Do you need to feed the photographer and videographer during the wedding meal?

Yes, they need feeding. The photographer and videographer are with you for almost the whole day, and nobody can get through that many hours of work without eating. A wedding usually lasts around 15 hours if you count everything: hair and make-up, arrivals, the ceremony, the photo session, the drinks reception, the wedding meal and, finally, the dancing and the party. Many photography and video teams start with the preparations and carry on until the first hour of the open bar. That's a lot of hours on your feet, camera in hand.

Who needs to eat

There's a simple rule for knowing who to include: will they be working during the wedding meal? If the answer is yes, that person needs to eat. And it isn't just a matter of courtesy. If no food has been arranged, the photographer or videographer may have to go out and find something. In the meantime, they miss moments of your wedding that won't come back.

What to serve them

Nor do you need to pay for the same menu as the guests. The usual thing is something simpler: a combination plate, a cheaper menu or even a sandwich. What matters is that they eat. That's why they usually eat at the wedding venue itself, close to the dining room, so they can get straight back to work.

When they eat

And when do they eat? While the guests are eating. There are few moments to photograph during the meal. It's the longest part of the day and the one that appears least in the album. That time is their break. Afterwards come the speeches, the cake and the dancing, and that's when they need to be fully recharged.

Remind the restaurant

There's something that isn't always visible. On the wedding day everything moves fast, in the kitchen too. Sometimes the restaurant slips up and doesn't set the photographer and videographer's table, or doesn't serve them, or takes so long that those few minutes of rest come to nothing. That's why it's worth reminding the restaurant in advance.

Table-by-table photos

Some couples want table-by-table photos during the meal. That's your decision, and it's worth talking it through beforehand. That way the team knows when they can sit down and when they need to be working.

What to do now

What should you do now? When you finalise the menu with the restaurant, count everyone who will be working during the wedding meal: the photographer, the videographer and their assistant if there is one, the wedding planner if you've hired one, and the band or DJ. Ask for a table for them and for them to be served at the same time as the guests. Ask each of them whether they have any allergies or anything they don't eat. And a week before, remind the restaurant again. If you're getting married in Asturias and Evan & Natalia Simon are doing your photography and video, just mention it at the planning meeting in Gijón. The same goes for companies organising an event: if someone is working during the meal, they need to eat too.