Vendors?

We are having a table set up for our vendors. The only ones that will be getting plates are the ones working through dinner so the photographers, videographers and DJ.

They will normally get a break during the courses when no one is making speeches or anything. Our photographers said that they will take breaks throughout dinner by rotating who is taking photos so they already have it all planned out.

Thank you for asking! I wasn't sure either !

That is totally a fair question.

Yeah generally it will be in the vendor's contract so they will ask for it. We are paying for both our photographer's plates and only 1 of our DJ's is requesting a meal. I am also sitting the DJ close to the booth to eat and the photographer's asked to be seated near the back on the outside so they can come and go and they also have a lot of equipment.

Not a silly question as the others have stated We didn't think about this until a few weeks ago. We are giving our photographers, DJ & Coordinator a plate as they will be there the whole day. We also gave them their own table together, included in the reception area.

Personally, we thought it was important to treat the vendors you are feeding as a guest (for dinner), not just to get them to eat in the hallway or something. The photographer will likely need space and a table for their equipment while they eat.

We are purchasing dinners for the vendors that are staying throughout the dinner - for us it's 1 DJ, and 3 photographers. Since we are having an open bar, our venue also has a different price for our vendors as they won't be drinking alcohol.

No one is laughing, it is a fair question! The only vendors we have to pay for is one photographer, (we will have 2 photographers, but one leaves when dinner starts and the other stays until the end) and our DJ. Our DJ will eat at his booth, but I had to work our photographer into our seating plan. We do not have a wedding planner, and our day of coordinator is provided by our venue. It all depends on what vendors will be around for dinner. I offered for our officiant to join us, but she respectfully declined.

We are purchasing plates for our vendors, such as the photographers, DJ/MC, wedding planner, etc., since many of them are going to be working all day to ensure things go as planned. Also, we are giving them a table in the reception area. My photographer suggested this, and she stated she once worked a wedding where the couple sat all vendors in another room. It led to timeline problems so she advised against it.

View quoted message Oh awesome!! Thanks!

View quoted message Great. Thank you!

View quoted message Thank goodness I am not the only one lol!

I had a table set up for all of my vendors in the back and purchased all of them a plate, it was also part of my photographers contract and she ate while we did.

Depends on the vendor! Typically photographers and DJ are to be included in your count for dinner but not the workers at the venue or a decorator! Basically anyone you have hired to be at your day deserves a meal!

Thanks for asking the question - I didn't think of this!

Some vendors, as Vinod said, are required a meal because they will be at your wedding for an extended period of time. This will include your DJ and event coordinator/planner. Otherwise I feel it's common courtesy to get a plate for vendors such as your decorator and photographer too. Typically their plate (if you have a plated, seated dinner package) will cost less as you won't be paying for alcohol.

Seating-wise, my fiancé and I plan to have our vendors sit together. I think it might be a good networking opportunity for them too as a few of our vendors know each other, so the ones that don't might familiarize themselves with them for future events.

View quoted message Good advice! Thanks!

View quoted message

You tend to put the vendors are their own table if there is enough of them. dj's usually eat in their booth. and if all you have after that is a photographer. I would work them into a table where they can easily get up for photos. and with people that will socialize (but most vendors will socialize with the guests as they are so used to it)

View quoted message Great thanks!

Vendors are required meals while their working time.

I had to arrange meals (only main courses) for them and nothing else. I had a time set between the reception and cocktail hour for them to eat. They were not part of the guest list.

If they are there for the dinner, provide them with dinner! My photographers actually had it in their contract that they would be given dinner or a 45-minute break to go out and get food. I had asked if they wanted to sit at a table and put them on the seating chart at one of the tables right in front of the head table.

I did include them as guests since they were eating a meal: the venue had to know how many people. (They even signed our guestbook, which was really cool!)

The other "vendors" were friends so we fed them too!

There was an interesting post about this in the Facebook Bridechilla group.

Vendors had had been seater at a table that was stuffed into a utility closet and we’re fed as after thoughts.

The poster reminded couples to ensure that they vendors are fed at a time that works for them and the service that they provide, and to allow them more decency than being stuffed into a closet.

We haven’t booked a caterer as yet but good to know that there may be a “vendor” meal price point.

View quoted message Makes sense!! Thanks!

View quoted message Lol thank goodness I'm not the only one!!

View quoted message

I have no idea where I'm putting my vendors! I'd assume they'd get a table to themselves? That's what I've seen the one time I noticed where the vendors were sitting at a wedding lol.

Oh my, I never even thought of this! Not a silly question at all!! Now I'm confused ahaha

View quoted message

Awesome!! Thank you so much! That helps a lot.

Your questions isn’t silly at all!

DJ, MC, photographer, videographer, coordinator (if not supplied by venue) are to be given vendor meals. Your venue will have a different price for them. It’s usually the same meal as guests without alcohol.
For seating you can ask what they usually do at weddings. My DJ said he will be eating at his booth. My photographer and videographer said they will eat in the cocktail area (I have tables there too) which is just the next room from the reception unless I wanted them to be seated with other guests.
Each of them asked for a timeline so they can figure out their breaks but said they will probably have two or three 15 min breaks total as I have them all for 12 hours.

Great! Thanks for that info

The rule of thumb tends to be - if they are expected to be there during the meal - then one should be provided. So for instance I would not be setting a meal up for the officiant but I would for the DJ and photographer.

As for where they would sit I would love to know if they need a spot I'm not quite sure but would love some direction on that matter so by no means are these silly questions!... at least not to me