantly remind our couples that they’re allowed to relax, breathe, and enjoy the people who flew in to celebrate them.
We’re very intentional about that.
Final thoughts
If you’re reading this, I want you to know you’re not alone.
You always have someone to ask, and we’re here to listen and help.
Our final advice always stays the same: hire a planner.
But if you don’t, no worries.
Take your time. Do your homework. Read the blog. Use Facebook groups. Ask all the questions you need.
A wedding is a big investment — financially and emotionally — and you deserve to have an amazing experience.
Plan accordingly. Start early.
— Luke