Feeding The Photographer

We have a videographer for the whole day. I'm going to ask the venue if they can have a meal in the bar during the wedding breakfast (I don't want to be filmed troughing anyway!) which we'll pay for, but not in the wedding breakfast.

I don't think there's any hard and fast rules, but I think it's nice to offer them "something".

I'm pretty sure they will expect to be included in any breakfast and/or buffet that you have

Ask him/her what his/her requirements are. some photographers request a light meal if they are working such long hours (just as you should also expect to provide some drink refreshments too). but don't worry - you don't need to sit them with the wedding guests! your venue should be able to cater for them.

Dunno - I wouldn't if I was a supplier. I'm having a 3-course meal, do you see them plonked onto the table plan and served with wine as well?

Hi

We had two photographers and two videographers and we arranged with the venue to let them have a bar meal up to the value of £10 per person while we had our meal and then to help themselves to the evening buffet if they needed to in the evening.

HTH

Suze xx

Some of the all day photographers i looked at had it in their terms and conditions,thats why i decided against it because i thought it was kinda odd too

Sounds a plan Suze, I'l do that!

Me thinks it's best to have happy photographers/videographers with nice full tummy's than starving grumpy ones lol !! Also a small concession like that goes a long way in the rapport you have with them !!

Suze xx

I know the photographer we're thinking of using from years ago so if they were included in the wedding breakfast it wouldn't be the end of the world.

Hmmm this is something i hadnt thought of!!! my friends hve had the same photographer as im having so i must ask them!!!

Working all day without any hot food is not good for anyone and an unhappy photographer is not going to give you the best results. Photographers I have spoken to prefer a bar meal, they don't want a full sit down. If they are in the bar they can relax and preview the photos they have taken. Of course if they are leaving before the reception you do not need to feed them.

Any suppliers there in the evening eg DJ or videographer, tell them that they can help themself to the buffet after the guests have been up - there's usually loads left anyway.

We are going to be feeding ours, we are having a buffet so we are going to tell them to just help themselves, cant stand the thought of them working so long with nothing to eat. If you're having a sit down meal i'd arrange a meal for them (maybe not three courses lol) but defo something.

I am including my photographer in the meal and seating them with guests (she does know one of them)

As someone said before I think it builds a nice rapport and she was quite thrilled when I invited her to join us at the meal. Also she can get some photos of people enjoying themselves in between courses and the speeches if she feels its appropriate.

The contract for both our photographer and toastmaster stated they required food. I couldn't decide whether to just give them a main course but in the end decided for the few extra quid to give them the 3 courses in case they didn't like our choice of main! Our string quartet required refreshments but obviously they're not hanging around for the meal so they're having sandwiches and soft drinks,

Yes, I think its a nice gesture...

xx

We're giving our tog and vog a main meal only from our menu, it wasnt a requirement but we get on really well with both and would have felt bad if we didnt give them something

Yea our tog requested a meal but don't know about the whole seating thing? might just ask him directly - or is that weird? thing is our venue is one bungalow, one big room, no other bar areas etc. so not sure what to do! and we aren't having an evening buffet cos we have all guests being fed a proper 3 course meal served at 7:15 so i doubt anyone will be hungry before we have to leave at midnight!!x

I normally don't ask to be fed when I am shooting. I usually bring along some water and a snack. I have been offered a buffet meal/bar food/sandwich/diet coke at some weddings which was very thoughtful and delicious!

A little tip!

At nearly every wedding there is always at least 1 guest who doesn't turn up. To save paying for an extra meal for your photographer, don't prearrange a meal for them. Ask a member of staff if the photographer can have the missing guests meal. If they do all turn up that's when you say to the staff that you forgot about feeding the photographer, could they do something which could be paid for after the wedding.

Hi all,

I am a professional photographer and I don't expect nor do I request to have a meal at the couple's expense.

I usually take a BIG packed lunch and plenty of water, and eat it whenever I can during the whole day.

If I am sat down eating a full meal somewhere I am going to miss the shots the couple have hired me to capture, its that simple.

Hope that helps.

Dean

www.deancarney.com

Our tog said he didn't require anything but I didn't want him going all day (he was there from about noon until gone 9) without a decent meal so I arranged with the venue that they could order a bar meal for him and his assistant to be charged to my room. For the very small additional cost it was worth it to salve my guilt about leaving two people starving hungry and in my mind made it more likely they would havng around a bit longer into the reception if they weren't dying for a bag of chips or something! (Not that I think they would have been any less than professional had we not fed them IYSWIM)

Thanks Dean - it's really good to hear it from a actual tog's POV

Hi everyone

We also take packed lunches along with us - if the couple want to provide us with a bar meal we really appreciate it, but certainly would never expect it. We use the wedding breakfast time to go through the shots we've already taken, and to plan what we will be doing after the meal.

Some photographers will have a meal requirement in their contract, but I imagine the majority would not expect to be fed.

Hope that helps!

Alison x

Hi all with being a videographer I too work very long hours (soemtimes I'm out the door just after 7.00am) but never demand to be fed nor to be sat with the reception guests eating a full wedding breakfast. We stop filming whilst people are eating as we feel that this is a little instrusive. We generally take a packed lunch and refreshments but if we are offered food by the B&G or the venue then this is very nicely appreciated. Some venues we know we get catered for so we take nothing except cordial in a bottle to keep hydrated during the day.

I did a 16 hour video shoot the other weekend and just tucked into our already prepared sandwiches but as we were there late on in the evening (after midnight) the B&G offered us to have some buffet food which was a lovely gesture but again we would never help ourselves!

HTH xxx

Just to add my pennies worth

Our DJ (going to be there all day) has requested a light hot meal in his contract.

We will also be providing a meal for our photographers, this is something we have offered - we are getting married in a private converted barn so there isnt anything available to them otherwise. The same photographers did my sisters wedding at a hotel and they were happy to buy their own bar snack.

yes i have this problem - at our venue there is no bar or hotel restaurant etc. and tog has requested a hot meal - but unless he's in the table plan etc, there is nowhere for him to sit! might have to write to wedding coordinator about this... stressing now!xx

This subject always produces long threads on photographers forums - I dont have anything in my contract or demand to be fed but if its an all day wedding on a cold day its nice to get a light meal at some point.

I never ask or demand to sit with the guests but some couples insist and put me on a table, but would really be more than happy with a bar meal or just a main course plated up. I normally use the time during the meal to review all of the photographs to that point and see if

Some couples insist on sitting you with the guests and treating you like one of the family but that is not the norm or at all expected, occasionally if a "stunt" is planned during the meal - singing waiters etc it is one way to have me there without raising suspicion.

So really there is no right or wrong - as long as there is access to water / soft drinks I would suggest anything additional is your choice entirely and there is no right or wrong - as for demanding it in a contract ......

No problem aliaisp.

thanks

Dean

www.deancarney.com