Be kind to your vendors, you know they deserve it!

I want to talk with you about your vendors and your reception. That is, the vendors that would be there for the duration of your reception, and sometimes long before it starts. We're talking about your photographer(s), videographer(s), and DJ. These folks spend a large portion of your day with you. We feel that they should get some dinner when that time rolls around.

Ok, so I hear you saying "But Denna, we are already buying dinner for 200 guests! Why do we have to feed these folks too? Can't they pack a brown bag for Pete sake?"

Of course they could, but we think that they deserve a nice meal, and that's why we do the following:
At every wedding reception there are a few people who told you that they would come, and then don't show up. You've already paid for their dinner, and then they stiff you. Obviously, this is really mean, and unless they have a REALLY good reason, they should be spanked for doing it. You have already paid your final bill, and you end up paying for them even though they don't come.
So here at Aberdeen we allow up to 4 vendors that you don't pay for on your final bill (if every single person of your count shows up, we'll just worry about those meals later, it's very rare, believe me!) Usually this is your photographer and assistant, the videographer, and the DJ.
Now, here's the kicker, YOU NEED TO ASSIGN THEM A SEAT, EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE NOT PAYING FOR THEM!
Why? Well a lot of vendors are very reluctant to sit down in a seat that they think may be someone who isn't coming, just because that person may show up at the last minute, and then they are sitting in their seat--can you say AWKWARD?
PLEASE! Don't forget to assign seats for your vendors! These can be all at one table, or they can fill in the spots where you have odd numbers, where ever it works out the best. They don't mind. They usually are there long enough to have a bite to eat, and then they are off doing their jobs. But they really appreciate knowing that this is THEIR SPOT and no one will come in and kick them out in the middle of their salad!
If you are offering your guests a choice of dinners, it isn't critical to get a choice from the vendors, they usually are happy with whatever we have for them.
It's very helpful to us to have the location of your vendors marked on the room diagram. This way we know where to look for them if we need to talk to them. And it also lets us know where they are if they don't have placecards and we need to seat them (sometimes if the placecards are a favor/placecard combination, the couple will just tell us where the vendors are seated on their diagram rather than having to have more favors).
So, when you give us your final numbers, you would have the number of paid guests and then the number of vendors. Your paid guests might be broken down to number of kids, vegetarians, etc. but be sure to let us know how many vendors you will have and make sure you give them a seat.
Colin Cowie,the bridal consultant to the stars, says that "Style" is taking care of your guests; planning everything to do with your wedding with the comfort and delight of your guests in mind. Taking care of your vendors, while they are not officially guests, is part of that too. We help you do that, hopefully you can help us too by giving them an assigned seat.
Let me know if you have any questions! I would be happy to explain further if any of this doesn't make sense.