Should I feed the musicians?
I see this question on wedding boards A LOT and it always cracks me up. It reminds me of those signs at the park about not feeding the ducks 😆
The best answer to this question is to simply ask us directly. More often than not, we can't stay, but we sincerely appreciate the gesture.
In general, you don't need to count your ceremony and cocktail hour musicians in your reception count. The only exception might be if we're performing for the reception and/or we've traveled a long distance. For bands and DJs, you may find it's written into their contract - especially bands. This makes sense because they're performing for 5-6 hours and have been on site for at least another 1.5 hours on either side of that for set up, sound check, and breakdown.
Once your cocktail hour is over, your caterer will usually quickly whisk the leftovers away to the kitchen. At venues like Aria, they're so kind to us and often let us make a plate. That's always a real treat!
Furthermore, take note: It is the policy of most catering companies to distribute vendor meals well after all of the guests have received their meals and vendors are always seated at separate tables. When you're interviewing caterers, ask if they receive the same meal as your guests or if you're paying for a separate meal. I've seen some vendor meals be a boxed lunch with a ham sandwich and I bet the couple's bill did not reflect that cost-cutting measure! 😧
Did I answer all your questions about vendor meals? Comment below!
Happy wedding planning!
-Ariana