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?

I guess it depends on the venue. If it’s a hotel that has a restaurant then it’s bad form to bring your own food and expect the hotel to provide somewhere for you to sit and eat it and expect them to clear up. You would take your own food into a restaurant. But the photographer doesn’t need the full fancy meal - just a regular main course from the hotel restaurant menu.

I understand where you are coming from. Even though I would naturally offer them , seems a bit cheeky that they would ask like that I be honest

Yes it is normal. Either sandwiches/crisps/salad or hot meal.

We had this and I didn't mind given they were with us from 9am to 10pm!

As per pp, the venue did a reduced rate for giving them the main only in a side room.

If they have specified ‘two wedding breakfasts’, then yes, it’s cheeky. I can understand the argument that their refreshments are essentially a business expense due to them being on location (although I frequently travelled in my previous job, and I could only expense evening meals, not lunch). But a wedding breakfast is usually a high end three-course affair - not to mention being very expensive!

They’re paid professionals, not guests. If they’re staying until the evening, I don’t think they’re unreasonable to expect some refreshments will be provided, but it certainly doesn’t have to be what could be a £70 a head meal.

We paid our caterers to do a staff meal for everyone working at our wedding... I think that's pretty normal and a tiny part of your overall budget.

I've been a photographers assistant and we've never asked to be fed but have been a couple of times.
It can be really awkward to try and find time and space to eat a meal you've taken if the wedding party haven't thought it through. We've often gone back to the car and quickly eaten but you find some customers will expect you to be none stop.

Standard to provide a vendor meal - your venue should have a price list for these, and should be less than you are paying for guests.

You should feed them?????

Shiiiiiiit.......

Mind you ours only stuck around until the end of the pre reception drinks so maybe it was different

I'd ask the venue to provide the photographers with a sandwich and coffee in another room.

I think it's standard. I never had a photographer but I paid for a meal for a driver we used. It's just nice when people are working very long days that they have something nice and fresh to eat.

It's standard, our venue asked how many suppliers to cater for on the form when we were doing our booking.

@JayAlfredPrufrock

Those cheeky bastards wanting to be fed.

Does your employer feed you?!

@FinallyHere

Would you honestly feel OK having a lovely meal while suggesting the photographers 'eat cake' ?

It’s their job, they’re used to it! I say it as a former waitress in many wedding venue. Food from the same menu as the guests can also be hard to eat so us staff normally got something different . Paid for by catering company

Happy photographers = good pictures.

@ohthatbloodycat

Sorry, but I'm with the OP. Nice to be offered, but cheeky to ask. So if you have a tradesman working at your house all day, he should be fed? Given what they're charging, they should either bring their own food or suck it up as an additional cost.

This is exactly what I thought.

I am rather surprised at so many people saying this is standard!

Gotta love MN.

Also OP don’t worry it’ll be a cheaper meal for suppliers! Nobody expects a £30 per head or however much it costs meal on the job. Speak to your venue

Perfectly normal. They will be on their feet all day and need a break. If they carry their lunch that will just be more weight to slow them down. It's in your interest to feed them.

They won't be having the wine presumably

That's completely standard and usually the venue give you a discount as they won't have the canapés, starter, pre-dessert etc

How late are they staying? Our photographer left after we entered the wedding breakfast. If you have coverage from getting ready to cake-cutting / first dance / whatever then it is normal to feed them. As pp have said the venue will be used to doing 'vendor meals'. It's usually simpler than the guests' meal and therefore also cheaper.

I think you should feed them but not necessarily the wedding breakfast. We got married in a hotel and the photographer charged a meal and a couple of drinks to our room which seemed fair.

My venue provided a meal FOC for up to 2 photographers.

But yes all the photographers I looked at asked to be fed. I think often because venues don't want people eating food inside which isn't purchased from them.

The master of ceremonies did eat the wedding breakfast and randomly had his own little table.

For God's sake. Of course you feed them it is a hard long day. Don't you want them fully functioning so that they can take the best photos?