Vendor Meals

Are you paying for your band members meals? I have a 10 piece band so it would be $500.00. and I'm not sure what to do. I am having a daytime wedding so the reception will be 130p-530p and I would think they can eat before or after. What do you all think and what are you all doing?

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I paid for my vendors.

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When I go to work every day I don't expect my boss to feed me so I would'nt feed your band.You are hiring them for a service and they are being paid well,I'm sure, I don't think you need to include them in your count.

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Goodness.. what do you do when you have a 10 piece band though?
That is an awfull lot of money..

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doesn't your hall give you a vendor meal price????

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I plan on feeding all my vendors.

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My vendors will be with me many hours and I find it to be the right thing to do to at least offer them a meal. I would hate it if during dinner they are just staring at my guests eat all this great food. I will definitely feed all my vendors at a vendor price (1/3 of the per person charge). If I had 1 or 25 vendors they would all be fed. Just my opinion

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My site charges $45 for a vendor or children under 10.
I have a 9 piece band, the sound guy, a photographer and his assistant. All are going to be with working anywhere from 5 hours to 12 hours.
I plan on feeding all of them.

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Most halls will have a discounted vendor meal price. They don't need to have a wedding dinner, jsut something to eat. Have any of you ever played on stage for 5 hours? Alot of the time they have 30 minutes to an hour drive, then an hour of set up, your wedding, packing up.. it is a long day for them. To go that long, exert yourself and not eat is not healthy. Its not like they can run to mcdonalds on a break or anything.
Consider this.

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You may want to double check you contract. Some of the vendor contracts I've looked at stipulate you must provide a meal for the vendor.

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$50. per head is the vendor meal price. They can certainly partake in the cocktail hour. When I meet with the band I will find out how it is usually done but I think it is not right. When I go to work, I provide my own meal. I don't mind feeding the photographer since he is working a long day but the band is not. On the other hand I don't want the band members to do a lousy job because I didn't feed them. Maybe I'll post this question on the vendor board.

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I am also feeding all my vendors. About the issue about us feeding ourselves at work, it is not the same unless we work in an environment where the nature of the job includes a meal. For instance, I have friends who work in restaurants, they eat for free or at a major discount.
The nature of our vendors is they are working at a place that dinner and food is all around them, and I think they should be fed. They also may not do a great job if they are hungry, and busy staring at the guests eating. A happy vendor is a hard working vendor. Just my Opinion.

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No, my boss doesn't feed me, but he does give me an hour off to go feed myself.

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LOL Mims107, I don't think they would mind as much if they could take an hour off !!!!!

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As far as I know, you need to feed your vendors. Yes they are providing a service, but they will be with you for long periods of time.

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It is just out of courtesy to pay for your vendors. Your vendors usually get a discout on thier meals. I would talk to your hall, and explain that your band is large, can you get me a better discount.It doesnt hurt to ask.

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I agree with diane go back to them ask if they could give you a better deal because you are having so many band members.Im sorry but my feeling no matter what all my vendors will be fed.They are with you all day, and then your not going to feed them?I dont want to piss my vendors of by having them finding out there not eating ,then what kind of a frame of mind are they going to be in during my wedding reception?More so my photographer and video guy, when are they going to have a chance to eat when they are with you from min.one so you feed them and not feed any of the other vendors?

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My Temple doesn't charge for vendor meals, but even if they did, we would do it. I think it's the right thing to do.

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Luckily my hall doesn't charge us at all for vendor meals. But like others have said, we would have paid for them anyway - my photographer, for example, will be working from 2 PM - 11 PM. I think he deserves some dinner! LOL

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I have no problem feeding the photographers and video guys. They will be there all day. What I am saying is the band plays only 4 hours and it is in the middle of the day. If I were them, I'd rather have the money in a tip and eat during cocktail hour, then go home and have dinner with my family. By the way, how much should band members be tipped?