Helping couples understand the difference – and what’s right for you.
At Potomac Point Winery, we’re honored to be a part of your special day. Our dedicated Venue Manager plays an essential role in ensuring your wedding runs smoothly—but we know planning a wedding can be a little like uncorking a bottle of red without a corkscrew: beautiful, but tricky without the right tools.
That’s where understanding the difference between a Venue Manager and a Wedding Planner becomes incredibly helpful.
What Does a Venue Manager Do?
Your Venue Manager is your winery expert. They ensure your wedding aligns with Potomac Point’s policies, timeline, and offerings—and that everything within our venue is executed beautifully. Here’s what you can expect:
Before the Big Day:
- Customizing your food & beverage proposal to match your vision
- Scheduling and hosting your food & wine tasting
- Providing an updated proposal and detailed Banquet Event Order (BEO)
- Coordinating in-office BEO meetings with winery management
- Assisting with linen, napkin, and chair ordering and delivery
- Scheduling and attending your ceremony rehearsal
- Reaching out to vendors to confirm setup/pickup times and review winery policies
- Coordinating optional bistro food & beverage orders for your wedding party for wedding suite
- Conducting a final walkthrough 2-3 weeks before the wedding
On Your Wedding Day:
- Supervising your event for up to 10 hours
- Enforcing winery rules and regulations
- Greeting and guiding vendors
- Checking in with your wedding party
- Setting out small pre-organized items like place cards or favors
- Overseeing venue and reception setup
- Coordinating your ceremony timing and processional
- Keeping everyone on schedule throughout the day
- Assisting with the organization of introductions, announcements, toasts, first dance, cake cutting, etc.
- Supervising vendor load-out and cleanup
Communication & Support:
- Unlimited email and phone communication during business hours
- In-person meetings for your tasting, plus final walk-through
✨ In short: We’re here to ensure the venue side of your day is seamless, efficient, and memorable.
So… Why Would I Still Need a Wedding Planner?
Wedding Planners & Couple
While our Venue Manager handles a long list of important tasks, there are several things they do not provide—and that’s where a professional Wedding Planner can step in and shine.
You should consider hiring a Wedding Planner if you’re looking for help with:
- ✅ Personalized Vision & Design: From color palettes to floral inspiration to ceremony layouts, planners help bring your Pinterest board to life—across all vendors.
- ✅ Budget Planning & Vendor Selection: Need help setting and sticking to a budget, or finding your dream photographer or band? That’s in the planner’s wheelhouse. Note: PPW does offer a great list of preferred vendors that we enjoy working with and feel confident in their services!
- ✅ Full Timeline Creation: Your Venue Manager helps manage the timeline on the wedding day, but a planner can help build a timeline that includes everything—from hair & makeup start times to shuttle pickups.
- ✅ Contract Reviews & Negotiations: A planner can help you compare packages, ask the right questions, and ensure contracts meet your needs. Having an expert reviewing your contracts and walking you through the process can be invaluable.
- ✅ Styling & Decor Setup: Venue Managers can set out simple items like place cards and favors, but full-scale decorating (ceremony décor, tablescapes, centerpieces, signage throughout the property) is best handled by a planner.
- ✅ Transportation & Lodging Coordination: From booking hotel blocks to arranging guest shuttles, this level of coordination isn’t handled by your Venue Manager.
- ✅ Crisis Management & Personal Assistant Duties: Need help bustling your dress, tracking down Uncle Bob for family photos, or fixing a broken boutonniere? Planners are the on-site MVPs for that kind of hands-on support.
Bottom Line: Do What’s Right for You
At Potomac Point Winery, we do not require you to hire a wedding planner—but we want you to feel confident and supported no matter what. Some of our couples feel comfortable planning everything themselves and leaning on our Venue Manager for the venue-specific needs. Others find peace of mind in having a planner by their side from start to finish.
Whether you go it solo or bring in a planning pro, our team is here to collaborate, communicate, and create the celebration you’ve always dreamed of.
Still unsure if a planner is right for you? Reach out to our Events Team—we’re happy to talk it through and recommend some of our favorite local planners if you’re exploring that route.
Decided you want to hire a planner? Check out our preferred wedding planners here.
