Another first...

Anybody else ever had this happen?

A first this weekend...

"Hey, by the way, you guys got a sandwhich in the fridge that yall can grab during the reception IF YOU HAVE TIME. We only ordered enough food for the guest to eat."

Later in the night the planner tells us, "Hey, didn't want you to forget, your sandwhich is in the fridge downstairs."

Apparently, the other vendors had the same gripe... and none of us ate our "sandwhich"

What the H...? I, and apparently the other vendors present, just assumed there was some unwritten common courtesy rule somewhere that photographers and other vendors are typically allowed to eat whatever food is being served... especially when they are there for 10 hours plus. None of use have never not been allowed to eat or specifically told not to eat at a buffet type reception with open sit anywhere tables. Even at formal served dinners, we've always had a place at a table.

End of the night... enough of that expenisive food left over to feed a small army...

Looking Forward: From now on, this will come up before hand. We're eating, or we are gonna leave, get some food, and come back.

Didn't even get any cake... I mean, come on... I coulda gone without all that delicious looking and smelling food but to withold the cake... the line was crossed.

Side note: Print, Album, etc... prices just went up by 50%.

and yes, because somebody will say it, We did bring fruit and multigrain bars, etc to eat. It's the principal of the thing that tee'd everybody off.

Sorry to hear about that. I had the exact opposite experience this past weekend. The bride literally forced us to put our cameras down to go eat. We even took our food to the bar area separate from the reception to eat away from the guests but she apparently had a seat for us at a table with the other guests; name placards and all. I have to say that I would have preferred to eat away from the guests because I did feel slightly out of place.

The guy I shoot with has something in his contract that specifies a meal must be provdided or that he be given time to leave and go pick something up. I don't think it specifies that the meal be equal to that of the guests though....One would think that people would have enough decency to at least let you eat what the guests are eating. Please take pictures of us while we enjoy our filet and lobster tail and when you're done there's a delicious PB&J in the fridge downstairs that's probably all dried out from sitting. I mean, how much does it really cost to add an extra four to six meals to the cost of an entire wedding?

It's in my contract. I require that a meal be served (and I specify "Full Meal") or else my assistant and I get half an hour off to go get food. This is actually CalOSHA rules so I let the bride and groom know that (in the contract). I've never had a problem.

However, in general I am very uncomfortable eating at the tables unless I have been specifically placed at one by the b&g in one or if other vendors are eating like that. I usually find a side room or ask the venue if they have a vendor area I can go to. Most venues that do weddings regularly have something like that for you.

I also never eat cake. I find the sugary goodness messes with my blood sugar too much and I get all jittery. Though at my last wedding the Mother of the Bride insisted I take a plate of cake home after the wedding, which I did happily and enjoyed later. It was goooood!

I never eat the cake.
There is a very high end hotel near me that I hate to shoot receptions at. You get a "vendor" meal. A sandwich, bag a chips and a soda. You also are served in the kitchen. Even in sandwich terms it's a dog of a meal. Bland and dry. The chips are good though, regular lays but what can ya do.

Worst part is being in the kitchen, you are too far from the action.

I have many more stories of great food and stellar service than bad stories.

Okay... so, one half of the photographers did leave. As the wife is prego, I made her leave and go get food.

and what's with you guys not eating cake... YUMMM

Andie Rae wrote in post #11031086
I mean, how much does it really cost to add an extra four to six meals to the cost of an entire wedding?

can easily be hundreds of dollars. but i still agree.

i have definitely met some interesting charectors sitting at tables to eat quick.
its amazing how small of a world it is, i've met people before that way and it's turned out we had mutual friends, etc..

but i'd rather eat at the bar or in the corner or something so I don't get asked the usual
"what happened to film" "why has kodak gone down the drain" "how many pictures do you take", etc. etc.. haha

bigarchi wrote in post #11031431
but i'd rather eat at the bar or in the corner or something so I don't get asked the usual "what happened to film" "why has kodak gone down the drain" "how many pictures do you take", etc. etc.. haha

You forgot one. "If I give you my address can you mail me a CD with the images on it?"

Andie Rae wrote in post #11031548
You forgot one. "If I give you my address can you mail me a CD with the images on it?"

Sure... you can make the check out to... "insert company name here"

I never eat the cake either and I don't snack at the food during cocktail hour. I usually accept what's given to me. Sometimes it's a nice meal, and sometimes it's on the same level as airline food. I'm not overly sensitive about it as long as I get food. I also always bring my own snack bars and drinks.

bigarchi wrote in post #11031431
can easily be hundreds of dollars. but i still agree.

By me, it can easily exceed $100 per person.

Because I'm sensitive to that cost, I do not require it in my contract, but I do ask. I mention it during our initial discussion. Then during our one-month-to-go conversation, I will remind them that I work with an assistant; can we both expect to receive a meal at the reception? For me, the answer has always been yes. A couple of times, it was yes for me, no for my assistant. My guys are cool with this if they know to plan for it. That said, either the couple or the venue will see my assistant with his small cooler eating with the other vendors and they always make sure he's taken care of, too.

So I don't contractually require it, I've never had a problem, but that is in part because it's always discussed prior.

Uh-boy. Yet another, "They didn't feed me at the wedding" thread.

What do you do at your day job when the boss who pays you refuses to buy your lunch?

RT McAllister wrote in post #11032284
Uh-boy. Yet another, "They didn't feed me at the wedding" thread.

What do you do at your day job when the boss who pays you refuses to buy your lunch?

well, one, this is my day job
two, typically in the standard workplace you are allotted time to go get your lunch.

I have no problem not being offered lunch, used to be in my contract but I removed it because it was such a non-issue. I have eaten at all but one event this year. It is really no biggie for my clients. It maybe for yours.

eat? who has time to eat?

In my contract are two choices:
1) a seated table meal.
2) a 30 minute break.

Most choose the meal but I can understand that in the more expensive reception venues where a plate is $100+ some couples may not think it's a great idea, and I'd agree.

RT - Because a day job and a one time 12 hour event where food is served is like comparing apples to apples... I leave and get lunch... whenever I feel like it. Sometimes gone for thirty minutes, sometimes an hour or two. On the rare occasion, don't even bother coming back. Since you asked.

The point seems to be lost here that we were told we could eat, IF we had time. Text over the internet doesn't quite fill in the sentiment of speaker's attitude. Like we were robots and supposed to just go all day without eating or drinking. (I'm sure we downed at least $50 worth of water to make up for it though)

Robert - As for a meal that exceeds 100 a person? A bride spending $100 or more per person for food for 300 plus guests probably isn't going to break the budget on 5 or 6 more plates for those all day vendors.

Bottom Line, for me... No it will never be in a contract that I have to have same food as guests. However, it will be in there that if working anything longer than a six hour wedding and we aren't allowed to eat from the buffet or don't have plate provided at dinner, we will during the reception, leave and hit up the nearest McDonalds for a nice greasy double cheeseburger... maybe even two of them. If we miss something while we are gone, too bad.

We fed all our vendors at our wedding. $100 a plate? No way. I think it was $28. It never even crossed our mind to not provide food for the vendors. If we couldn't have afforded the $28 plate, we woulda gone for a $24 one. Like I said, I've never had any other bride say we can't eat. Most the time, they pretty much force us and at the very least, tell us to go get some food and we always respond back with a smile, "Don't worry, we will as soon as we get the chance."

Added info... the father of the bride told us many times he hadn't seen us eat yet and to go over there and get some food. I felt like saying, Well, we would, but your daughter told us we weren't allowed.