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Vendors - what are they drinking?

100yroldblinddog100yroldblinddog member
100 Love Its 100 Comments Second Anniversary Name Dropper
in Wedding Cakes & Food Forum
Apologies if this comes off as hair-splitting:

I'm getting married at a hotel with a wedding package where everything is pretty well laid-out for you. When accounting for my vendors, my venue has a price for vendor meals (50% of whatever food selection we choose), but I'm not sure what to do for their drinks. 

For my guests, I'm having an open bar (as nature intended), but not sure what to do for vendors. Do I budget for non-alcoholic drinks as I'm imagining would be the professional choice, or do I include them in my open bar tally like a cool lady? I'm fine with either, I'm just not sure what's normally done.

Thanks ladies!
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Re: Vendors - what are they drinking?

  • artbyallieartbyallie mod
    Moderator Eighth Anniversary 5000 Comments 500 Love Its
    Ask the hotel, but I would hazard a guess they will not charge the bar cost for your vendors.
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  • Jen4948Jen4948 Houston member
    Eighth Anniversary 10000 Comments 500 Love Its 25 Answers
    I wouldn't want vendors whose services I'm paying for to drink on the job, so I would budget for non-alcoholic drinks and not worry about being "a cool lady" to them.
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  • MesmrEweMesmrEwe member
    Knottie Warrior 2500 Comments 500 Love Its 5 Answers
    IMO, just have your vendors included with the rest of the guests.  There's about a 99.98% chance they'll stay sober, but you also want to discuss this expectation with them when you discuss all things working your wedding (for example, you don't mind covering 100% of the NA's but you don't want your DJ getting drunk...). 
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  • SP29SP29 member
    Sixth Anniversary 2500 Comments 500 Love Its 5 Answers
    I would put them in the non-alcoholic drink. I would assume (and expect) that someone would not be drinking while working. Not that I would honestly care if someone had a drink, or even two, I just think those two aspects shouldn't be mixed. 

    At my venue, the bar was included as part of the package price, along with the dinner and everything else. When the venue gave us a vendor price, it was the regular price minus the cost of the bar.


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  • lyndausvilyndausvi Western Slope, Colorado mod
    Moderator Knottie Warrior 10000 Comments 500 Love Its
    Are you paying by person or by consumption?

    If it's consumption I would just figure they will be drinking non-alcoholic drinks.   As a bartender working wedding vendors often ask for water or soda (but not at the same rate as a guest).  Sometimes right before last call a few will ask for an alcoholic drink.  It was like a "shift drink" to them.

    If you are paying a fix rate per person I would negotiate vendors drinks are free or at least the underage price (if they have one), since they should not be drinking alcohol anyway.






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  • 100yroldblinddog100yroldblinddog member
    100 Love Its 100 Comments Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    lyndausvi said:
    Are you paying by person or by consumption?

    If it's consumption I would just figure they will be drinking non-alcoholic drinks.   As a bartender working wedding vendors often ask for water or soda (but not at the same rate as a guest).  Sometimes right before last call a few will ask for an alcoholic drink.  It was like a "shift drink" to them.

    If you are paying a fix rate per person I would negotiate vendors drinks are free or at least the underage price (if they have one), since they should not be drinking alcohol anyway.
    @lyndausvi  - I'm paying a fixed rate per person. I realize it probably sounds like an insane thing to ask about, but since we're paying per head, I wanted to be specific with where the budget is going. That's great advice about negotiating.

    @SP29, I'm with you in that I feel pretty okay with the vendors drinking if they want to (trusting that they will be professionals/not rip it up). Especially the DJs. The DJs should feel comfortable getting a little cray. ;-)
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