Vendor table?

Ask you venue where vendors normally sit. My venue has some tables near all the action where the vendors can sit for a few minutes and eat. @ MM, most vendors that are there for the whole event require that you feed them. Even if it's not in the contract, you should still offer. They won't sit down for a while, but rather will eat quickly while the other guests eat so they don't miss anything major. I have never heard of seating them at one of your actual tables though.

Feed your vendors! Most of them, that stay, will have been there for 12 hours or more. And in most cases it is in the contract. Please don't allow your venue to shove them into a tiny room or give them a table in the kitchen. They will miss things. Trust me, they will quickly eat and be back to work before you even notice they are gone. Choosing to give them a place to sit in the room so they can see what is happening is a kind and generous idea and only benefits you!

We had a table near the back of the room and the DJ booth designated for the vendors and they appreciated the meal. It wasn't a "vendor" meal -- it was the same meal as our guests. None of them sat for too long (actually, I don't even remember seeing any of them at the table at all--nor do I remember an empty table -- the vendors were that inconspicuous) and everything was FINE. Nobody gasped in horror that we had seated vendors at our wedding.

Do what works for you and follow the terms of your contracts. I can't imagine hiring someone for 12 hours and not providing a meal, but that's just me.

I would ask your venue. My venue has another room for them to eat their dinner.

Feed your vendors! It's rude not to! You ate not required to go all out on the decor for the table you seat them at (if you seat them at one table together) you can keep it minimal and in thr back, but to have a photographer for example work for you for 8-10 hours without letting them eat is rude. They are providing services but you should provide them with meal.

@mm when did you offer them dinner when you signed contract, at last meeting before wedding? My venue offers vendor meals so I want to be sure. Kinda annoys me that I have to pay you a fee and feed you but ok

I only looked at two venues but the first one had a vendor meal option (reduced price meal!) as well as having them sit in a room right off to the side to eat.

I am definitely feeding all my vendors. They've all gotten really excited for our food trucks!

I haven't been to many weddings, so I can't say from experience, but I did set up a vendor table/table for people who didn't RSVP but show up. Basically I have 3 seats for my photographer, her assistant, and the DJ. I didn't want them to have to stand, and it would be kind of weird to have them pop into and out of a table of guests. I left a couple extra seats at that table in case of any unaccounted for guests that show up.

Ask your venue. They shouldn't be seated with guests as in at the same table, even though anyone there for the entire event should be fed.

Of course I'm going to feed my vendors. Even if it wasn't in the contract, I would have fed them. Thanks for clarifying, I am going to have a vendor table.

They may be working for you but they most definitely are not slaves or servants that should have to be tucked away in a separate room to eat their meal. I probably wouldn't do the sign for non-RSVP'd guests but maybe rather have an attendant stand by the place card table to direct those without a place card to that overflow table. I'd be pretty embarrassed about being passively aggressively called out like that too. My venue is really inclusive, but I will be bringing in a photographer and videographer. I'll seat them at a table as a guest. Just because they're working for me doesn't mean they can't be treated with kindness and appreciation for what they're doing.

We are feeding all our vendors (catering staff and venue staff take care of themselves).. but we have 7-9 vendors that we will be feeding (2 Photographers, 1 Lighting Assistant, 1 DJ, 1 Photobooth Attendant, 1 Videographer, 1 Painter, and possibly 2 Bartenders). However, they all eat in a separate room (that is how our venue does it and apparently the vendors like the small "break" away from the guests). During dinner time, dinner music is played so the DJ can eat.. usually photos aren't taken while people are eating (from what I've seen).

ETA: They are all getting a choice of the meals we are offering our guests. However, I think the caterer gives us a discount for these meals.

Our venue said to seat then with the guests, the DJ said not to feed him and my photographer wanted a meal if she works more than 5 hours. We told them we are paying for them to eat, the DJ said he would eat at his table and I stuck the photographer with my family.

We will absolutely be feeding them. I know how hangry I can get and I don't want cranky vendors! We do have other relationships with most of our vendors as well - our photographer is a dear friend who I've done a ton of shoots with, DJ is a friend of FILs, and bartenders are acquaintances who have handled the bar at our venue before.

I personally do not like being assigned at a table. I appreciate being able to eat of course, but I like that time to sit away in another area (back room) and eat and talk with the vendors about the timeline what is upcoming and so on. I have been at weddings where they assign us at a table, but it leaves a empty table in the room since we are up and moving. No need to pay for a extra centerpiece and so on for a table that won't be really occupied.

It is industry standard that all vendors eat during a wedding, even if we had lunch prior. The catering staff also usually eat, but in the back after guest have been fed.

We had a vendor table

I think there are a few different ways you can make it work. We only had 2 vendors outside of the caterers, our photographer and videographer. We sat them at the table where the friends of the family were. They were actually really grateful to have a place to sit for a few minutes to eat and relax. Then they were right back up working.

I asked my vendors. My videographer said he wouldn't eat. My DJ said he would eat while he was DJing. My photographer asked that she could just have a clear shot of the head table so she could shoot while she ate a few bites. We actually have many mutual friends so I sat her at a table with them, just behind my family's table.

Maybe just ask them?

We only have three vendors that will be there for dinner (our DJ and 2 photographers). We're having them sit at a table with some of our friends, even though I'm sure they won't be sitting that long (just to eat).