Feeding Vendors

peaches85

I'm really embarrassed to ask these questions, but I just want to make sure.

When you give your final headcount to your venue, you have to include the vendors since you pay for their meals, right?

Do you give the vendors a table or does the waitstaff just bring them the food?

goaliegirl

You tell the venue how many vendors there are...they do not eat with your guests, the venue will have somewhere for them to eat separately..at least that is what happened with our venue.

tstrayer27

I would think you don't count them in the normal head count you tell them they are vendors because I believe most venues only have you pay half price for vendors. At least that's the case with mine.

Laurms15

Mine too I never saw them eat but I know they did I think they ate in our cocktail space.

Tara2316

The Manor gave us a discounted price for vendors. During the final meetings they asked how many vendors there would be. I think they gave them an area in the cocktail hour room to eat. I didn't notice when they did go out to have dinner.

berbm

My vendors were not included in my final head count or towards my minimum.  They were discounted 50% and they ate somewhere that I did not see them (most probably in the cocktail hour room). 

ellev

My DJ said he doesn't need dinner, but my photographer will be working their butt off the whole day. Is it odd that I want to pay for them to eat as a guest and not a $25 chicken and pasta meal?

viviannac

We also gave our venue a separate count for our vendors, as they were discounted 50%.  I do not know where they ate but I do know they ate and definitely not in the ballroom.  

peaches85

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_feeding-vendors?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:90Discussion:e99f25ea-1bcd-4390-a679-67b1b6720a08Post:ce9a5870-dcc8-48de-ba75-4c0ae599d22e">Re: Feeding Vendors</a>:
[QUOTE]The Manor gave us a discounted price for vendors. During the final meetings they asked how many vendors there would be. I think they gave them an area in the cocktail hour room to eat. I didn't notice when they did go out to have dinner.
Posted by Tara2316[/QUOTE]
Tara, do you remember how much the discounted rate for vendors was?

peaches85

Thanks so much for the feedback everyone!  I didn't even realize that vendors received discounted rates.  I guess my questions weren't as stupid as I thought, haha.

Tara2316

I believe it was half off regular meals.

GolfChick78

I needed to give a count of my vendors, but they are served at a reduced rate since they only get a dinner, not any of the other courses.

TaraK22

I believe every place is different, so I'd check with your venue. Some places will include them in the headcount, some don't. Some places don't charge for "inside" vendors (vendors on their recommended vendor list), some places charge a discounted rate, etc. But either way, I have never been to a wedding where I've seen the vendors eating at a table in the reception area - they usually set them up in the area you used for cocktails.

tracey0916

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_new-jersey_feeding-vendors?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:90Discussion:e99f25ea-1bcd-4390-a679-67b1b6720a08Post:ce9a5870-dcc8-48de-ba75-4c0ae599d22e">Re: Feeding Vendors</a>:
[QUOTE]The Manor gave us a discounted price for vendors. During the final meetings they asked how many vendors there would be. I think they gave them an area in the cocktail hour room to eat. I didn't notice when they did go out to have dinner.
Posted by Tara2316[/QUOTE]

Same for us at The Manor.  Vendors were half price and ate in the cocktail area. You can also count them toward  your minumum if you need to.

MateoPix

All venues give you discounts for feeding the vendors.  After all they are not using the open bar.

Give the venue the Guest headcount and a separate Vendor headcount.  

Please remember… We are people too, and the video & photo guys have been with you since the morning, and have had no opportunity to eat.  It's sometimes 12 hours before we get to put something in our stomachs.

After that much time… please don't feed them a sandwich.  A real dinner is not only appropriate, its necessary.

Give the venue the Guest headcount and a separate Vendor headcount.