A frequently asked question when coordinating an event is do vendors get to partake in the food festivities? Besides the fact that these vendors are human and deserve basic respect, Brides.com says there are rules of etiquette to adhere to when serving vendor meals.

Let’s break down the logic for a minute. Without these vendors, a wedding day wouldn’t be possible. Most vendors wake up at the crack of dawn and don’t sleep until every aspect of the wedding has concluded. Beyond their sleep deprivation, they are typically running around and standing on their feet for consecutive hours with little to no food or beverages. Needless to say, there are several reasons for why feeding vendors makes logical sense and is considerate, but there should be guidelines, so things don’t get messy.

Timing of when vendors are eating is crucial. You don’t want the photographer to miss capturing key images of the bridal party dancing because they are in the corner devouring the dessert bar. Within the ROS (run-of-show) build in time for every vendor to eat. A new trend is designating an assigned table for vendors to govern themselves accordingly and take a break when they have downtime.

Consider the cost of how it accumulates to add a few more plates into the catering order, or if vendors should have a specialized menu to choose from. Tip: Oftentimes caterers prepare more than enough food for the event because the last circumstance anyone wants is running out of food. Therefore, most understand that there will be leftovers and even packaging up to-go orders for vendors is an option.

The moral of the story is, vendors are ultimately going to be grateful for anything given to them. This current climate is designed for us to penny pinch, and while saving money is of essence, not at the expense of hangry vendors who are the backbone of the event running successfully.

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