Wedding Photographer wants meal at reception, is this normal????

becs

To those of you asking whether your employer pays for your lunch the situation is entirely different. When you go to work you will usually be doing a 7.5-8hour day where you will have a lunch break in between not to mention plenty of opportunity for tea/coffee etc throughout your day. A photographer can start taking pictures anything from 9.00am onwards and some staying until 9.00pm or later. this is a 12 hour day plus travelling on top and how often will your photographer have the opportunity to go and have a cup of tea or something to eat. Much of this day you will be expecting him to take photos.
I completely agree with Sheaton that certainly for me second only to getting married itself my photographer was the most important part of the day. The dress could have not been that great and in fact mine wasn't but once the day itself is over you almost forget that, the food could be average, bad or brilliant but again these memories fade. I can honestly say after being married nearly 2 years there is a not a week gone by where I haven't looked at my beautiful wedding album and enjoyed the fabulous photos he took. He was worth every penny and if us giving him a simple bar meal made his day more comfortable, then I think this will have enabled him to do his job brilliantly. How well would you all do a 12 hour day with a flask of tea and a box of sandwiches!

gill_81uk

To those of you asking whether your employer pays for your lunch the situation is entirely different. When you go to work you will usually be doing a 7.5-8hour day where you will have a lunch break in between not to mention plenty of opportunity for tea/coffee etc throughout your day.

You obviously don't work in retail!!

lucylouwoo

becs wrote: »

To those of you asking whether your employer pays for your lunch the situation is entirely different. When you go to work you will usually be doing a 7.5-8hour day where you will have a lunch break in between not to mention plenty of opportunity for tea/coffee etc throughout your day. A photographer can start taking pictures anything from 9.00am onwards and some staying until 9.00pm or later. this is a 12 hour day plus travelling on top and how often will your photographer have the opportunity to go and have a cup of tea or something to eat. Much of this day you will be expecting him to take photos.
I completely agree with Sheaton that certainly for me second only to getting married itself my photographer was the most important part of the day. The dress could have not been that great and in fact mine wasn't but once the day itself is over you almost forget that, the food could be average, bad or brilliant but again these memories fade. I can honestly say after being married nearly 2 years there is a not a week gone by where I haven't looked at my beautiful wedding album and enjoyed the fabulous photos he took. He was worth every penny and if us giving him a simple bar meal made his day more comfortable, then I think this will have enabled him to do his job brilliantly. How well would you all do a 12 hour day with a flask of tea and a box of sandwiches!



I can see your point there but he is only booked from 12pm til 8pm, so he would have time to have a big breakfast beforehand and time for an evening meal when he has finished.
The point is being missed slightly I think,
I was never not going to offer him a meal, when he finishes our buffet is being served which i had already decided he would be welcome to help himself, I just find it increadibly unprofessional that he has it in his contract that he has be to be fed.
No other self employed person woould write in a contract that they would expect a meal!!!!!

foxxymynx

kittie wrote: »

my dh is an award winning photographer and a well respected judge and has taken photos at several weddings for friends and family. Everyone, except one, made sure he and I (his helper) were given something to eat and drink. It is no easy job doing wedding photos properly and that is why he does not do them any more. The one where we were neglected was for a friend of dd and the day started for us at 7 am and finished at 11 pm. At no stage were we offered any food. They got their photos at cost price but it left a bad taste in the mouth regarding this particular family. A plate of sandwiches and a couple of cups of coffee would have gone a long way towards goodwill

TBH I think it's rude and unproffessional not to feed yourself and take your own food etc.

You do for any other job and photography pays alot more than some other jobs.

foxxymynx

becs wrote: »

To those of you asking whether your employer pays for your lunch the situation is entirely different. When you go to work you will usually be doing a 7.5-8hour day where you will have a lunch break in between not to mention plenty of opportunity for tea/coffee etc throughout your day. A photographer can start taking pictures anything from 9.00am onwards and some staying until 9.00pm or later. this is a 12 hour day plus travelling on top and how often will your photographer have the opportunity to go and have a cup of tea or something to eat. Much of this day you will be expecting him to take photos.

Nurses do 12 hour shifts and often have to work through their lunch break, and unfortunately can't apperate to and from work, they too have to travel. The NHS doesn't feed them - and they do alot more demanding work than a photographer, and get paid alot less for doing it!

MrsE_2

TotallyBroke wrote: »

I've been to 3 weddings in Ireland. All of them were in little villages (so the only wedding happening on that day) and the priest was included in the after celebrations. Had the same meal and even sat at the top table side on but he was there.

Yes but thats because of his position in the community & his relationship with the family, not because he's marrying them.

Neeny82

I think it's the fact that it is written in the contract that is putting people's noses out of joint! I will be offering my photographer and her assistant a bar meal throughout the day and they will be welcome to the evening buffet - however I would feel slightly annoyed if they were to have written it into their contracts! Personally I would be less irritated if the photographer was to write into their contract that they require a break for food whilst the wedding breakfast is being served. No one would go against their right to have a dinner break and this would probably encourage me to offer some food, however if not I feel that they should be prepared to buy their own bar meal or bring a packed lunch.

duchy

I woudn't expect a professional to work 12-8 without a break but not providing food would likely mean they'd be away from their duties longer anyway so i'd consider it likely a good investment plus for something so one of a kind I'd hope if I treated them well and they were happy i'd be more likely to get their best work from them.

foxxymynx

duchy wrote: »

I woudn't expect a professional to work 12-8 without a break but not providing food would likely mean they'd be away from their duties longer anyway so i'd consider it likely a good investment plus for something so one of a kind I'd hope if I treated them well and they were happy i'd be more likely to get their best work from them.

I don't think it's the break that's the issue, - it's the fact that they're saying that their meal shoul be provided. I personally think that if the host/hostess wish to provide/offer to provide a meal for the photographer that's their business, but it shouldn't be expected and much less demanded!

Like I've said elsewhere - would you provide a meal for all of the other staff?

castlekeep

I agree with most of the posts. They've probably had a bad experience though sometime and now want to make sure that they do get to eat something at some point during the day. I think my caterers have an option for staff meals or something like that, can't really remember. So the band etc don't run out of steam half way through the night. They probably don't expect the £80 version, if they do I'd show them the door!