I need some advice on how much to pay our nanny during a wedding!?

Question

My husbands sister is getting married and we are flying our former nanny into town to watch our 4 kids plus 3 cousins. Friday night she'll be at the rehearsal with us and then take the kids back home and stay overnight with just my 4 kids(my husband will go back to the house eventually after we finish at the rehearsal dinner). Saturday will be an early start and a full day. She'll be in charge of getting the kids ready and will have the kids at the wedding as well. For the portion at the church she'll have a friend with her to help out since there are 2 newborns, 2 two year olds and 3 others. After the wedding she'll take the kids back to hotel and they'll be able to have a fun night there. At that point there will be one less newborn and the older kids will probably go down to the reception for a while. She will spend the night with the kid Saturday night and then will be done with the monsters Sunday morning.  We want to make sure that she gets a fair amount of money for the work but are not sure how to actually figure out the pay. We are paying for 1/2 her plane ticket but don't know how to break down the weekend. We paid $15/hour when she worked for us. Also how do we make sure her friend gets compensated? Do we up the pay for those few hours so that they can split it? Any help is appreciated! 

I realize this may not be a typical parenting question but I think the parents would have a better answer for me than in the wedding section :) Thanks!

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Okay well having been a Nanny for 8 years and now being a Mommy...I would say paying 1/2 her ticket and you should still pay her about $17 per hour and pay her friend something separate as well...unless her friend just volunteered to come along..but if her friend is there to work/watch the kids too..I would say you pay her at least $13 for her time as well...keep in mind there are 2 newborns and 2 toddlers so thats like 4 "babies" I think that is not too much to pay...for her time and effort ans away from home...also this is assuming that she is a responsible, ecperienced adult.
take care and happy wedding day!

Marlene · Answer

What are all these meetings/events? I've been in 6 weddings counting my own, and I've never been to a bridesmaid meeting. Just make sure you're not asking too much of them, and definitely don't come across as if this stuff is mandatory. What you could do is look at the vendors you'll be checking out out in the next weeks, like florist, cake tasting, photographer, etc. and ask her if she's interested in going to any of them with you. I can see why she wouldn't want to go to a bridesmaid dress "meeting" - she's not a bridesmaid. But something specific might interest her. And fyi - I did almost all of this on my own, other than dragging 2 friends to look at dresses.

Anonymous · Answer

Unless she was coming out here to visit friends or family anyways, you should pay for her plane ticket in full.

I would add a few more bucks to the 15 since she is watching other children as well.Their parents can share the costs with you.Are you hiring her friend or was it the babysitters idea? if it was the babysitters idea, then she has the responsibility to share her earnings with her friend for helping out.

You guys have a good idea for having the babysitter present with you guys at the wedding.I had our first baby before we got married and we hired a babysitter for that day.

Anonymous · Answer

I think you should pay her the normal $15 an hour and her friend myabe $10 an hour.

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I need some advice on how much to pay our nanny during a wedding!?

4 Answers