Who pays for vendor meetings?

I met vendors for a drink or coffee but not lunch/dinner. That is strange to me. We picked up the tab for drinks but I wouldn't pay for a meal. Especially if they picked the place. I would expect to pay for mine though.

Thats a little odd to me. I met all of my vendors either at the venue or at their office. You can always counter the place they are asking to meet at to a place more casual/ in your price range.

Ummmmm- why are you meeting at restaurants for dinner?

Meet for coffee and pick up their tab and call it a day.

There is no way I'd want to spend a whole dinner with a vendor and I loved my vendors- but that's totally not necessary. Especially with multiple vendors- that's going to add up quick.

We always met at their place of business. Dinner is weird.

Dinner with a vendor is way too much.

Yeah, tell them no thank you and meet at their business or dunking/starbucks. That is weird that they are requesting that.

It's a little weird that you're going out to dinner with them...I would switch it up to solely a casual coffee stop.

We met our DJ at Starbucks and we all just got our own coffees, but we met our photographer at a bar/restaurant and he bought us each a beer which is nice. I would just assume to pay for yourselves, but you definitely don't need a full meal.

We just met our day of coordinators over dinner and they paid. We offered, but they insisted. They are really great and we had a nice time getting to know them over dinner. Maybe not typical but in our case it seemed fine.

We just did coffee, but we all paid for ourselves

The only vendor I met out of their place of business was the photog and that was only because we were walking for places for the epics. And we bought him coffee.

It seems strange that you would meet with vendors out side of their business at dinner. Coffee is just fine, or their business space.

I was wondering this same thing today. I figured they'd want to meet at their office though.

We met one at Starbucks but we all paid for ourselves.

That's a little weird.....I don't think I could really have a serious conversation with more than coffee in front of me, and I alway used to pay.

I'd say at this point, 99% of my meetings are on Skype or Face Time, and they are almost always at night when people are home settled in after dinner.

If you're meeting in person because you want to see stuff (flowers, photos, videos of bands) that should happen at their place of business.

Thanks everyone! Our photographer suggested the dinner location, I wrote back OK because I figured she suggested it so it is what she typically does, here is what she said:

She suggested this:

Why don’t we meet halfway on a weekday evening and maybe grab a quick bite to eat?

Then I said that sounds fine and what's her availability.

Then she said:

Hi brieliz,

How about the week of December 5th. I am wide open that week. It looks like there are quite a few spots right off the highway in Location. There is a Restaurant A and a Mexican place called Restaurant B. I’m up for anything. You guys can pick.

--

So I went with Restaurant B because the menu was cheaper/more food that I like since I'm picky.

I can change it to a Starbucks but I'm waiting back to see what she says already last email was me to her picking Restaurant B.

That's weird.

The only reason I'd be okay with Restaurant B is if it's Mexican Mariachi- because.

it's Mexican mariachi- and it's fucking delicious.

I'd just relocate the whole thing and say "I'm sorry I don't have time to met for a full meal- can we do Starbucks on this day?

I've met a couple vendors at coffee shops. I never once even considered or even thought it was remotely appropriate to pay for their coffee or food, nor would i even want to.

I met my photographer at Starbucks, and we each paid for our own coffee.

Dinner sounds super weird to me.

I met one vendor (photographer) at a Starbucks - we paid for our beverages and the photographer paid for his. The rest of the meetings were vendors' offices. I find the dinner thing weird.

If you do end up going out for dinner, I would say that you each pay your own bills. Do not feel obligated to pay for her meal.

We met our photographer at a coffee shop, she paid. We met our videographer at a coffee shop/wine bar, he bought us all 1 glass of wine. We met our officiant at a coffee shop and she bought me a coffee (FH wasn't there yet). Everyone else was at their office. I always anticipated paying for ourselves, so it was a nice surprise to be treated to a few beverages.

Having dinner together seems odd, unless you knew them well. And at that point you could be drifting into friendor territory which could be risky.