how do you become a recommended vendor by a facility or party planner? Is it just a matter of calling them and introducing yourself? are there pay backs when you're on a their list. having never dealt with any before i would like to be a little prepared before making contact.
Sometimes. Usually a preferred vendor list is just an endorsement that says "We've worked with these people. We find them reliable and honorable. We have no problem with them coming to our facility."
There are a couple of places in town that I refuse to be a "preferred vendor" and it's all due to money and their policy. One places requires that I pay them $300 annual fee to be on their list PLUS the kitchen access fees each time we're in there (which the bride pays, but it ticks me off to pay $300 to be on their list!)
Another place requires the caterer to stay until everyone is gone so they (the caterer) can run the sweeper!!!! Bullsh*** to that noise!! I am not a cleaning service! When the bride arrives at her reception, I've already been on my feet for about 8 or 10 hours plus after I leave I still have to unload the van (AGAIN!) and usually wash 200 plates and 600 pcs of silverware PLUS all of my equipment. And they want me to stay until after midnight so they dont'have to hire a temp to run the sweeper????? Forget you!!!
A caterer friend told me of one place that expects the caterer to split their tip with the bar .... and the bar has a tip jar set out! I'm sorry, but my crew works WAY harder than the bartender and I am not giving my crew's money to a bartender who has nothing to do with my business!
My company philosophy is "we keep it simple for you (the bride)" and that means NOT directing her to these types of places who have all kinds of difficult rules and policies in place that make it difficult to work with them.
So as you shop for places to try to get on their list, be sure to ask what the REAL requirements are to get on their list!
What would be ok to accept in your opinion? how about if the want a percent of the cake? I work with a site the makes me give the Bride 10% of the cake as an advantage for having the party there, i have given decorators a "gift" when they get me a good client.
Plus do you feel is ok to call the and ask for an appointment to show your work?
Bullsh*** to that noise!! I am not a cleaning service!
Indydebi, that cracked me up! 
But it really suprised me too that they would even expect that from the caterer. That is so stupid. Most places here have a cleaning fee as part of the rental fee.
Debi-- I have an offtopic sort of question!!
You mentioned sharing your tip as the caterer. What tip and where does it come from? This may seem dumb, but as a wedding guest am I supposed to tip the catering staff? I didn't know!
A guest does not tip the staff. The closest a guest would come to tipping is if it's a cash bar and the bartender has a tip jar.
As I tell my brides, "I don't charge that phony up-front 20% gratuity that most caterers charge. A gratuity by definition is 'a monetary expression of thanks for service above and beyond what was paid for. To charge that up front is arrogant to me."
I also will not say a bride/groom is "suppose" to tip the catering staff. It's an expression of thanks.... as defined above.
When i do a catering, I have a staff who is setting out the food, clearing the tables, cleaning the food area, etc ..... just like the staff at a restaurant. To tip them in recognition of the extra hard work they do for the event is considerate, just like any other food service tip you would leave.
I've had weddings that left zero tips .... our biggest tip was over $400. I divide ALL tips equally among the folks who work the wedding with me (I take none of it). So my crew has rec'd anywhere from an extra $25 to an extra $100+ for their efforts.
(Kinda off topic, too, is the discussions on whether to collect the final balance balance before the wedding or the day of. Couples are more likely to leave a tip if they pay the balance the day of.)
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Manderfrog, I don't get it either. The caterer is usually the FIRST vendor out of there! The DJ, the bartender .... they have to stay until the end. I pack my stuff up when the meal is over. To have the CATERER, who by the end of the night has put in 15 or more hours STRAIGHT on her feet, who has loaded/unloaded/loaded and has to unload one more time a van FULL of heavy equipment, and STILL has to wash and clean all of that equipment before she can call it a night, to stay late and perform cleaning service duties is not even logical to me.l
When I have to do this, I explain completely to the bride why there is an extra labor fee and why she is paying an access fee ..... because the facility doesn't want THEIR bill to look outrageous, so they stick me with it so I can pass it on to her and make MY bill look outrageous. You know me .... no beating arund the bush here!
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