It’s customary to serve the vendors after all of the guests. A better time to feed them, though, is at the same time as the head table, and here’s why! When the head table is eating, there isn’t anything to video, photograph, or announce. As soon the head table is done eating, though, things start happening quickly. Toasts and speeches, cake cutting, photos with tables, mingling, announcements – everything kicks into high gear as soon as the head table puts their silverware down.
The problem isn’t that vendors don’t get to eat (we’ve made an art out of wolfing down Chicken Cordon Bleu or prime rib in one minute or less) – it’s that while we’re focused on eating as quickly as possible, we may miss things. Or worse, we may inadvertently cause a delay because we’re still eating out at the bar when things start happening in the dining room.
It isn’t a huge deal, but rather just some food for thought (see what I did there?). If you do choose to feed your vendors with the head table, you will need to let your banquet manager know. They too have been programmed to feed vendors last.
When Should Vendors Eat?
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