Wedding Query re: Videographer & Meal

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ribena

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I don't really know where to post this so feel free to move it. I'm just wondering what anyone else has done in relation to the Video man on the day of their wedding. My sister is getting married shortly and when she went to discuss the arrangements with the guy for the video he enquired how many she was having and said that she could include himself and his son in on the meal also! She was completely taken aback and thought he was joking but he's not. He has even told her exactly what seat he wants to sit at. He said that he needs to sit through the meal in order to get the speeches on video. Her other half is disguisted. He can't invite all his friends and relatives as it is because there isn't enough room and now this guy wants 2 of those precious spaces. The meal is costing €100 a head. Is it normal for the video guy to get a €200 meal on top of his €750 charge for the video?? She contacted the hotel and they said it was unheard of and that he could have a meal in the bar. Has anyone else had come across this?
 
Our video guy at our wedding ( a few years back) asked to be seated for the meal too. Its a long day, and I suppose he can't really bunk off to have a sandwich somewhere. Although its a bit strange about his son though.
 
No, thats insane. Tell him bring his own lunch or he can have lunch at the bar, there is plenty of time for him to grab a bite between the church and the speeches.
He is not a guest, he's a supplier. Is the chef going to the ceremony? No.
My friend is a photographer and she did tell me the story of the wedding where she and the videographer were offered no food whatsoever and were starving for the day! You never think of these things, but there is NO WAY he should be sitting in with the wedding party if space is limited and it's costing that much.
 
www.weddingsonline.ie might give you a general idea. At our wedding in december my wife insisted on asking the video people and the photographer (there nearly was not a wedding). The photographer turned down the offer while the video people accepted but they ate there dinner in the bar. I would go with this option. If the meal is working out at 100 a head then it must be a mighty fine hotel and as such should have a very good bar menu. He and his son could order off that and be notified by the best man 10 mins before speechs as to allow him time to setup.
 
I am a wedding co-ordinator and its always been my experience that the photographer and videographer are seated at the meal on the day. You want them near so they can catch everything, you dont want them taking an hour break for dinner and maybe missing something.
 
I did actually have a videographer at my wedding (eventhough I tried to keep things low cost I did want this). He did ask to be seated at the meal, like your friend I wasnt expecting the request and we had limited seating. I explained that we'd limited seating so he couldnt but Id provide some food at the bar for him. He was happy with that as it turned out he covered the cost for his meal as he brought a colleauge that he was "training in".

Your friend could offer to cover 1 meal to be eaten at the bar. I will say that I was delighted I got a DVD done, for one day that is expensive even on a budget (6k) its nice to have it on record.
 
Have you considered dropping the video altogether? I think wedding videos are rubbish and you might watch it once or twice again ever. I didn't ever consider it when I got married and certainly don't regret not getting one. The whole wedding thing thing has gone a bit crazy over the last number of years.
 
michaelm said:
Have you considered dropping the video altogether?
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Honestly, I do think the dvd is a nice thing to have. Ive watched mine numerous times since last august (a bit embarassing but true) as has our inlaws and the nicest thing was being able to show it to friends who couldnt make it, back here in Switzerland. I got to see funny moments I missed on the day, Ive the speeches and the music from the church forever. I must admit Mr. Casiopea isnt half as enamoured with it as I am so maybe its a female thing!

I do agree though that the whole wedding thing has gone completely crazy.
 
I would recommend getting the video done.

We had a friend of ours video our wedding but the idiot ran out of batteries half way through the first speech (but he did manage to video the ENTIRE wedding ceremony at the church, including the homily, which the priest was delighted with but nobody else was ;-) ).

On the day I was so nervous about making my own speech that I only half listened to everyone elses and was really looking forward to seeing them again but couldn't - to this day it is the only thing that dissapoints me about the wedding (yes I know it's a bit ott but there ya go!)
 
Better put him at the top table in case someone of importance says something funny or note worthy.
Seriously I think that is down right cheeky and would tell him out striaght no room at the inn mate.
 
I don't think it's too unreasonable to look for a meal in the bar but I do think it's a bit of a nerve to demand a seat in the dining room and this man knows it would be an expensive meal. And as for the son getting a meal also.......

I do think that this man is offering a service which he is charging for and really it is up to him to make his own arrangements but having said that we would certainly have thought of offering him a meal in the bar. The photographer isn't look for a meal and I've never seen him at any wedding sitting down for the meal whereas I have seen the videographer and a member of his family at a few weddings and just presumed they had been invited as guests!
 
Maybe the son works with the father and hence that is why he would require a meal also. I think the reason the photographer is never at the meal is because they are finished at that stage as they have already set-up the cutting of the cake etc.
 
From my experience (but I'm not in Ireland) the couple decide whether they want a table laid for the photographers or not. Not everyone decides to do so. Sometimes they have the photographers in the dining room and more than often they have a separate table laid for them in another room.
If the musicians and singers dine in the main dining room they usually place the photographers there too.
I find that many "wedding photographers" need to be handled firmly.
 
P.S. The table where the musicians are normally placed is usually that neares to their equipment as they have to get up and down to perform.
 
Alba Longa said:
I find that many "wedding photographers" need to be handled firmly.
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A taser set to "light stun" removes the need for any such physical contact and can also come in very handy at the post-dinner speeches.
 
well we had a videographer and his wife doing the photography. They went and got a meal in the restaurant and tabbed it onto our bill. But they did not take up the space at the wedding tables. Do you want photos of yourself eating?keep the speehes till after the meal and tell him you will call him in. Tell the hotel to offer him a menu that has 2 choices and costs less than €100. If he not happy with that get another - A video is worth it but that lad seems to be taking the proverbial. One guy we got quoted said he expected no more than bar food and woudl take no more than 1 hour. Fair enough.
 
No experience of same myself, but in my line of work I generally pay for my own lunch.

I'm sure I'd settle for bar food (around €10) over a place in the wedding.
 
My dad's a videographer and I accompany him to all his weddings. I do my piece in the church, then go to the hotel with him and help him set up, then I go home. My job's done, I don't need to hang around for a dinner. He has always been offered a dinner from the bride and groom and sometimes it's in the bar as opposed to the function room. Either way he's not fussed so long as he gets to eat. If your videograher has his wits about him he'll eat in the bar and get a waiter/waitress to tip him off when the bridal party are nearly finished their meal so he can get back to his post. Tell him to forget the dinner for his son as its not necessary and downright cheeky. If he insists then find another videographer.
 
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