(Closed) Vendor meals–rude?

• camenae
• 4 years ago

• Wedding: September 2015

I think it would be more decent to offer the vendors the same thing that guests are eating, not something that feels a lot to me like a servants’ meal.  

• BringOnTheHappy
• 4 years ago

• Wedding: September 2016

Astra :   starfish0116 :   MrsDUH2016 :  + 1000

We did the same. I did not want to treat anybody worse than my guests. It was only 2 people though.

• scissorgirl
• 4 years ago

• Wedding: September 2017

I asked my caterer what they offered, and they will give the same 3/4 course meal but for half price. I’m actually excited for my vendors to eat the food! I want them to be happy – happy vendors = great service!

So far I was thinking of including our DJ, 2 Photogs, DOC and our transport driver. Its such a small expense over the day to ensure they aren’t grumpy.

• monsterly
• 4 years ago

I’m feeding my vendors as if they were guests, they have their own escort cards, drink cups, and everything. I just think giving vendors a hot meal will put forth better work because they’d feel better if they were treated nicely. That’s just my logic. (my caterer charges kid pricing [$26] for vendors)

• mmr66
• 4 years ago

• Wedding: May 2014

We got lucky as our venue provided our vendors (1 Dj and 2 photographers) a plate with no charge to us. Our guests were served family style and our vendors were served at a small table in the back after the guests. The venues reasoning was that they wanted vendors to try/like the food and spread business via word of mouth. I would have paid to have them served the same meal of the venue did not provide it. Neither the photographers or the dj required is to provide them a meal. 

• FantasticFawn
• 4 years ago

lula0508 :  I’d ask your vendors which type of meal they prefer. Maybe some vendors will have more time to eat and would therefore prefer the hot meal, while others might only have 10-15 min to sneak in a quick meal and would therefore prefer the boxed meal. I’m not entirely sure what our vendors ate because my planner handled it, but I’m reasonably sure they ate the same meal as everyone else other than my photographer, who didn’t have time to really sit down and eat.

• TwinkleBoss
• 4 years ago

• Wedding: Disneyland - January 2016

Then I guess I’m just a horrible person since I prefer to treat my vendors like professionals, not casual friends. Or maybe I’m not since they wound up getting our guest meals anyway. Or maybe I still am since I didn’t give them their own private table to be served on.

Anyway, to the OP of this thread, I think you’ll just have to go with your gut on this one. Or ignore my advice since I, once again, am a horrible person. 

• mrsginger
• 4 years ago

• Wedding: November 2015

lula0508 :  we had a plated dinner, and we served our vendors what we served our guests. There was plenty, and we just factored it in to our overall headcount. All of our vendors were absolutely outstanding, and we wanted them to feel appreciated. Yes, they’re there for work but it’s hard work. You’re there anywhere from 4-10 hours (depending on which vendor you are) with few breaks. We at least wanted them to be well fed.

I don’t think it’s rude to feed them the vendor meal, necessarily, but if you can afford it, I’d spend that $100 and get them a hot meal. Happy workers are good workers!

• nanagose
• 4 years ago

edited for not reading the post closely enough 🙂

• This reply was modified 4 years, 4 months ago by  nanagose.

• pinkshoes
• 4 years ago

• Wedding: June 2011

TwinkleBoss :  Because those people get a lunch or food break. If you’re ok with the DJ or photographer leaving the event for an hour, by all means, let them go get their own food.  Or contracts stated that if a meal wasn’t provided, they were entitled an hour off to get their own food, but we didn’t want them missing for an hour.  Instead, the DJ was fed at his station.  And the photographer ate quickly to the side and was around for any pics that we might have wanted to grab her for.

Its the same thing at my office.  We work a 8-9 hour day and get 30-45 minutes off for lunch.  If there is a lunch time meeting where we are expected to work our lunch break, they buy us lunch.

• Guantanamera
• 4 years ago

My photographer’s contract includes something saying that we have to provide her with a hot meal, and my band’s contract also says we need to provide hot meals with seating in the same room as the guests being preferable. Unfortunately I don’t think we’re going to have space for that, but I’m going to ask the venue to set up a separate table in one of the side rooms for them as a sort of “break room” so that they still have a nice place to eat.

• dreamreve1
• 4 years ago

It’s common courtesy to feed your vendors. They’re there for 6-12 hours and can’t just disappear to find food or eat. They have to be on at all times and quickly scarf down food. I have 6 vendors to feed at about $45 per plate but that’s my choice. Don’t have vendors if you’re too cheap to feed them. If I go to a client site, I expense my meal. What’s so different here? I wouldn’t feed a sandwich though. They’re already angels for going that long without food. I get grumpy if I don’t eat every few hours. Lol. 

 

Eta: OP, not saying you’re cheap since you are feeding them. It was a general “you”.

• mrskirk
• 4 years ago

• Wedding: May 2016

lula0508 :  it’s completely different from “any other regular job.” Shooting someone’s wedding is a HUGE responsibility with a lot of risk and chance for things to go wrong. If you search the Internet there are literally thousands of posts/questions about how to sue your photographer if you aren’t satisfied with their work. I’m pretty sure your HVAC guy isn’t worried about that when he comes to service your AC. Any wedding vendor who takes on a wedding goes into it with a lot of expectations and demands from the bride and groom that if not met can wreak havoc on them. It’s a big deal. He also gets a legally mandated break where he can do as he pleases and go get food. The reason vendors require a meal is so that they can get a chance to eat, because if it wasn’t in the contract there would be those people who refused to feed them. I get that you’re paying a lot of money, but doing good by people and treating them well can go a long way. My clients have always had me eat whatever the guests are eating, I have never been handed a sandwich at a wedding. Yes other professions include working for 8+ hours but weddings are a completely different animal, and don’t fall under the same rules as the other “regular jobs” TwinkleBoss was talking about where you get breaks, can sit down, use the bathroom regularly, and leave on your lunch and do what you please.

• nellytfernando
• 4 years ago

• Wedding: September 2017 - Mississauga Convention Centre

We are having 1dj and 2 photographers and 2 videographers, they are eating what the guests are eating and they are at a table together.