Not to offer the photographers a wedding breakfast?

[realteal]

Just wondering if this is cheeky or not. Maybe this is the done thing and I don’t know about it!

We are hoping to get married next year. There will be one photographer and his assistant. Their photos are great to be fair and we are very happy to have booked them.

We’ve just got the contract through. They have asked us to order two wedding breakfasts that they will eat in a side room.

AIBU to think this is a bit cheeky? We are paying them a four figure sum. Why can’t they bring a flask, a lunch bag and a packet of crisps like everyone else who goes out to work?!

Is this a common request?

*realteal

They will be in their feet all day and need a proper meal.

This reasoning doesn’t work for me - so are factory workers! smile

Are you being a bit daft today?

"So if you have a tradesman working at your house all day, he should be fed?"

Tradesmen aren't doing a personal service. If you had a mobile beautician/hairdresser and was having a drink/snacks with your bridesmaids, you'd offer her the same.
Likewise you'd offer your HV a drink/biscuit, but not necessarily the gas man. However I'm in Liverpool so everyone is offered food, even a sandwich. People fill flasks with tea/coffee for road workers etc.
A wedding is a long day, soggy sandwiches kept in the car, aren't going to cut it. As for off-site food outlets, that takes up more time and people often want photos of the father of the bride giving his speech and the first toast to the couple. A provided meal will take 15 minutes max to eat and they'll be back to work.

Similar to other posters our venue offered a hot meal for the photographers which was similar to the official "menu" but one main course, they didn't get the full three course or anything. Photographer could choose this or opt for sandwiches. I would expect to provide them food if they're going to be there all day but it doesn't have to be exactly what you're providing your guests.

@NewPapaGuinea

I irrationally find the term “wedding breakfast” annoying 😆

Me too! It’s a dinner. Lol

"This reasoning doesn’t work for me - so are factory workers! smile"

So are you providing them with a kettle, toaster, microwave and somewhere to sit and eat? Have you scheduled in their two fifteen minute breaks and lunch break?

They are, in effect attending your wedding. Why begrudge them hot food?

@notacooldad

Correct me if I'm wrong but, the majority of the posters think that this is normal. I'm guessing during peak wedding season photographers are booked out most weekends, so do photographers eat wedding or bar meals every weekend? Including a buffet at night? Are they all fat?

That is the most bonkers question ever. They are having a meal like you are supposed to eat. Even if they have some of the buffet why would they necessarily be fat?

Here is a totally standard day for a wedding photographer: they drive up to 2 hours in the morning to the venue, then work a physical 7 hour stint carrying heavy equipment with no lunch or break in the middle before hopefully being able to sit down at tea time to eat one normal meal, then they work 3 hours more and then drive (up to 2 hours) home. So they leave home in the morning, return usually about 10/ 10:30pm and have (hopefully) had one meal in that time.

They are burning a tonne of calories, running around all day on less food/ drink than in a 'normal' day. No, they are not getting fat.

We fed all our suppliers. We got married in a venue where we had to hire a supplier for everything, so not like a hotel where you could give your photographers a bar meal. There were also no shops in the vicinity where they could grab a sandwich. Our caterers made extra of the main course for the photographers and the toast master. We served the cake for pudding so they got some of that as well. The evening food was from a food van and we also said they could help themselves. It's a long day for them, the photographers started work around 8:30am to take the getting ready pictures and left around 9pm so we wanted them fed and full of energy.

Everyone else working on the day - chef, bar staff and waiters - were from the catering company and the caterers sorted food for them.

It's standard to feed photographers and entertainment at a wedding

Brisco
I didnt ask if photographers were fat.
I was quoting someone else who I thought had a asked a daft question.

Oh a mn classic, op asks aibu, is told they are, doesn't agree! We fed all our vendors.

They are self employed creative professionals and can set their own terms. Don’t like them? Don’t use them. Likening them to a tradesperson working in your house is ridiculous; you do not expect tradesperson to work very specific times in the day - you pay them to complete a job, which they will do at their own convenience throughout the day / week. And dare I say it, a good plumber is a good plumber. There’s no personal input in the job, they either plumb something properly or they don’t; the same cannot be said for photography.

