Vendor table?

Good question! Following to see what people say!

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What kind of vendors? Most photographers I know don't sit for more then a few mins as to not miss anything. A DJ will most likely just stand at his booth.

A photographer, videographer, & 3 people in a band.

So that makes sense I can keep them at a reserved table (I have some open spots and they can eat when everyone else does and be one of the first served.

I am doing a vendor table with 5 vendors and the remaining 5 seats will be for the people that don't rsvp and show up

ETA: I have 3 band members that do take breaks and will be eating dinner plus photographer and videographer.

@Nattie - that's a great idea. I was wondering how I would figure that out. That's perfect.

Oh ya I don't like empty seats but I'm sure it would be nice for them to have their own table and not feel like they "interrupt" other people at tables jumping back and forth. Thanks for the advice!

You should ask your venue what they do. Our venue puts vendors in an adjoining room.

There were cute place cards that circulated a few weeks ago that basically said

I didn't rsvp but showed up anyway

Table 25

which I am seriously considering doing ...

@annakay I would never want my vendors in an adjoining room. The photographer would miss lots of shots and people wouldn't be able to request songs from the dj/band. If you have room in the main room, I would just put your vendors there

Nattie - I would be super embarrassed if I had to sit at table 25. Public shaming.

Some people deserve to be shamed, but yes, the more likely scenario is I will let key people know that anyone that doesn't have a place card can sit at that table . It will still be decorated like every other table, its just that the vendors will also be sitting there

What?

I would hope any consummate professional would say thank you for the dinner, but not eat on the floor. I have never in my life seen vendors or heard of vendors sitting at tables like that..... You want to accommodate them and be kind, sure, but they ARE working for you.

I'm sure they wouldn't spend the whole evening sitting. They are professional, but I wanted to be sure if it was appropriate to seat them with others while they eat or just do a separate table completely.

I find it extremely unprofessional to do either. I offered all my vendors dinner, and, like a professional, they declined.

Interesting. Okay thanks @m.m !

I just feel like if you have a 15 hour marathon wedding, then yeah, they'll need to eat, but if they met you after lunch and are done by 10, it's not that insane that they eat afterwards. Or, that they shove a granola bar in their pocket.

Not being callous, I think you should offer it to them, but paying for an entire extra table with decor and whatnot just for them makes no sense to me. I used to work nights, no one offered me a seat at their table just because it was dinner time! I ate before I worked, and after

I appreciate the advice! I never noticed at other weddings! Lol

My photographer and video Grapher will be working from 10:30 am-1:30 am. The band needs to take breaks, I want them available for my guests to make requests.... They can't do that in a different room. And I want the photographer available for pictures during dinner since we will be doing table shots. I don't think it's unprofessional of them to not decline dinner. If your wedding is just a few hours long, fine, you can have the expectation that they should decline. But when you have a whole day event, its callous to say they shouldn't eat or whatnot. And paying for that table to be decorated is my prerogative since I expect that I might have to also seat guests there. Plus I would not want an uncovered table next to covered tables