I have to feed the vendors too?!?

Jen4948

Mandafly84 said:

Maggie0829 said:

Jen4948 said:

lyndausvi said:

It's often easier on the venue itself to just serve the vendors the same meal.  It might seem silly but some places might not have turkey to make a turkey sandwich or ground beef to make a hamburger.  It's easier for them to throw another steak on the grill, then make one special meal.  

Like you say, it's situational.  It might be easier on the venue, but not on the couple's purse.

Which is why couples need to budget correctly by knowing that certain vendors need to be included in the final headcount.

For food and drink in general, yes-but not necessarily exactly the same options as the guests get.  It's something I'd negotiate for with both the vendors and the venue.

I'm glad I'm not a vendor, and I'm glad you're not my bride. You're really coming across as the type who would give vendors a PB&J after working 7 hours, while your guests eat prime rib and chicken, all to save $10.

Bullshit.  I am not coming off as any such thing.  You are reading into my post something that isn't there.  But I'm glad you're not my vendor either, because you are coming across as really entitled.  I am not going to hire you just so you can eat an expensive meal on my dime.

Fairyjen1

   I haven't read the whole thread yet. As someone who has worked as a wedding vendor (Scottish Highland dancer, There's a large Scottish Society in our area), we were always offered a meal, sometimes it was what the guests ate and sometimes a vendor meal but it was always offered. Whether we ate or not depended. Sometimes we would do one dance and were done, in which case we usually let them know a meal wasn't necessary, and sometimes we'd be hired for the ceremony, entertainment during the reception, and asked to run some Scottish Country dancing after, then we usually would as you were talking a many hour commitment that ran through dinner time. 

  I intend to feed my vendors that will be at the ceremony/reception.

theartistformerlyknownas

Our photography contract states that she and her assistant get hot meals. Venue's discounted "vendor meal" is the same entree as the guests, just minus dinner rolls and salad. I'll still let them choose chicken, salmon or veggie. Seemed reasonable to me. We'll do the same for the DJ's, since they'll have been there working through the cocktail hour and dinner. Reverend and his wife will be invited guests so they'll get the same meal as every other guest.

crunchymamaof2

I guess I don't see why serving vendors the same meal is a big deal, especially if you wouldn't be paying the full price anyways. One of our options as filet mignon. I wouldn't want to pay the $70pp as the vendors wouldn't be fully using he bar, using seats at the ceremony, eating at cocktail hour, etc. but if the vendor meal is going to cost $35 I'd much rather them get fed the filet then waste that much money on some turkey sandwich. The kitchen is making those meals anyways and they make extra. Feed the people you're paying, especially if you want good service. Bad treatment = crappy service in many cases.

PrettyGirlLost

acove2006 said:

I guess I don't see why serving vendors the same meal is a big deal, especially if you wouldn't be paying the full price anyways. One of our options as filet mignon. I wouldn't want to pay the $70pp as the vendors wouldn't be fully using he bar, using seats at the ceremony, eating at cocktail hour, etc. but if the vendor meal is going to cost $35 I'd much rather them get fed the filet then waste that much money on some turkey sandwich. The kitchen is making those meals anyways and they make extra. Feed the people you're paying, especially if you want good service. Bad treatment = crappy service in many cases.

I agree @acove2006, if the venue offers that discount. Some don't.

Jen4948

A possible way to deal with the situation might be to provide vendors entrees and non-alcoholic beverages, but not alcoholic beverages (they shouldn't be drinking alcohol while on the job anyway), appetizers, salads, sides, or desserts.

dramamonkey

grumbledore said:

raeah219 said:

I was watching a video on YouTube about vendor etiquette and it said that I have to provide vendor meals for anybody that will be working more than five hours the day of my wedding. It kind of makes sense to me. I don't want hungry vendors, but my boss doesn't provide lunch for me lol. This was the first I've heard of this. My budget is tight so these extra meals are NOT what I want to do, but I will if I have to. Help me out ladies. What's a girl to do?

The difference is that normally an employee can leave and eat lunch. Do you want your vendors to leave to eat? Of course not. Definitely feed them.

This - My Photog's contract said, explicitly, that we either needed to A. Provide a meal or B provide time for photographer to LEAVE to go eat. NOPE. 

And  as other PPs said a lot of venues will offer vendor meals (ours was $20 and we didn't have to pay the PP bar)  

ETA: Our vendor meal was the same as the regular meal. 

Pepper6

Also, if it's not explicitly stated in their contracts, just ask the vendors what they prefer.  Neither our photographer nor DJ had meal requirements listed, so I asked them both if they'd like a meal and for how many (I wasn't sure if they had assistants that would stay the whole event) and if they'd like our plated dinner or the sandwich option our venue offers.  They actually both chose the sandwich option because they said it was easier to eat while they worked.