do you ask for a vendor meal?

[designdiva]

Hello. Here's a question for wedding planners....when you stay for an entire reception, do you require/ask for a vendor meal?

[BridalGown.NET]

It would be poor ettiquete to ask. It would be proper ettiquete for the bride to provide it for you if you are there the entire day. I suggest bringing your own food you can eat quickly just in case and if you are unsure a meal would be provided.

[LaceyinPgh]

My musicians in the band have it written into their contract that they will need to be fed during the evening. This will be during one of their breaks and the dj will take over for them. My photographer and videographer on their contracts have a section where it states, "Will a meal be provided _____". Since I already have to feed the musicians, of course I am going to feed the photographer and videographer. I mean, I know that I am paying them all a lot of money but at the same time you can't expect someone to be there from 5 or 6 in the evening til after midnight and not at least offer them a sandwich. I know our venue is providing "vendor" meals for them which consists of a club or MonteCristo sandwich (their choice), fries, and a salad. Plus they have unlimited access to get SOFT drinks at the bar. That is only costing me like $15 a person.

I could have fed them the same thing as the guests were getting but that would have been upwards of $30.

[rainbowtreat]

In the contract provided by my photographer it states that a meal will be provided. Not a problem with me seeing we are having a buffet style reception.

[The Wedding Diva]

As a wedding planner, I do not require a meal. On that same token, every client I have had has stopped to ask if I or my staff had eaten. The courtesy was always been extended.

[Kacie_bride]

I think many brides would extend an invitation to you to eat something. In my case, my photographer is a friend of mine and she would be a guest if she was not the photographer so she will be able to eat, no problem. We are probably going to have a band and they are friends of my FH's. This means they are welcome to eat. Even if we have a DJ I would probably extend the invitiation to eat a meal with us. I just think it is courteous.

[KSimonian]

I can't remember where I read it, but one photographer stated that he always took a peanut butter and jelly sandwich as food to weddings he worked. His thinking was that it was a quick fast meal that was easy to eat and gave him some quick energy. I've personally never done that. But it sounded like a good idea.

[wedbyjean]

During the "day-of scheduleing" meeting with the bride and groom, I always ask them where do they want me, the photographer & videographer to be during dinner. This gives them the option to offer a meal (which, so far, all have done), or not.

I do not require a meal for myself, nor tell any couple that they are required to feed their photographer, etc. either, but it is greatly appreciated.

I believe that it is a courtesy for the couple provide something for their vendors. Vendors who've been going all day without any food will not be performing at their best. And it isn't timely to be sitting in a fast food line. However, I do bring snack foods in the car for myself.

[WebLady]

Both as a photographer and as a planner I would work out a time-line with the bride and talk about a break during their dining time. The brides always (expect for bad one) ask 'You're going to eat with us right?' (or something like that) I don't expect to get the full sit down service that the wedding guests might get, a 'vendor meal' is more than acceptable to me. But I do bring snacks just in case, but I don't always need them. Once the MOB insisted we sit at her table and eat with them, she even tried to get me to drink too ;)

As for that one bad time ... it was a couple of years ago, during the pre-planning session the MOB wasn't very nice and neither was the planner. On the day of the wedding, the whole day was running behind and I had a hard time with that not so friendly coordinator and the rude and demanding MOB. At the reception, while the couple were dinging/mingling, myself and my assistant slipped away and tried to eat some snacks we had brought ... the brides mother and the coordinator came looking for me. The MOB wanted some 'special' shots (which we had already discussed would be done after the formalities) and the coordinator wanted to make sure I knew they were going to do the 1st dance in 20 mins and she wasn't going to look around for me :bbeek: :bbrolleyes: We were there for 8 hours (scheduled for 7 mind you) and didn't eat or drink hardly anything and no one seemed to care. I saw the snotty coordinator stuffing her face though, and she took home a to-go plate too! Anyway, I am done rambling on about that ... luckily that wasn't the norm ;)

[Amber818]

So, usually they will have it in their contrcat whether or not there will be a meal provided? It seems strange to me that an officiant or DJ would sit at a table with a group of people they never met and have dinner. Needless to say I do not mind if we feed the vendors but if it is going to count as part of the head count I want to make sure that I know what I am suppose to do. I would never want anyone to be hungry.

