Wedding question: Vendor accommodations?

[leebee]

DD is getting married in June, and she has a friend who is a professional photographer. She'd like him to do the photography at the wedding. He has said that yes, he travels, and he'd probably need to spend the night as the venue is a solid 3 hour drive from here. Is there a standard to follow about arranging/paying for accommodations for vendors? As he is a friend, we'd probably just have him stay in the same hotel with us, but I don't know if we should expect to pay for the room, if it'd be part of the photography charge, if we should tell him to make his own arrangements and we'll pay, or what. If anyone has any experience with this, please chime in.

 

[Squirlz]

I imagine as a professional he would have that figured in with his quote.

 

[ColoradoDisneyFreaks]

When you're dealing with a non-friend vendor, they give you a contract that outlines what you pay and what it covers. I don't know of any vendors that would have you book their hotel rooms. That doesn't mean it doesn't exist, but I don't think it's very common. Even if he's a family friend, you should get a contract in place, then you're protected and he's protected.

 

[sam_gordon]

DD is getting married in June, and she has a friend who is a professional photographer. She'd like him to do the photography at the wedding. He has said that yes, he travels, and he'd probably need to spend the night as the venue is a solid 3 hour drive from here. Is there a standard to follow about arranging/paying for accommodations for vendors? As he is a friend, we'd probably just have him stay in the same hotel with us, but I don't know if we should expect to pay for the room, if it'd be part of the photography charge, if we should tell him to make his own arrangements and we'll pay, or what. If anyone has any experience with this, please chime in.

Is she offering the photography services for free or at a steep discount since she's a friend? If so, then I think you (DD) pays for the hotel room. If she's charging a normal rate, then I think you're justified in having him pay, but he might up his charge to cover the room.

Depending on the friendship level, this is a tricky situation, especially with no contract. Can you have DD ask for a contract saying you are insisting on one (assuming you don't know the photographer)?

I don't think it's unreasonable to get a hotel room at a venue 3 hours away. Maybe you can offer to pay the hotel room if he doesn't charge mileage.

 

[gotomu212]

All of the photographers I’ve worked with or interviewed in the past had contracts that specified a per diem cost for overnights as well as mileage charges that kicked in if you went outside the metro area that was separate from their quote.

I’d expect to pay for a hotel night for a venue 3 hours away.

 

[OhMari]

If it is a friend, I would pay.
We were an hour away and we paid for the resort room. I also paid for the girl that came and did everyone's hair and make-up.

 

[NotUrsula]

My sister often had this happen (she was a wedding photographer for decades). Her standard when doing weddings for friends was that she would do it at cost, and that included expenses if she had to travel.

If this young man is a friend of your daughter's and is offering the photo work as a gift to her, then do not wait for him to ask; she should tell him that he is of course an honored guest as well, and that his room key will be waiting for him at the hotel desk, pre-paid, along with his breakfasts. If he comes with a plus-1, then that person gets the same meals as well. (Photographers often do bring a helper to weddings.) Mileage is a bit trickier; best to offer up front to cover gas in gratitude for his favor. Remember that the photos themselves are not the gift; the gift is his time and talent, which is worth a great deal. Among other considerations, be aware that in traveling to shoot your daughter's wedding, he is probably giving up working a local wedding that day ... possibly as many as 3 full-rate jobs.

 

[leebee]

I am assuming that there will be a contract; this isn't a wedding gift, but her friend has said he'll extend the "Friends and Family" discount and knock off about 20% of the total fee. I want a contract; just didn't know what was customary when it comes to providing a hotel room.

 

[CarolAnn856]

I am assuming that there will be a contract; this isn't a wedding gift, but her friend has said he'll extend the "Friends and Family" discount and knock off about 20% of the total fee. I want a contract; just didn't know what was customary when it comes to providing a hotel room.

In that case, I would have her tell him to be sure to include arrangements for travel reimbursement in the contract. Since he's offering a generous discount, it would be nice to do something extra, beyond the contract, for him.

 

[Feralpeg]

I am a wedding planner. Yes, it is expected that vendors will receive a complementary room if the destination is more than three hours from their home base. It is stated very clearly in my contract that any travel arrangements will be covered by the couple.

 

[WebmasterKathy]

What is standard is that you’d cover travel expenses for an out of town gig- usually mileage and hotel.

 

[LovesTimone]

My daughter photographers( 2 ), we opted to pay for their room in the hotel where the wedding and reception were held... They had planned to stay at a cheapy motel about 30 minutes from the venue... I did not want to worry about them getting lost and timing, so because we paid for a room at the venue, they took pictures at the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner free of charge and included all the pictures in the disks at no additional charge.

We also paid for the DJ's room, as he was a friend and did the wedding as their gift...

We also paid for the for the photographers to have the same meal we served at the reception, not some cold boxed meal which was a option, and had a seat for them to sit at a table.

 

[ronandannette]

I am assuming that there will be a contract; this isn't a wedding gift, but her friend has said he'll extend the "Friends and Family" discount and knock off about 20% of the total fee. I want a contract; just didn't know what was customary when it comes to providing a hotel room.

It’s not customary to provide a hotel room or anything else really, beyond what the vendor specifies in the contract. As a professional, the fees will be inclusive of anything he needs and the discount is apparently something he does regularly in these situations so rest assured he knows what he’s getting into.

I do agree with a pp upthread that mentioned providing an adequate meal though. And if this person is a friend who would be invited anyway, I guess that won’t be a problem.

 

[ronandannette]

I am a wedding planner. Yes, it is expected that vendors will receive a complementary room if the destination is more than three hours from their home base. It is stated very clearly in my contract that any travel arrangements will be covered by the couple.

Good information but as you say, it’s stated in your contract. The vendor the OP is dealing with should very likely have something similar, if he requires it. It should not be left to the customer to try and guess. I wouldn’t feel obligated to anything that wasn’t clearly specified.

 

[siren0119]

It sounds like there needs to be a conversation with the photographer about what THEIR standard is. I know and work with several photographers, and each has their own policies in terms of long distance shoots. If this photographer includes their own travel expenses in their contract, then the expectation wouldn't be there for you to provide those things. If that is considered an expense covered by the people they are hired by, that should be stated in their contract. Should be a pretty straightforward conversation to ensure you are all on the same page.

 

[leebee]

I really don't anticipate this will be a huge issue, just curious about what is customary so I know what to anticipate, budget-wise. This photographer is a friend who isn't invited to the wedding (nor would he expect to be), but he's done DD's dance shoots before so they know how to work together (she actually knows him from dance). We are planning on him having a "real" meal at the reception, as will his assistant (his wife) if he brings her. I'm more than happy to have them at the same hotel as the majority of the guests, no problems there.

One of DD's closest friends is a professional photographer- she was actually in on the proposal plans, so she took the engagement pics and was there when the question was popped. However, during the wedding, she'll be a bridesmaid and guest, NOT the photographer!