When, where and what to feed your vendors

We often get asked questions about wedding vendor meal etiquette. Should we feed our vendors? If so, what, when and where?

Vendors who are working for the majority of your wedding day need to be nourished. There are no two ways about it. You want your wedding day to be perfect, so that has to include making sure your vendors are well-fed. This way, they will be energized and ready to help with everything you need. Specifically, your photographer and videographer will be fully resourced to get those perfect shots.

When?

We recommend feeding your photographer and videographer at the start of the meal service or when the bridal party table is served. This way, you can be sure that once you’ve finished your meal and are moving onto the next stage (typically speeches or dancing or photos), your photographer has already been fed and is ready to jump into action.

If you’re in any doubt, just ask the photographer before the day. They will most likely have something written into their contract or will talk to you in the planning phase about the requirement for a meal.

What?

Many venues have standard vendor meals, so remember to ask the venue what they will provide. We love a hearty hot meal if that is what you are serving your guests. We usually work non-stop as soon as we arrive at the venue, so a half-hour sit-down with a meal can refuel the energy for several more hours.