Post # 1
Member
81 posts
Worker bee
Hey Bees! I am not sure about the appropriate ettiquete for this but I was wondering if you will be feeding your vendors during your reception? If so, will you be feeding all your vendors or just some of them? I can see the reasoning behind doing this if they will be with you all day, but to play devil’s advocate, you are paying them a ton of money to do their job…and I’m sure most of us don’t get lunch or dinner when we go to work. What are your thoughts.
Post # 3
Member
14186 posts
Honey Beekeeper
Yes, I think you have to feed them if you are having them work for like 8 hours! If it’s just a half day thing, that is one thing.They can eat lunch before.
Particularly I think you need to feed photographers.Happy photographers=better pictures
“most of us don’t get lunch or dinner when we go to work”…where do you work?! If we work through lunch, company is required to provide us food!
Post # 4
Member
10851 posts
Sugar Beekeeper
I’m going to be feeding the vendors that are present, but most caterers/venues offer a vendor’s meal which is not as elaborate as the meal your guests get and therefor, cheaper! That being said, it’s actually in my contract with my photographer that he and his assistant get the full out meal. He’s wise to the sneaky bride ways 😉 If a vendor is there and working hard, hell ya I’m going to feed him! I want the night to run as smoothly as possible and keeping people well fed and happy is a sure fire way to get there!
Post # 5
Hostess
18643 posts
Honey Beekeeper
You need to feed the photographer and DJ. They are there all day and they need a break and a meal. Would you like it if your boss said that you had to work all day without a meal?
Post # 6
Member
255 posts
Helper bee
I think I’d pass out if I went eight hours without a meal (no kidding–I have to be careful).
If a bride didn’t want to pay for my meal, then that would be her choice (and I don’t mean that in a snarky way). BUT, if I were there for eight hours, I would have to leave her wedding and go find food, which may be quick, or could take some time. Either way, I’d miss out on far more pictures than if I were there.
Plus, I think it sets up a much nicer relationship. And I honestly adore my clients; and I WANT to adore them. Feeling welcomed and cared for makes me want to go out of my way for them. 🙂
Post # 7
Member
139 posts
Blushing bee
I’ll be feeding my photographer and DJ, and in fact, vendor meals are required in each of their contracts. It’s standard practice to feed the vendors that will be there all day.
Post # 8
Member
2463 posts
Buzzing bee
it’s required in my dj, photography, and videography contracts. i think in my doc’s too…? my venue/caterer provides way discounted vendor meals though, they cost the same as the children’s meals, which is only like 1/5 of the guest meal cost
Post # 9
Member
2634 posts
Sugar bee
It’s required by my contracts as well. No biggie, my venue gives a discounted rate for vendor meals.
Post # 10
Member
6661 posts
Bee Keeper
Everyone’s eating at our expense!! Even the florist who is just dropping off flowers! It’s written into every single contract, nothing we can do about it.
Post # 11
Member
1336 posts
Bumble bee
We’re feeding DJ, photographers, videographers, and band members, yup that’s a lot. Although they’re not specified in contract they will be with us for at least 6 hours, the photg and video more like 7-8 so they need to eat.
Post # 12
Member
1269 posts
Bumble bee
From what I’ve read, we will be feeding most of the vendors; the ones there all day not the florist just dropping flowers off. Not because it’s required by them but because etiquette says to. And I’m not sure about the caterer and his employees. Since it’s on site, in my opinion it’s his responsibility to feed them but we’ll see what the contract says. But I will say, my employer provides me with time off for lunch, but does not actually provide lunch. I wonder if this was a nice thing people started doing until it became the required thing to do.
Post # 13
Member
8353 posts
Bumble Beekeeper
We are going to feed the vendors that will be with us all day. We will be feeding them the same meal we are going to have. None of my contracts so far have that it is required to though.
Post # 14
Member
283 posts
Helper bee
I don’t quite understand what to do if it’s a sit down meal? I mean, who do you place the photographer next to? Or is he/she eating somewhere seperate?
Glad you brought this up, Jewel 00!
Post # 15
Member
2207 posts
Buzzing bee
we fed all of our vendors – the same meal my guests ate – but the venue offered a discounted rate for them. Ive bene tow eddings where the vendors got liek sandwich platters or something else, but i do think you have to feed them
Post # 16
Member
1684 posts
Bumble bee
My guess is we’ll be feeding our photographer & videographer. Our DJ – I’m not sure. The DJ usually only works about 4-5hours. Same with our other outside vendors (photo booth attendant, the choc. fountain guy who stands there & makes sure it’s clean and remains fully stocked, etc).
I’m going ask each of them. A good friend told me she asked her vendors which they preferred. A meal or a higher tip? Her DJ’s response was “Yeah, there’s a Wendy’s nearby” and he took the higher tip. 😉
