Hey beautiful brides-to-be! A common question I get from brides as their final countdown is in sight is how to go about vendor meals for their reception.

My biggest piece of advice is to ask each vendor what they prefer, because every vendor may have a different preference. The 4 main reception vendors will be your photographers, planner/coordinator, videographer, and DJ. I can’t speak to every vendor’s preference, but for Drew and I…

This is our approach:

Where we prefer to sit for meals: Wedding coverage is anywhere from 8-12 hours so dinner is a really important time for us to re-charge so we can celebrate you both to the best of our abilities! We actually prefer to “hide” during dinner so we can set up a little work station, out of your guests way, with our laptop and camera gear to start backing up your wedding images.

We also like this time to take a quick break to sit and eat so we are ready to rock-and-roll once your guest have finished eating and formalities begin (e.g. first dance, father/daughter dance, mother/son, cake cutting, etc.). Some venues have little rooms off to the side that we can sit in or sometimes we just find a hallway close by that guests aren’t frequently traveling through. We always make sure we’re within listening distance and we always connect with your DJ beforehand so we don’t miss anything.

If you’re having a buffet: Drew and I will slide in immediately after the bridal party to grab our meals then head to our work station.

If you’re having a plated meal: We do request that you communicate with your catering coordinator ahead of time that we will need our food immediately after the bridal party is served so we can be ready to start shooting after the meal. Majority of the venues where plated meals are served have catering areas or small rooms off to the side that we’re more than happy to sit in while we eat. If you have any questions about this, please don’t hesitate to email me!!

I hope this was helpful as you start to think through your reception details regarding your vendors! Happy marriage + wedding planning!!

XO

Mon

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