Planning your wedding can be a lot of work, but don’t forget to think about the people who will help make your day special. They deserve a thank you for all their hard work. Tipping them is a way to show that appreciation, but the question is, “how much to give?” Right?
That’s why I am here to help you to make sure the right amount and show your gratitude in a meaningful way.
Factors to Consider Before Tipping The Wedding Vendors
While in the past people did not have to tip certain wedding vendors, things have changed drastically in the present. According to America’s Etiquette Expert Diane Gottsman, it has been found out that small business owners are going above and beyond for ensuring exceptional service and tipping is becoming one of the major concerns for that nowadays. But historically, business owners did not even expect a tip for their services.
At present, offering a token of generosity to a sole proprietor is often a kind gesture. Not only that, but for ensuring top-notch service, small business owners also prefer to hire extra help for significant events. In those cases, rewarding their efforts certainly helps cover the cost of the vendors.
However, before you proceed to tip the wedding vendors, you should take into consideration several factors:
Be sure that gratuity has not already been included in the price of your contract.
How much time you have invested working together?
What the quality of the service is that you are getting from the vendors?
If the costs align with the quality of the service you get.
The number of team members you have actively worked with.
Remember, gratuity and service charges are two different things for wedding vendors. Consider keeping a tipping budget in case you find out there is no gratuity mentioned in the contract bill paper. Generally speaking, large business owners do not necessarily need to be tipped for their services. In most cases, consider tipping the small business owners based on the quality of service you feel you’ve received.
Who Are the Wedding Vendors You Need to Deal With?
Maybe it is your own wedding or someone else’s and you are getting confused regarding the typical wedding vendors who you need to deal with during the occasion. So we are here with a list of the potential wedding vendors who are seen on almost every wedding occasion.
- Officiant
- Photographer & Videographer
- Caterer & Waitstaff
- Bartenders
- Hair & Makeup Artist
- Musicians
- Chauffeurs or Drivers
- Venue Staff
- Delivery Staff
- Florists
- Wedding Planners
- On-Site Coordinators
There can be other vendors in exceptional cases. But the above list of vendors is seen in general during every wedding ceremony. Our next discussion will elaborate further on how the tipping amount works differently for each of them.
How Much to Tip Different Types of Wedding Vendors?
Now let us dig deeper into the real discussion of how much you should tip different wedding vendors. While some tips are given on the wedding day, others can be already included within your vendors’ fees. So keep an eye on that and review each contract beforehand to check if there is already any prepaid gratuity.
But first things, get ready to grab some cash before the big day. Because now you will get the ultimate tipping list of how much to tip your wedding vendors. This has been prepared to take into consideration several industry expert practices.
Officiant
An officiant, sometimes called a preacher, is an integral part of any wedding. Now the question comes: how much do you tip a preacher for a wedding?
Here are some situations to consider. You may not be able to tip your officiant directly if he or she is a member of the clergy. In that case, it will be wise to make an additional donation to the house of worship. It is established that a donation of $100 would be a fair honorarium.
However, for a non-clergy, you need to tip around $50 to $100 before the wedding ceremony. However, the law will prohibit any gratuity if a civil officiant presides over the wedding ceremony at the courthouse.
Photographer & Videographer
In the past, photographers and videographers usually did not require a tip as they are mostly business owners. However, a cash tip nowadays is always appreciated by these wedding professionals as they spend hours making your big day a great success. It has been seen that the industry guidelines for tipping photographers usually run between $100 to $500, but it is not popularly seen in reality. Sometimes the photographers & the videographers are simply tipped in between 5% – 10% of their total bill, often ranging up to 15%. This includes the dollars tipped out to the rest of the team members.
However, if you do not plan to give a cash tip but want to thank your photographer or videographer for their hard work, a great idea would be to send a sentimental gift on the later day of your wedding. It is also advised to send the gift if you are greatly satisfied with the wedding photos and grant them an immediate cash tip on the wedding day.
Caterer & Waitstaff
Gratuity for catering is often included in your total wedding catering service bill. However, if you find it is not included, consider tipping between 15 to 20 percent of the total bill. It should be kept in mind that you are giving away this amount to all the staff involved and so you need to make sure that the manager is distributing the gratuity to servers and all the staff involved in the event.
Bartenders
How much to tip wedding bartenders? This question may come to your mind, right? If you hire a bartender separately for your wedding, consider tipping them $10 to $15 per guest. Additionally, make sure you do so at the end of the wedding ceremony and confirm the bartenders have not accepted any tips from your guests.
Hair & Makeup Artists
Consider tipping 20 percent of the service as you do at the salon in most of cases. Make sure to have enough cash in hand as you may have to tip for each of your bridesmaids as well! You should extend the gratuity directly after the services have been provided.
Musicians
If you are planning to bring musicians to your wedding ceremony, consider tipping them a reasonable amount. If there is no gratuity included in your contract with the musicians, it is ideal to tip between $25 and $50 per person.
Chauffeurs or Drivers
You certainly will be needing chauffeurs or drivers for bringing you to the ceremony venue. When you make a contract with transportation companies, the gratuity amount is often mentioned in the contract bill. However, If it is not covered within your contract, a tip of 15 to 20 percent of the pre-tax bill is a good range to consider. Chauffeurs or drivers are usually tipped after their services are completed.
