Dining Vendors

Grizzles66

Hi!

I have a question about dinner/providing it to vendors.  I've heard it's etiquette to provide dinner to any of your vendors who will be present at the reception (photographer, band/dj, videographer) but do they get assigned to a table and eat with everyone else or do they eat at a different time? How does this work?

Thanks!

itzMS

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_wisconsin_dining-vendors?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:118Discussion:53f1fdf9-8c28-4779-9654-4c2ce0b2ce12Post:20573fb4-59c1-4e40-8c76-f785bf281442">Dining Vendors</a>:
[QUOTE]Hi! I have a question about dinner/providing it to vendors.  I've heard it's etiquette to provide dinner to any of your vendors who will be present at the reception (photographer, band/dj, videographer) but do they get assigned to a table and eat with everyone else or do they eat at a different time? How does this work? Thanks!
Posted by Grizzles66[/QUOTE]

Call and ask them their preferences. Vendor meal procedures are also typically a part of your contract with each vendor.

Most often, they ask to be seated amongst the guests.

libby2483

Just ask each vendor his or her preference.  Our DJ prefered to eat at his booth, but we seated our photographers among guests.

mom2thebride

I was at a wedding and the photographer sat at our table.  It was a little weird.  During dinner, he kept jumping up to take pictures of the "toasts", the bridal couple kissing, etc.  He sat at the table with his equipment bag and changed out his cameras. It was a little distracting for the rest of the guests at the table.  My suggestion would be to have a vendors table and seat them all together.  

muenginerd

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_wisconsin_dining-vendors?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:118Discussion:53f1fdf9-8c28-4779-9654-4c2ce0b2ce12Post:8c6a05b4-9960-4f77-814d-225a2b955008">Re: Dining Vendors</a>:
[QUOTE]I was at a wedding and the photographer sat at our table.  It was a little weird.  During dinner, he kept jumping up to take pictures of the "toasts", the bridal couple kissing, etc.  He sat at the table with his equipment bag and changed out his cameras. It was a little distracting for the rest of the guests at the table.  My suggestion would be to have a vendors table and seat them all together.  
Posted by mom2thebride[/QUOTE]

I agree with this.  We sat at a table once with a photographer who was very full of himself and wanted to talk shop (wedding industry stuff).  All we heard through dinner was how great he was compared to others and we need a professional of his quality.  He even went so far as to talk about different pricing levels and telling us how much the bride and groom were paying for their services.  I tried to make coversation with another couple and the photographer kept interjecting about how this wedding compared to all the other weddings he shot.  It was not a pleasant experience.  I think the idea of a vendor table stated above would be better.

rungirl12

I would ask the vendor. Our only vendor was the photographer and he preferred to eat on the move, as he was snapping pics during most of the meal.  I have been seated at the photographer's table in other weddings, but find they're usually off capturing photos and only stealing bites to eat.

Grizzles66

Thanks everyone! This helps!