I am hoping you ladies will be able to help! Yesterday we went along for our final venue meeting and the photographer cropped up in the conversation. Our coordinator asked us how we were planning to feed the photographer on the day - she suggested letting him order some bar snacks and charging our room. I don't see an issue with this, but OH isn't happy and said that we're already paying enough and he should either provide his own food for the day or my mum should feed him in the morning! Mum will have enough to do as she is off out to get her hair done, have make up done and will be trying to get herself ready, especially given that we will need to be ready by 11.45 at the latest.
What is everybody else planning to do with their photographers?
Thanks in advance :-)
First Date 26 April 2014
Proposed 27 June 2015
Happily Married 18 June 2016
CommentAuthorSusanM34
I can't help with that I'm afraid, as my photographer is my friend and a guest we'll be feeding her anyway. But I do agree with your OH that they get paid enough! But I think it's seen as a done thing to feed them something?! X
Became Mrs Maunders on 22nd October 2016!
CommentAuthorFlossie
edited
We will be paying for ours to have a bar snack. I think most photographers kindly ask for some sort of food to be provided during the day - I think it's more than fair enough considering he will be there all day.
That being said he is a friend of my dad's so I suppose we might feel a bit differently if he was a total randomer!
Happily married
18th June 2016
xx
CommentAuthorEmily17
When we were looking at photographers some of them stipulated in the contract that they required the bride and groom to provide them with food. Ours doesn't but I do think it is a nice touch and a bit of a thanks to say here £30 you can order food and soft drinks to that value. I think we will be doing that even though ours says that he doesn't need feeding
Met in 2009
He proposed Jan 2014
Will become Mrs P 7th October 2017
CommentAuthorMrs Jones
Thanks Flossie - that's my thinking too, but OH is adamant. I think he's being a bit mean in all honesty.
First Date 26 April 2014
Proposed 27 June 2015
Happily Married 18 June 2016
I will not be having anyone arrange food for him before the wedding. It will only be at the reception venue. If he wants feeding before then then he can have a big breakfast or an early lunch!!
Met in 2009
He proposed Jan 2014
Will become Mrs P 7th October 2017
CommentAuthorFlossie
To be honest I think it's such a common thing that I hadn't even stopped to think that it might be wrong in any way... yes they are getting paid a lot of money to do their job and they should be responsible for feeding and watering themselves, but on the other hand it is a long day for them and as Emily said, it's a nice touch and a little way to say thanks.
We'll just arrange a bar snack for our photographer to come out when we are eating the wedding breakfast - he said that's his "down time" as obviously all the guests will be busy at that point. He's also staying until it gets dark so we can have some night shots, so I will tell him he's more than welcome to help himself to the buffet too if he'd like.
Happily married
18th June 2016
xx
CommentAuthorFlossie
Going off on a tangent slightly, you've just reminded me that our harpist said on her booking form that she would kindly ask to be included in our arrangements for food and refreshments.. now that is where I'd have a problem, as she is only playing for 2 hours starting at 4pm, so she will have plenty of time beforehand to have something to eat at home.
Happily married
18th June 2016
xx
CommentAuthorEmily17
Yeah, agree with Flossie, He will be welcome to a bacon sandwich in the evening if he wants one (and isn't veggie haha)
Met in 2009
He proposed Jan 2014
Will become Mrs P 7th October 2017
CommentAuthorEmily17
That's a bit much Flossie. To ask for food for that but if it was on the contract that you agreed then unfortunately not a lot you can do....
Met in 2009
He proposed Jan 2014
Will become Mrs P 7th October 2017
CommentAuthorFlossie
It's her standard booking form (not a contract) so I guess there are occasions when she could be playing for a lot longer... but in our case I wouldn't have thought it was applicable! I'm not planning on including her in the arrangements anyway. If she gets thirsty she is welcome to buy her own drink or have water, lol. To be honest if I was her I would bring my own bottle of water with me anyway and would definitely feed myself before I arrived.
Happily married
18th June 2016
xx
CommentAuthorEmily17
Yeah, I wouldn't have expected food for what she is doing at all. She will be turning up, playing and then leaving so no need really
Met in 2009
He proposed Jan 2014
Will become Mrs P 7th October 2017
CommentAuthorMrs Jones
That's a cheek - not for 2 hours!!
First Date 26 April 2014
Proposed 27 June 2015
Happily Married 18 June 2016
CommentAuthorNicolaB7220
Yes both our videographer and photographer has kindly asked that we supply some form of food. We have agreed £20 for each of them to be ordered from the bar menu whilst we have our wedding breakfast which should cover a meal and a drink to be charged to our room.
I think it's fair enough to be honest, you are paying for their skill as a photographer/videographer and all the work they put into it. It's a long day for them, I think one meal is fair enough.