Delivery Staff
Staff who deliver flowers, chairs, cake, and other necessities to your wedding venue, it is recommended by industry experts to tip them $10 to $20 per delivery, depending on the services they provide.
Venue Staff
If not included in the total bill of the wedding venue package, the gratuity for venue staff should be 15 to 20 percent of the total venue bill divided among the individuals who are working. Also, the workers should not be accepting any other tips from the venue guests.
Florists
Traditionally not tipped in the past as the business owners, the present world offers gratuity for the appreciation of their services. The amount seems to be often 10 percent (pre-tax), but sometimes people tip them by the person as well—generally ranging from $50 to $100 per person for all of those that are involved in the setup process.
Wedding Planners
To make your big day a great success, wedding planners go above and beyond for doing everything possible. According to industry experts, a wide range of tipping in this category has been seen. Typically, the tipping range varies between $250 to $1,000, depending on the level of service booked. Also, if the wedding planner brings any assistant, anywhere from $50 to $150 seems appropriate for the assistant as well.
On-Site Coordinator
If you prefer to have an on-site coordinator in the ceremony, their hard work should also be appreciated with a standard tip. It is recommended to tip around $100 to $200 for a coordinator, along with $25 to $50 for the assistant coordinators.
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Do you tip wedding vendors 20%?
There is no standard or set percentage for tipping wedding vendors, and the amount you choose to tip can vary based on several factors. A common practice for tipping in the service industry is around 15-20% of the total cost, but for wedding vendors, a lower percentage of 5-10% or a flat amount could be more appropriate.
It’s important to note that not all wedding vendors expect to receive a tip and some may include gratuity in their overall fee. It’s a good idea to ask the vendor beforehand if they have a policy on tipping, or if gratuity is already included in the cost. The ultimate decision to tip and the amount to give is up to you.
What is the Etiquette for Tipping Wedding Vendors?
Tip to your wedding vendor means a way to show appreciation for their hard work and dedication.
Here are some general guidelines for tipping wedding vendors:
1. Determine if gratuity is included: Before tipping, it is a good idea to find out if gratuity is already included in the vendor’s fee or if they have a policy on tipping.
2. Consider the level of satisfaction: The amount you choose to tip should reflect the level of satisfaction with the services provided by the vendor.
3. Decide on a monetary amount: A common practice for tipping in the service industry is around 10-20% of the total cost, but the amount can vary based on your personal financial situation and the complexity of the job.
4. Consider the type of vendor: Different types of vendors may expect different amounts, so consider their role in the wedding and the level of services they provided.
5. Give the tip directly: It is best to give the tip directly to the vendor or their team, rather than including it in a check or adding it to the final payment.
6. Timing: It’s best to tip at the end of the wedding or within a few days after when the services have been completed.
Remember, the decision to tip and the amount to give is a personal choice, and it’s important to only tip what you are comfortable with.
Do you Tip the Cake Maker for a Wedding?
Tipping wedding vendors, including cake makers, is a common practice in the USA, as a way of expressing gratitude for the services provided. A cake maker, like any other vendor, works hard to create a special and memorable product for a couple’s wedding day. Tipping the cake maker is a way to show appreciation for their efforts and services.
The amount to tip a cake maker can vary, but a common range is 10-20% of the total cost of the cake. This percentage can be adjusted based on the complexity of the cake design, and the couple’s budget. Some couples opt to tip more if the cake maker went above and beyond their expectations or provided exceptional service, while others may choose to tip less if the cake was not up to their standards.
How Much do you Tip DJ at Wedding?
A DJ plays a crucial role in making a wedding a success by keeping the dance floor packed, creating a lively atmosphere, and helping create memories that will last a lifetime. Tipping the DJ is a way to acknowledge their efforts and show that their services were valued and appreciated.
Tipping is a way of saying “thank you” and recognizing the hard work and effort that goes into making a wedding a memorable event. A DJ provides an important service that contributes to the overall success of the wedding, and a tip is a way of acknowledging this effort and showing appreciation.
The amount to tip a wedding DJ can vary, but a common range is $50-$200, depending on the total cost of the DJ’s services and the level of satisfaction with their performance. A good rule of thumb is to tip 10-20% of the DJ’s fee, or a flat amount that is commensurate with the services provided.
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What to Do if You Are Unhappy With A Service?
I recommended that you speak up in such cases! If your wedding day rolls around and you see that things are not going the way you thought they should, the first thing you need to do is to check the contract. After that, talk to your vendor to find out what went wrong and what should be done to rectify the problems.
You should demand reimbursement if you get anything from the vendor that does not comply with what they have promised you. You may also be thinking that it is rude to not tip wedding vendors. We suggest you know your rights and if needed, be prepared to negotiate the tipping as well.
Concluding Remarks
To conclude, it is a must to research beforehand about the established industry tipping practices for wedding vendors. Since so many vendors are related to one single wedding ceremony, it is essential that you tip them fairly.
In many cases, no matter if you tip or not, writing a thank you note to your vendors for their great service is always a thoughtful gesture and highly appreciated. Do not forget to leave them a positive review on different platforms if you feel they deserve this!