Added to that is that you are engaging specific people with very specific skills and abilities - if you think you will get as good results from any old photographer, go for it. If you want these specific ones for their artistry, then meet their terms. It’s not for you to decide what’s ‘cheeky’. Don’t want to spend a four figure sum? Get your mate with a DSLR to do it.

So over this lack of regard and appreciation for creatives.

I would offer them, even if not asked. Of the 2 weddings I've attended that I've known the people well enough to know such details, one photographer accepted and sat at one of the tables to eat (couple happily placed him at a guest table with others who came alone), and one was offered a meal, but preferred to eat their own food in a separate room.
After being on their feet working for so long, I'd want them to be able to have a hot meal with everyone else.

A lot of photographers have this in their contracts now, at least provided with a meal doesn’t have to be seated with guests. Usually off to the side.
They are working all day and often in the heat it’s a bit mean to not expect to give them some refreshment.

Wow. I am very old but I had honestly never heard this at all before reading this post.
Every day a school day.

We eloped and took offered to take our photographer and celebrant out to lunch after along with the two witnesses (from MN!)

Would never have thought not to.

I don’t know about everyone else but if you’re paying for a premium service and expect 100% effort for the 7-12 hours they are with you, then surely you’d be best feeding the person so they are

1. running at peak performance
2. feel appreciated & respected which also fosters a positive working environment which would directly affect the finished products (and feelings towards the images in editing times)
3. be a nice person?! Staff meals are always less in cost, they don’t include wine, canapés, or usually 3 courses. Not even including the amount of waste in food on a wedding day, I’m sure the caterer could rustle up something! Alternatively a £20 bar tab can go a long way. Could you actually hold your head high whilst someone sits there for an hour and a half (usually backing up your images, recharging their equipment, checking over their images from the day so far) after an already long and intense day with a warm packed lunch and expect them to give you their best for the rest of the day? For those discussing tradespeople. They can leave whenever they like, can your photographer leave for a brew and a pasty at leisure? Factories - Staff rooms have facilities and scheduled regular breaks with vending machines and hot drinks provided - does your wedding?? If you’re not going to happily feed and water a human that’s quite literally giving you a ticket back to this “special day” then expect them to leave and get themselves a hot meal for however long it takes. Pretty sure that cost can be offset elsewhere. It’s like being rude to waiting staff who have direct contact with your food / I just wouldn’t.

It's standard to offer it. But saying that my photographers asked for dinner so we paid for it and they brought their own packed lunches. I was pretty f*** off. You could make them packed lunches if you want to save money but they should be fed if they're working a whole day with you

We fed ours with the same meal that we provided for everyone else, including the priest.
The DJ was told to help himself to the buffet at the evening reception.

@youdoyoutoday
"I got quotes a little while ago and 1 photographer expected to be fed and put up in a hotel for 2 nights (before and after) and for me to pay for it and then pay his charge on top"

And maybe a little holiday in the Caribbean after to help them get I very the horror of working a,12hr day. 😂

@Explosivefarts

realteal
They will be in their feet all day and need a proper meal.
This reasoning doesn’t work for me - so are factory workers!

Every factory I know has its own canteen where workers can order food. Or at the very least vending machines . Many weddings are in the middle of no where and only way to get food is the caterers.

Vending machines don't give out hot meals, though. They only give out sandwiches. Photographers can bring their own sandwiches.

@Millicentsparty do you think I should have invited him to our honeymoon??

@HopeHappy
*
I don't have any complaints either way though. It's* not like they can pop down to Tesco to get a sandwich while they're working is it??

Maybe not, but they could have picked up a sandwich before they came.

My photographer came to the house, service and did photos at the reception venue before we ate. She left before the meal. Worked for me. If they are staying the full day and into the evening it seems reasonable to feed them!