The Coordinated Collective


Service levels: Day-of coordination/wedding management


About The Coordinated Collective

The Coordinated Collective

a company created for couples planning their own wedding

Working out of Arlington, VA, the Coordinated Collective provides day-of coordination for couples who have otherwise organized their own wedding. Aiding couples in the District of Columbia, Eastern Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia, the women of this company have a wealth of knowledge and experience organizing weddings in all sorts of venues and design. Owned by Ja’el Mendez, this team of experts brings the final touch needed to make sure you get hitched without a glitch! The initial planning is done by the clients, meaning that couples choose their own vendors and have the freedom to design their own wedding.

The team at the Coordinated Collective bring in depth project management, product development, public relations, and hospitality skills to their services, providing high levels of professionalism. Combined with a passion for music, culture, and food, they see to it that a couple’s wedding vision materializes. Alleviating stress for the couple through their coordination, these planners allow the romantic pair to focus on their special day.

Best of Zola 2025
Best of Zola 2024
Best of Zola 2023

Services by planning level

Service included in starting price
Service available for an extra cost
Day-of coordination / wedding managementElopement / microwedding
Description

We are a DIY wedding planner's best friend. With us, booking vendors, sending invitations, managing your budget, and renting or buying decorations is your responsibility. We're here to take the wheel on your wedding day and make sure your plan becomes a reality. We welcome unlimited emails during the planning process. Our work with our couples begins eight weeks before the wedding, ensuring no details are overlooked and tying up any loose ends.

Same package, but less time and guests! *no more than 50 guests

Planning begins6 Months out3 Months out
Venue Recommendations
Contract Review
Transportation Coordination
Venue Visits
Final Venue Walkthrough
Timeline Creation & Management
Onsite Event Management
Event Styling & Design
Vendor Management
Rentals & Linens
PricingStarts at $2,500Starts at $2,200

Reviews

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5.0 out of 5

21 reviews

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  • The stress-free wedding of our dreams!

    Verified review
    Melissa S.Dec 23, 2024

    We worked with Francisco as our day-of wedding coordinator at the Josephine Butler Parks Center, and we cannot recommend him highly enough! From the moment we started working with him, he was incredibly thorough, organized, and clearly genuinely invested in making our wedding day as smooth and joyful as possible. In the months leading up to the wedding, Francisco helped walk us through the big checklist items for planning a wedding, ensuring we didn’t overlook a single detail while always being respectful of our choices and vision. His communication over email was always timely and clear, and our planning phone calls were always productive, efficient, and fun! One of the most valuable things he did was create a comprehensive vendor packet that centralized all final details—this was a game-changer! We didn’t have to worry about keeping track of updates or managing version control, as he seamlessly handled all communication and coordination with our vendors. His understanding of the venue layout, the timing with our photographer, and the logistics of transporting wedding items made the final decisions stress-free. We trusted him completely, and every detail turned out exactly as we’d hoped—or better! When it came time for the wedding weekend itself, Francisco expertly ran our rehearsal, navigating family dynamics with calm professionalism and making sure everyone felt comfortable and confident. On the wedding day, Francisco was a calm and reassuring presence, quietly in charge and gracefully keeping everything on track. As someone who’s very Type A and typically likes to stay on top of everything, I was amazed by how much I was able to relax and simply enjoy the day because I knew Francisco would be handling it all. Thanks to him, we could focus on celebrating with our loved ones, knowing everything was in the best hands. If you’re looking for someone who will bring warmth, expertise, and a true sense of calm to your wedding day, Francisco is your person. He made our wedding a dream come true, and we wouldn’t change a single thing. (Photos courtesy of Paperbird Photography!)

  • Amazing Coordinators!

    Verified review
    Diana W.Nov 8, 2024

    We worked with The Coordinated Collective (TCC) for our wedding in November of 2024, and from the very beginning we were impressed with their services and (perhaps most importantly!) we were comforted that our big day would be planned and executed smoothly. We first spoke with Ja’el, the owner, to have an introductory call and were instantly impressed. She provided initial feedback on our initial concept for the wedding, and made venue-specific suggestions that shaped how we planned our wedding over the months that followed. We were assigned Francisco (Fran) to be our Day-Of Coordinator, and after just a 30 minute introduction call we were impressed yet again and reassured by his experience and attention to detail. Over 9 months of wedding planning, he kept us organized, made sure we were on track, and responded in a timely manner whenever we emailed him with questions. He created and maintained a shared document for collaboration between our planning calls, which we loved. Fran made sure everything was addressed, from contracting vendors to make sure we had enough table linens to making sure critical contract documentation was correct and complete. We held a walkthrough with key vendors a few weeks before the wedding, and a rehearsal with the wedding party the day before the wedding. Fran reached out to schedule with vendors for these events, shared a list of activities and a timeline beforehand to set expectations, and executed both events so everyone knew what they were doing and had their questions answered. He even did a great job wrangling our wedding party, which is a tough task to do for such a boisterous group. And finally, on the day of our wedding, Fran continued to do a fantastic job. With the help of Erinn from TCC, Fran kept the trains moving on time. During setup, Fran and Erinn made sure the timeline was followed and that everything was in place well ahead of the wedding start time. Fran even provided last-minute decoration and arrangement suggestions for flowers and other key items such as our cake, guest book, and card box. (He has a great eye for detail!) And when the wedding was over, Fran and Erinn collected all of our decorations, table settings, and other items, making sure that everything we provided was accounted for. Our wedding was truly a day to remember, and it could not have been possible without Fran and The Coordinated Collective. We are forever grateful.

  • Took all the stress out of our special day!

    Verified review
    Matthew N.Jun 9, 2024

    The Coordinate Collective is amazing, especially Francisco. They dove right into supporting our wedding, even though we were only six weeks out. Francisco was a total pro and whipped us in shape for the big day with his schedules and planning guide. Got us prepared for the big day, and took all of the stress out of the day of the ceremony and reception. Handled everything for us. Couldn't have done it without him! Highly recommend.

  • Amazing Coordination Team!

    Verified review
    Palak G.May 16, 2024

    Ja’el and her entire team at The Coordinated Collective were AMAZING! We had a multi-day, mixed culture wedding and it had a lot of moving parts. They spent a countless number of hours helping to prep and get to know my husband and I. Ja’el has the best spreadsheets and helped us stay extremely organized. They contacted each and every vendor to make sure nothing would slip through the cracks. They helped us be stress free and kept everything running smoothly. I could not recommend them enough. 100 stars!!