CommentAuthorMrs Jones
Thanks ladies - glad you're all on the same page as me. I'll speak to OH tonight and if he's really funny, I'll just pay the bar bill myself!
First Date 26 April 2014
Proposed 27 June 2015
Happily Married 18 June 2016
CommentAuthorMrsBU2B
My gosh, I never even thought of that! Will now have to keep that in mind when I look at photographers.
CommentAuthorleasa
We had 2 photographers, and we included them in the sit down meal at the tables as guests. The way I see it, if you look after your suppliers, you get a better service. I wouldn't dream of organising a meal, and leaving anyone one out. Especially as they were working for us for 10 straight hours. We even fed the dj in the evening with the buffet.
Some people don't agree to feed paid/hired people, but it's how I was raised.
Met 30th May 2005
Proposed in Monte Carlo August 25th 2013
Became Mrs K on 30th May 2015
Married my Gorgeous Greek God
CommentAuthorEmmilou82
I did ask our photographer at the time of booking about food....she said not to cater for them, they bring their own however if we do have a no show on the day, she lets her husband have it so I'm good with that xx
Flossie, that's cheeky of your harpist!
Marrying 'The One' on 30th July 2016
I am now Mrs Emma Stokoe xx
CommentAuthorFlossie
edited
I don't think the harpist meant to be cheeky, it's just her standard booking form and she obviously doesn't alter it to suit the particular event/occasion. I appreciate there can be days when she's playing for hours on end i.e. if she's playing through the ceremony, the arrival drinks and the wedding breakfast as well. But because we're just having her for the wedding breakfast I wouldn't have thought she would expect to be fed.
I wouldn't include any supplier in our actual sit down wedding breakfast - would only ever get them a bar snack and will let the magician and DJ help themselves to the buffet. But at £40 odd a head for the wedding breakfast I think that is definitely too much - and if I was a supplier sat in on someone's wedding breakfast with the other guests I would feel really awkward!
Happily married
18th June 2016
xx
CommentAuthorEmily17
I Agree Flossie. The thought of a stranger sitting with the guests is a little off putting for me. Although I suppose it means they are there for any quick shots that come about. I will be dragging ours in to take some of each table and the speeches. Will be getting the videographer out for the speeches too. But other than that they will be wherever they want to relax etc
Met in 2009
He proposed Jan 2014
Will become Mrs P 7th October 2017
CommentAuthorMrs Jones
OH still disagrees with me, so I've just said I'll pay the photographers food and drinks bill! Makes me feel a lot happier.
First Date 26 April 2014
Proposed 27 June 2015
Happily Married 18 June 2016
CommentAuthorEmily17
That's a shame Lindsey. At least it wont be much. x
Met in 2009
He proposed Jan 2014
Will become Mrs P 7th October 2017
CommentAuthorFlossie
Your OH sounds like mine - stubborn!! Lol.
Happily married
18th June 2016
xx
CommentAuthorKirstyR386
Our caterer did supplier meals for £10 for a main course. They had the same main as us which made it easy for the chef but ate in the other barn. X
CommentAuthorMrs Jones
He can be Flossie - a grumpy so and so at times as well. I am putting this down to him being Northern ;-)
First Date 26 April 2014
Proposed 27 June 2015
Happily Married 18 June 2016
CommentAuthorInDreamland
Depends on whether it's in the contract with the photographer. Some expect a meal, ours when I asked said he does not need to be fed as he provides his own (all the good ones we spoke to didn't expect a meal). However, we had a few very last minute drop outs (guests) where it was too late to cancel their meals and we'd already paid for it all, as in a day or two before the wedding so I asked our photographer if he'd like one of the meals and he graciously accepted which I was pleased about because at least the food wasn't going to waste. He ate it though in the bar area.
My sister and BIL had exactly the same situation as me.
Married the love of my life on Saturday 11th May 2013 xxx
Had our dream perfect honeymoon in Hawaii!
CommentAuthorDanielleS0709
Our hotel feeds the photographer and videographer for us but they have it in the bar
21st May 2016 xxx
CommentAuthorLauraH813
Our Photographer asked if we would feed her or not. So we had a choice atleast. I naively thought that as our meal is a hot buffet that we could simply let her help herself but our venue want to charge us £20. Just proves that everything comes at a price where weddings are concerned! We will def provide a meal for her though. She is with us all day and isn't local so will have a long journey there and back. I'd feel bad if she had to make do with a sandwich.
CommentAuthorMrs T Hurley!
Now, I completely disagree (sorry!) about feeding your photographer. When you go to work, your employer doesn't pay for your lunch/dinner. Why should you pay for the photographers lunch/dinner?
Met 18/09/03
Engaged 06/09/08
Getting married 05/09/17
