Vendor Meals

jamier88

Did you ask all your vendors if they wanted a meal or did you just automatically include all of them in your headcount?

wagnerdi

Most vendors require them.

jaimelody

Most of them require them at it's written in their contract for meal/time. They were half price at my venue

ecg129

I just included - my vendor meals were only like $30 anyways,  so even if they didn't ask - I told them they were getting some

mbcdefg

It wasn't mentioned in their contracts so I asked them (just the photographers and the DJ).

Main photographer said yes, second shooter said no because she didn't stay past the special dances and toasts (she ate at cocktail hour, though), and the DJ said "whatever" so I told the hall we'd have two vendors eating.

Heather822

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_vendor-meals-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:90Discussion:11620c13-dd79-4455-a987-60b175802eecPost:be5b9f89-3e8a-4b11-bc87-6565353af1b6">Re: Vendor Meals</a>:
[QUOTE]Most of them require them at it's written in their contract for meal/time. They were half price at my venue
Posted by jaimelody[/QUOTE]

<font color="#003366">This.
You could always ask each vendor if not sure though.</font>

uppereastgirl

Automatically, for everyone who would be there during mealtime (so not the florist, for example).  It seems like the nice thing to do (particularly because some will have been working for a looong time by mealtime), and it also seems awkward to single them out based on what's in the contract ("DJ, here's your meal, but sorry photographer, you don't get one because you didn't put it in your contract -- but please be sure to take pretty pictures for us!").  At the very least, I would nicely ask the ones who don't say it in their contract.  You don't want to leave them hungry and grumpy when they're supposed to be doing a good job for you.

felicia220

Our Vendors did not require it, they were actually shocked when I told them that they were getting one.  They even tried to talk me out of it as they did not want me to spend money on them to eat....I thought that was kind of nice.  

Anyone, my venue had me break it down into Adults, Kids (RB&FG), and Vendors.  Your Vendors will not get the same meal as your guests and it will be cheaper then what you paid for your guests.  So I think as long as you break it down they will understand.  Also, we did it for our Bands, Photographer and Media crew.  

EDIT: our venue gave us a choice between serving them a cold or hot meal as well, if your vendors require it then you may have to get the HOT meal, but our venue still charged us less for the vendors. We decided to give our Vendors hot meals.

sgdc2011

Each venue is different.  My venue gives the vendors a choice and of the of the meals that they already have made that we are serving to the guests, I guess what is left overs.  Some venues only give sandwiches... Most of my vendors had it in their contract that they require a hot meal.  So you might want to check your contracts.

lizabe522

Most of mine say in their contract that a vendor meal is required. We're providing meals for DJs, photographers, and videographer. My feeling is, you don't want them to be hungry when they're supposed to be capturing everything! Photographers and videographers are often with you starting early afternoon, so it's only right to provide them with a meal.