Feeding the vendors

ddvirts

Hi everyone. So I know we need to feed the vendors, but which ones? My ceremony musicians leave after cocktail hour, so does the florist. Do we need to feed them? But the photographer, videographer, and dj will stay all night so I know we have to feed them. How does this work though? Do they need a table or do they eat in the kitchen? I feel so silly for asking this, but I really don't know how this works. Also, how does tipping the vendors work? They all own their own business, so technically whatever we are paying them goes only to them, so I don't understand why they need to be tipped. But if we do need to tip them how much is customary to tip?

ArtTeacher23

You just need to feed the ones staying for the reception. Ask your venue if there's a place for the vendors to eat - I know that at our place, vendors are fed at the same time guests are and there's a separate/spare room they can eat in if they want to actually "take a break".

tammym1001

We are feeding our vendors that will be there for the reception part so we aren't feeding the ceremony and cocktail hour musicians. We are actually letting our photographers sit at a table that wasn't full to eat because there is no separate room at our reception hall unless we made them eat in the kitchen (which we wouldn't do). 

As for tipping, I have heard that if they own the business then there is no need to tip. I don't know how I feel about that yet. Our photographer is the business owner and he's bringing his wife as his assistant so I don't know if we should tip them or not.

vmj23

We are feeding our photographer and DJ, since they will be the only vendors there throughout the reception.  I am still unsure where they will sit.   I'm still unclear on tipping as well.   Our photographer owns the business, but she has a 2nd shooter with her.     I've read you don't have to tip the owner...but what about the assistant?     I don't think your questions our silly at all!  I think many of us are probably wondering the same type of stuff!

dluberts

I am feeding the photographer, shes actually a friend helping me out, but we aren't tipping her. The dj will also be fed. The caterers automatically added gratuity to my bill. Which I dont think should be done anywhere but I digress. Will probably feed the bar tenders also. They come with the museum staff. I ordered food for 100 people and im going to end up with roughly 70 people attending. So lots of extra food

Tho127

So from this I am (thankfully) gleaning that I need to consider in my catering numbers the DJ, photogs, and coordinator. Likewise for bartenders and wait staff?

dluberts

Were not feeding everyone because we have to.  Were doing it because we want to. Our bartender s for example only cost 100 bucks to have them tend all night. So we want to make sure to say thanks and feed them. 

tammym1001

Tho127 said:

So from this I am (thankfully) gleaning that I need to consider in my catering numbers the DJ, photogs, and coordinator. Likewise for bartenders and wait staff?

I am personally not feeding my wait staff and bartenders, but they come with my venue and I believe they aren't allowed to eat anyways. I also feel like paying the venue extra to feed their employees is silly. If they are people you hired separately though then I'm not sure how to handle that. 

vmj23

tammym1001 said:

Tho127 said:

So from this I am (thankfully) gleaning that I need to consider in my catering numbers the DJ, photogs, and coordinator. Likewise for bartenders and wait staff?

I am personally not feeding my wait staff and bartenders, but they come with my venue and I believe they aren't allowed to eat anyways. I also feel like paying the venue extra to feed their employees is silly. If they are people you hired separately though then I'm not sure how to handle that. 

same here.  waitstaff and bartenders are included with my venue.  i do not plan on feeding them.  i didn't hire them, the venue did. 

sarahsmiles326

I'm feeding my DOC. It's in her contract, but I would have anyway because she'll be there for hours. I'm also feeding the DJ, he's a high school friend who gave us a 60% discount on the condition that we feed him (men lol). I'm also factoring in the videographer, although I'm not sure she'll eat because we've hired her only from ceremony-cake cutting. Photographer is FI's aunt (she's a professional), so she'll be seated and eating.

Waitstaff isn't allowed to eat or be tipped.

ddvirts

This is very helpful ladies. So I gather we will be feeding photographer, videographer, dj, and any assistants they will have. Day of coordinator and maître d are employed by the venue, so we don't need to feed them?

[Deleted User]

We're feeding photographer, assistant, DOC, videographer, DJ, and band people (banda and maybe mariachi although they play during dinner and leave as soon as dinner is over). We aren't feeding the staff, bartender, or captain (whatever the venue coordinator is called) because they come with the venue.

jenboston22

We're feeding our photographers, dj, and videographer off of the buffet, and they have their own table at the reception. Personally I didn't like the idea of giving them a cheaper "vendor's meal" instead of the good stuff...