[WebLady]

So, usually they will have it in their contrcat whether or not there will be a meal provided? It seems strange to me that an officiant or DJ would sit at a table with a group of people they never met and have dinner. Needless to say I do not mind if we feed the vendors but if it is going to count as part of the head count I want to make sure that I know what I am suppose to do. I would never want anyone to be hungry.

Amber, you wouldn't have to have your vendors sit with your guests. Most weddings I have been to will have tables in the back, or even in an adjoining room, for the 'help' But there were a few times I sat in the corner with my camera gear eating trail mix or something ;) Or sometimes I would go sit by the DJ booth ... I used to work with a couple of the same DJ's at lots of the weddings I did.

As for adding to the headcount, this is sometimes the case. However, some caterers and venues will offer you a less expensive "vendor meal"

As with any job, all I think any vendor would expect is that they have time where they can take a break to eat/drink something, whether you provide it or they have to bring it themselves. So it is really up to you if want to actually provide a meal for your vendors that stay through the reception.

Most all the weddings I had been involved in did offer something it is a nice gesture but not always expected. I guess it all depends on how you look at it ... maybe look at it like the vendors are your 'employees' for the day. Yes you have paid them to do a job for you and they will do it regardless, but a good 'boss' will want to provide a pleasant work environment. If you make the job more fun and easier for them then you sometimes get better results than if the day was long and hard, KWIM? You know what they say "Happy help is good help" Just my opinions though ... good luck :D

[C Floral Arrangements]

Hi everyone i'm new here.But as a wedding planner i do not have to ask for food.Here in the caribbean ,the wedding planner and staff are always included in the meals.Some weddings i have, we r so busy we don't get to eat .It's not polite that a wedding planner should have to ask for food as i say here in the caribbean we don't have to.

[karmstrong]

I realize this is a couple months old post, but thought I would add my thoughts. The couples have always asked and some insisted on me eating something. If I am traveling between venues I will have a lunch in the car to eat during the drive. I have had some where I've had enough time between shooting hair and make up to get something to eat before everything goes into full swing. I am with them all day long and all the couples I've worked with are very generous.

Bathroom breaks are another biggie!! lol

I did shoot a new years eve wedding where the MOB kept trying to get me to drink....I told her that wouldn't be very professional of me to get drunk at the wedding (trust me it only takes 1 drink) and end up under the table taking pictures of the ceiling, she thought that was funny but kept insisting.

I think most people understand that the people they've hired to be their personal papparriz are going to get hungry and thirst at some point. I haven't had one that hasn't offered yet. I usually have a bottle of water with my stuff too. I've noticed anytime someone is eating they offer.

Ok I think I'm done rambling now.... :)

[serendipityweddings]

While I don't include a spot stating that I will or won't have a meal provided, as both a wedding professional and a bride-to-be myself, I think it would be horribly inconsiderate to expect people that are working as hard as we work to not eat...

I'm hypoglycemic...if I don't eat, I'm in big trouble. I let my clients and any other important people know that at some point so that if someone see the "wedding planner shoveling a granola bar into her mouth" no one is surprised or bothered lol

[Flicktures]

We did supply our vendors with a meal at our wedding. The DJ didn't accept the meal though.

[cowboysbride]

Our band and the photographer both got fed. We also shared the leftover grooms cake with the venue workers...they LOVED it!

[MOB Karen]

Our DJ has it in his contract that he does not receive a meal. He put that in there, not us. Our photographer is a guest at Amber's wedding so she would receive a meal anyway. :D

[Kacie_bride]

Our DJ has it in his contract that he does not receive a meal. He put that in there, not us. Our photographer is a guest at Amber's wedding so she would receive a meal anyway. :D

Our photographer is too. I will tell the DJ he can eat, but I doubt he will.