Including vendors in your final counts to caterer?

Priya490

Are you including your vendors (planner, photographer, DJ, etc.) in your final counts to the caterer? Also are you giving your venue and caterer the exact number of guests that you're expecting to attend your wedding or are you giving them a number that is a little less in case people don't show up, can't make it at last minute, etc?

petite+engineer

My venue offers "vendor meals". Since we are doing a buffet they cost 2/3 of the amount of a guest.

Ask your venue, they probably offer something similar.

jroznos4133

Our venue is a little tricky. They're only going to put out enough chairs for the # of people we gave them (possibly rounded up to the nearest row #). So we gave them the full number.

bdgrl73

We are including our vendors in our final headcount ~ and we're going with an exact number...I did speak to the caterer about a few possible issues, one being my brother who is a GM is in the Marines and is possibly having an inspection that he's requied to be present for, so he may fly in the day of the Rehearsal w/o my SIL and 3 nieces...and our caterer has been wonderful to work with

KH 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_march-2012-weddings_including-vendors-in-your-final-counts-to-caterer?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20Club%20BoardsForum:955e4823-0be1-44ef-9ee7-99a63794e103Discussion:c978ff22-f6fd-44e7-ba0c-5f683f779141Post:5ee12337-6893-4c47-b916-18c8315096f0">Re: Including vendors in your final counts to caterer?</a>:
[QUOTE]M<strong>y venue offers "vendor meals". Since we are doing a buffet they cost 2/3 of the amount of a guest.</strong> Ask your venue, they probably offer something similar.
Posted by petite+engineer[/QUOTE]

<div>same exact here! so i will have them listed.  as far as extra seats I will give my final count one week beofe the wedding I only have one couple that is a maybe and I will just include them in the final count.  any issues occur that day then my day of coordinator can deal with it</div>

andreamarie77

I included my photographers and DJ in my count to the caterer. Our officiant said he wasn't staying for dinner. But I wanted to make sure that we had enough food since we aren't doing "vendor meals" for them.

I think I actually gave them a rounded UP number - just in case we had a few extra surprise people. That's the way it's been going so far! And I don't want to have an issue of not enough food.

jml1981

I asked my caterer and my vendors are free. Also, kids twelve & under were free. We're having a destination wedding so we gave an exact count...

ashbosity

Our caterer doesn't offer vendor discounts, so we have to include them, but it's an awesome BBQ place that has huge portions, so I might go a few under so there isn't tons of food left. We are also adding on extra options, so we should be fine.

bstengler

yes we are counting our vendors in. our reception hall doesnt give any discounts for vendors so i just have to add them into my count

Thumper1148

We are giving the hall an exact count (which includes our vendors).  I don't want to take the chance of running out of food.  And in our contract it also states that we will be charged additional for any people over our final count we give them.

kleslater

I am actually required to feed both my photographer and DJ per their contracts, which I found interesting. I'm pretty sure the banquet facility does not give me a discount, I never asked.

So I will be giving them a full count, with possbily a couple extra seats, just incase.