Feeding vendors at weddings

[EasilyAmused]

Scrolling FB whilst having my hair done and watched a video about people providing food for the photographer, planner, musician, DJ, etc. at weddings.

Curious about the general concensus on this?

YABNU - Why would you? They're their to work, not as guests.

YABU - Of course you should, it's the courteous thing to do.

For me, if they are on my payroll for x services, then I'd show my appreciation by making sure they were included in the food, and drink etc

It's nothing like tipping. It's about expecting someone to be available all day on your schedule, breaks only when you allow.

So say you hire a photographer to do pre-prep through to first dance so usually 8+ hours of constant physical movement, do you really expect them to stop having basic biological functions in that time?

They NEED food, drink and toilet breaks.

Maybe you expect them to fuck off in the middle of your wedding and drive around for an hour trying to find a weatherspoons or mcdonalds?

Or would you then complain they aren't there working?

As for taking lunch to work, have you ever run around squating for 8 hours straight, do you think a sandwhich that has been sat in a car for 5 hours on an exceptionally hot day and a bag of walkers (peak season for wedding when 80% of bookings occur is July-Sept) is going to cut it?

There no where to cook, prepare, refrigerate or store food... and why should the photographer have to pay wedding venue prices (a choice YOU made) just so they are there ready for when YOUR next moment pops up.

I provided a meal for my photographer and assistant, thought that was pretty normal.

We offered to provide our photographer with the same wedding breakfast as the guests but he declined and said he preferred to bring his own food. I did send him home with two slices of cake for him and his wife. The DJ arrived after the meal but I told him to help himself to the buffet when it was served which he did. I thought it was totally standard tbh to feed outside vendors. Obviously the hotel staff all had their normal arrangements but again we did send some cake to the bar staff

We provided food and drink for the photographer and the priest.
At the evening reception we provided for the DJ and photographer.
It's common courtesy.

Lots of people do physical jobs in warm weather and take a packed lunch. I have done it myself.

Anyway it isn't really about the practicalities. They should just communicate their expectations so people aren't guessing about what is expected.

@Buggsilla No. If you want to eat, then you can bring it and eat it when you get time.

The NHS doesn't pay for staff meals. Nor do the police, schools etc. Most companies don't. Why would this be any different? If you want to eat, bring something with you, like the rest of us.

I am not a bloody charity. If I don't know you, I am not adding to my bill just because you choose to work for me.

[That said, I DID give food to our photographer. ONLY because she was doing it as a favour for my Dad and she took a few hundred quid for the work not a grand!)

Another wedding photographer here.

I don't expect a meal to be provided but I do make it clear that, if I don't get a meal, I'll be going off site for 60-90 minutes in search of an adequate meal - hot food.

Taking a lunchbox isn't possible. I don't have anywhere to store a lunchbox other than my car and, considering the majority of my weddings are during summer, the only thing's I'd be able to eat would be something that doesn't melt, something that doesn't need to stay chilled and something that doesn't go off.

Now, would I want to eat a lunchbox full of snacks? No. During a typical wedding day, I'll drive 2-3 hours to get to a wedding, start shooting at 10am and then finish at 9pm. I won't stop walking from the second I start until the minute I finish (to drive the 2-3 hours home) apart from about 45 minutes during the wedding breakfast. My steps range from 25000-30000 steps per wedding day. Will I manage on just cereal bars and crisps from a lunchbox? No. I need a substantial hot meal.

I ask my couples before the wedding whether or not they are providing me with a hot meal and, after explaining the above, I've always been supplied with one. They don't want me to leave the venue in case I miss anything.

Actually, one time, I was told I was getting a hot meal but was given two slices of bread and some chicken (a chicken sandwich). After such a long, physical day - having not eaten since my breakfast - I was ill. I felt sick, was shaking, had a headache, thought I was going to pass out and was so hungry I couldn't eat. I was so ill I had to cancel a job the next day and lost £800.

So, us photographers ask for a hot meal because a lunchbox of snacks is inadequate and I don't want to miss anything while I go off site in search of hot food. It's as simple as that.

Our photographer lived locally so it was agreed that she would take some pics during the meal, nip home for a break, and we told her when she needed to be back for the speeches and reception. WRT the evening, she and the caricaturist were told to just help themselves to the hot buffet and candy cart. We didn’t have a DJ, just Spotify, but would have said the same to the DJ if we’d have had one.

We fed everyone at our wedding. IIRC it was in the photographer's contract. The venue had a 'staff' menu so it wasn't anything like the same cost as the price per head for guests.

The only professional we hired was a photographer but of course we bloody fed him!
In the morning while we were getting ready we offered him breakfast as well and made sure he knew to help himself to coffee.
We also gave wedding cup cakes to the bar staff.

I told everyone who was working to help themselves to the buffet. Even offered them some cake.
We’d over catered for the thing, reception was in a pub and ended up inviting the customers to come and have some food.

Jesus.

You’re throwing a party. Everyone gets to eat, drink and be merry apart from The Staff?!

As many on here have said, most venues offer a ‘suppliers menu’ at a highly discounted price. No one is suggesting you offer the filet steak and fine wines of your Wedding Breakfast but to begrudge an extra £10 for a lasagne and chips is just… well… ill-mannered, unkind and tight. Especially if you’ve been able to access ‘Mates Rates’.

It’s nice to be nice - especially on a day of celebration.

I’ve included our photographer and entertainers in catering numbers, seemed like the right thing to do. I’d rather have people who feel welcome and are well fed doing their very best.

When we got married we provided food for the photographer and the videographer, we just added them to the seating arrangements and they got a regular meal. All the other staff were provided by the venue so they managed them with their normal arrangements. For our photog it was part of their contract to be fed. And they took photos from the table they were at etc so they got to be right in the middle of the wedding stuff, which gave us a nice perspective when we got the photos back, since we were sat at the top table.

I did feed the photographers but 1 guy who quoted also wanted 2 nights in a hotel, food and travel expenses on top of his fee!!

because at the NHS there are place to eat and to store food, I can tell you haven't worked in both jobs and have zero clue what your talking about.

I have (my degree was medical and I interned, Im now self employed in the wedding industry) and its WILDLY different as everyone has explained.

Also almost every job pays for your lunch if your offsite on business trips, I have never been sent away to a non wedding booking and not recieved money for a meal.

It is the done thing to feed them

"The musicians are rarely there for more than a few hours each.".

This is a common misunderstanding.
The band members could well have spent 2 hours or more collecting gear, other band members, and travelling to the venue. Then there's set-up time. So, 3 hours before they've played a note probably. Then they make themselves scarce during the meal and speeches, which are often of uncertain duration. Afterwards - and playing is hard physically! - another 3 hours. Factor in the number of weddings in country hotels some distance from a (strange) town with no guarantee of a choice of takeaways open at odd hours, and will see why it's courtesy to feed them to make your event go with a swing.

Surely it’s common courtesy to feed someone who is working all day/night???! They’ll do a far better job for you if their tummy isn’t rumbling for a start!!!!

We catered for all of our vendors, it seemed obvious to do so. Photographer x2, videographer x2, band.