Wedding Vendor Meals
After awhile, you might think your wedding expenses might never end. And you might be temped to try and cut corners where you think it won’t be noticed. When it comes to providing wedding vendor meals to those who will be with you during your Niagara Falls or Niagara-on-the-Lake reception, you really have no other option.
You should invite your wedding officiant, minister or priest, as well as his or her spouse, to your Niagara wedding reception. Even though they might choose not to attend, inviting them is a polite and thoughtful gesture. As for the musicians or soloists who perform at your wedding ceremony in Niagara Falls or Niagara-on-the-Lake, you don’t have to invite them to your wedding reception – or the rehearsal dinner (nor do they expect such and invite).
You should plan food and refreshments for the wedding service providers that are working on your Niagara Falls or Niagara-on-the-Lake wedding day. This list of people might include a wedding consultant, photographer, videographer, band or DJ. You might not need to provide your vendors with the same menu as you are serving your guests, it might be easier to do so. You could also set up a buffet-style meal for your wedding vendors with sandwiches and salads, or you could offer them individually boxed meals the caterer can prepare separately. The best way to deal with this issue is to talk about it with your Niagara Falls or Niagara-on-the-Lake vendors and put it in the contract. That way, there’s no surprises on either side.
Unsure of what’s the best time to allow your wedding vendors to grab a bite to eat? The best time is usually when you and your guests are eating. There isn’t a lot going on during dinner and it’s a nice time for everybody to take a break.
Remember to provide the wedding vendors seating and discuss this beforehand as well – this might be separate at a vendor table if you like. Ask the catering manager at the Niagara Falls or Niagara-on-the-Lake facility you are holding your reception, as some locations offer a separate room or area for wedding vendors, allowing them to have some down time in private. Some vendors might want to be seated in the main room so they can gauge how the evening is progressing.
In terms of how much this might cost, every Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake caterer and venue have different policies. Some won’t charge you at all but some might charge you 50 per cent of the guest meal’s cost. You might also need to pay full price. No matter. This is a non-negotiable and it’s poor practice for you not to feed your wedding vendors.
No matter what arrangements you make, it’s important to make sure that your wedding vendors get the chance to take breaks and eat. Closer to the wedding day, be sure to let your Niagara Falls or Niagara-on-the-Lake caterer or reception site manager know the final count of how many meals you will need – for wedding guests and service providers. And, if you want to go that extra step and reward your vendors for all their hard work, you can send them all home with a piece of wedding cake.
Patti Wallington is the premiere wedding planner in Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake. Please enjoying reading this blog and the others we have listed. We offer a full slate of wedding services for Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake to both Niagara couples and those who live out of town.
