Feeding the photographer/inviting them to dinner

LarissaB

Another post about meal options for the photographer made me wonder if I should be including them at the meal or not.  We are having a very small wedding (25 ppl) and then all heading out to a restaurant afterwards.  I have booked a photographer for 5 hours (11am-4 pm) to cover gettting ready, couple shots,  the ceremony and then family/group shots afterwards with her time ending right before we head to the restaurant around 4:30.  Since she wasn't going to be taking pictures/working at the restaurant, it hadn't even crossed my mind to invite her but reading other posts made me want to ask.  Do you pay for the meal of your photographer only if they are working through the dinner part of the party or is it proper to extend an invitation to them even if they won't "be on the clock"?

opalsky007

If she's not working through dinner, I wouldn't worry about including her in that. However, you will want to make sure she's either eaten before the day starts or can take a short break at lunchtime.

MrsMack10612

I would check the contract.  For example - our band has in their contract that we must "provide 6 hot meals".

However, because they aren't scheduled for the dinner portion - probably not.

baystateapple

Yes, you should feed your photographer.  S/he is working a long day, it's only fair to give her/him dinner, even if it's "off the clock".  Some reception sites offer "vendor meals", which are less expensive than the price per head of the other guests.  Our photographer was a friend, so she was invited same as a guest, and she got the same meal as everyone else.

ETA: If she's not working during the meal or afterward, then no, you don't have to feed her, but it would still be a nice gesture, especially if she's going to be working all day beforehand.  You'll want to make sure that she at least has something to eat before or during the time she's working for you.

Avion22

If she's not photogarphing the meal, then it would be weird to invite her. 

Check your contract though....some contracts stipulate that if they work for a certain number of hours they want you to feed them (can be as simple as a sandwich and chips).  I think this is more common for  bands and DJs though.

Still, if you're doing a dinner at a restaraunt, and she's not going to be photographing that, then I don't think you need to invite her.

emilyinchile

Not dinner, but she needs a lunch break. Check your contract and/or discuss with her for specifics.

peanutty2

I don't think she necessarily needs to invited to the restaraunt if she's not photographing at the restaurant, but then she needs to at least be offered a lunch break.  5 hours plus any travel time is a long time to go with no food.

tenofcups4me

I wouldn't invite her to the restaurant just to eat; that's silly if she's not going to be there to work.

LarissaB

Thanks for the advice!  Food is not stated anywhere in the contract so it hadn't even really dawned on me but thanks for mentioning lunch, we'll be doing subs and such and I'll definitely make sure to ask her what type she'd like.  Now that I'm getting to the small details part of planning my wedding,  I'm starting to realize just how many more of them there are than I originally thought.  It's like duh of course someone working for 5 hours would want a break for food.  It's why I love these boards, they let me know all the little things I haven't even thought of.

DeadUtopia

Since she's working through lunch time, I would offer her something during that time just to be polite, but I wouldn't necessarily invite her to the reception.