Are you planning to organize an event? Or you have already done with the formalities of arranging an event? Event arrangement is not an easy task because you will have to deal with a lot of people who work as staff throughout the event. These event staff assist basically in the logistical management of corporate and public events along with many other responsibilities. When you consider paying them for an event, generally the question comes afterwards – how much to tip the event staff, right? So to help you out with this, I am here with our essential tipping guide that you can follow for tipping in any event and the staff members.
Factors to Consider for Tipping the Event Staff
The definition of tipping has changed now. In the past, people did not have to tip any event staff or vendors. But in the present, the situation is different. At present, offering a token of generosity to the event staff and also a sole proprietor who works in the event as a staff is often a kind gesture.
If you want to ensure top-notch service for your events, you should be ready to tip multiple event staff as the small business owners having an event management business also prefer to hire extra help for significant events. In those cases, their efforts should certainly be rewarded and that can help to make your event a fruitful one.
However, before you proceed to tip the event staff, you should also take into consideration several factors:
- Always be sure that the gratuity has not already been included in the event management contract.
- Your time invested of working together with the event staff.
- The quality of the service that you are getting from the event staff.
- If you are receiving the service as promised in the event contract against the price.
- The number of venue staff you have to actively work with.
You need to remember that gratuity and service charges are two different things. So if you arrange an event and give the responsibility to any event management company, always be sure to check the contract if there is any service charge included or not. Consider keeping a tipping budget if there is no gratuity mentioned in the contract bill paper.
How Much to Tip Different Types of Venue Staff?
Now comes the real discussion of how much you should tip different event staff. You can have the option to include the tips on the event staff fees or you can give it separately after the end of an event. But it would be a good practice to get ready to grab some cash before the big day. The tipping list for different event staff can be of great help for the very day. This list has been prepared taking into consideration the industry practices.
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Event Planner
The event planners can have a wide range of responsibilities according to the size of the event. They become responsible for pulling out the event successfully. However, in most of the cases, they focus on the planning phase for organising and scheduling event activities. They may have to plan budgets for the whole event and allocate resources to different phases. Planners also work with a director of events to meet the event goals effectively.
Now the question comes – how much do you tip an event planner? So taking into consideration their level of work, the suggested tipping range in the industry is 15%-20% of their total billing amount. Or, if you prefer dollar amount, the tipping amount can vary between $250 to $1,000, depending on the level of service and the planning.
Caterer & Waitstaff
They work to make your event experience even greater. In most of the cases, gratuity for waitstaff & catering service is often included in your event catering service bill.
However, if not included, consider tipping between 15%-20% of the total bill. You will give away this amount to all the caterer and waitstaff involved. So just make sure that the catering manager is distributing the gratuity to them in the perfect manner.
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Event Decorators
Do you tip event decorators? In the past, they were traditionally not tipped being mostly the business owners. However, the present world tends to offer a gratuity for the appreciation of their services. The tipping range is often 10%, but sometimes people prefer to tip them by the person—ranging from $50 to $100 per person for all of those who are involved in the overall decoration and setup process of an event.
Bartenders
Do you wonder how much to tip the event bartenders? Maybe you prefer hiring a bartender separately for your event. And when you do so, they become your event staff. Consider tipping them $10 to $15 per guest they serve. Additionally, give the tip at the end of the event and make sure to confirm that the bartenders have not accepted any other tips from your guests in the event.
Delivery Staff
You may have some delivery staff who deliver flowers, chairs, cake, and other necessities to your event venue. Depending on the services they provide, it is recommended by the industry experts to tip them $10 to $20 per delivery.
On-Site Staff
There will be some on-site staff to aid you in the overall event operation. Their bill and gratuity can be paid altogether. However, if you want, you can tip them individually. And the gratuity for these on-site staff should be 15% to 20% of the total venue bill divided among the individuals who are working. Also, you need to make sure that these workers are not accepting any other tips from the event guests.
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Venue Coordinator
You may be wondering how much to tip a venue coordinator, right? If you prefer to have a venue coordinator present on the day of the event, their hard work should be appreciated with a standard tip. Because they will oversee the overall condition of the venue and make sure everything goes in line. Thus, it is recommended to tip them around $100 to $200 per coordinator, along with $25 to $50 for the assistant coordinators.
Final Remarks
To conclude, it is recommended that you research beforehand about the established industry tipping practices for tipping the event staff. Since so many vendors can be associated with one single event, and usually the number increases when the event is a bigger one. So, plan your tipping calculation and distribution accordingly.
For their outstanding services, you should also not forget to leave them a positive review on different platforms. This can go a long way for long-term relationships!
