Tipping Your Wedding Vendors
Now, do you really HAVE to tip your wedding vendors? You've already paid their bill in full and you're working with them or waiting to work with them. No, you don't have to tip. But a lot of us in the wedding industry (and people in general) love to be appreciated for their hard work! Here's my take: tip the vendors who offer exceptional service!
Prep your tips in advance by going to the bank before your wedding, pulling out cash and putting each tip into a labeled envelope. I love to use beautiful note cards or if you've already create them, thank you cards with your picture. Write a thank you note with specific information to each vendor, such as how their communication was or a free tip they gave you or help they gave you to figure out amounts of something or best practices. Then assign the most responsible member of your bridal party – or a parent, or a wedding planner - to hand them out over the course of the event. Ensure this is done
Here's a helpful breakdown of what's customary for tipping each vendor:
Wedding Planners
Wedding planners go above and beyond to make your big day come together, so a tip is greatly appreciated. Wedding planners won't likely expect anything, but if yours did a great job, you can always offer a token of appreciation. (Note: Nonmonetary thank-yous like professional photos of the wedding for the planner's portfolio can go a long way too.) About 50 percent of couples do tip their planners.
Protocol: Optional
The Standard: 10–20 percent, up to $500, or a nice gift
When to Tip: Hand off the envelope at the end of the reception or send a thank-you note with photos or a check right after the event.
Wedding Hairstylist and Makeup Artist
This is one area where gratuity is definitely expected. Tip between 15% to 25% of the total, just as you would in a salon, and consider giving a little extra if there's a crisis, like one of your
bridesmaids has a meltdown over her curls and it requires a redo at the last minute.
Protocol: Expected
The Standard: 15% to 25%, depending upon the quality of service
When to Tip: Tip your beauty stylists at the end of your service.
Wedding Ceremony Officiant
If your officiant is affiliated with a church or synagogue, you're often expected to make a donation to that institution. If you're a member, you'll probably want to give a larger amount than if you're not. However, if you're getting married there and they're charging you to use the space, feel free to give a smaller amount. Tipping the wedding officiant, both nondenominational and denominational, is also appreciated.
Protocol: Expected (depending on the officiant's affiliation)
The Standard: Donate $100–$500 to the church or synagogue, and for the officiant, a tip of $50-$100 (maybe more, depending on how much time they've spent with you leading up to the wedding, say, in premarital counseling, for example).
When to Tip: Most ceremony fees are required prior to the wedding. Otherwise, have a responsible attendant pass the cash envelope at the rehearsal dinner if the officiant is in attendance.
Wedding Photographer and Videographer
You're not expected to give your shutterbugs any money beyond their normal fees. But if the wedding photographer or videographer doesn't own a studio or business, consider tipping
each person (or give a certain amount with a thank-you note to disperse to staff). If you didn't plan to give a cash tip but want to thank your photographer or videographer for their hard work, sending a sentimental gift at a later date is a great idea, especially after photos are received!
Protocol: Optional
The Standard: $100–$500 per vendor, or about 5%-15% of the total fee
When to Tip: Tip your photographer and videographer at the end of the reception.
Wedding Reception Staff
This group only applies if your venue provides people with your rental. This might include an on-site wedding coordinator, a maître d' (oversees serving staff and bussers), a banquet manager, a food service manager, serving staff and/or a sound technician. A service charge (typically 2 percent) is almost always built in to the venue rental, so check your contract. If the gratuity is not included, tip as follows.
Protocol: Expected
The Standard: 15–20 percent of the food and drink fee or $200–$300 for the maître d'
When to Tip: If it's covered in the contract, the final bill is typically due before the reception. Otherwise, have one of your parents or an attendant hand the envelope to the maître d' at the end of the reception, since you'll need to know the final tab to calculate the percentage.
Caterer and Servers
Gratuity is required for catering and is often included in your total bill. If not, give 15% to 20% of
the total cost. Make sure that the servers themselves get the tips, not just the manager or owner. The servers are doing the work.
Protocol: Expected
The Standard: 15-20 percent of the total cost for catering.
When to Tip: If the gratuity is included in your total bill, then you've already tipped. However, if that is not included, have someone go to the serving area or kitchen. Hand an envelope over to the manager to give out to servers, or thank each person or server individually.
Bartenders
Bartending services are often included as part of your caterer’s package, and gratuity is frequently included in the bill. If it isn’t, or if you hired your bartender separately, tip $100 to $300. If you are tipping your bartenders, make sure to do so at the end of the night and confirm they haven't also accepted tips from your guests.
A tip jar is optional – I see it often at weddings when guests do not have to pay for their own alcohol but want to thank the bartender. Some planners say that having a tip jar is a big no – I don’t think it’s a big deal. Guests are thanking them for their service.
Protocol: Optional
The Standard: $100-$300 if they aren't part of a catering service. Tip jars at the bar are optional.
When to Tip: Tip your bartenders at the end of the reception, after last call.
Wedding Reception DJ
Tipping a DJ is completely optional, depending on the quality of the job and how willing they were to follow your ideal playlist. Take into account how early they arrived to set up, whether they played your music correctly during the ceremony, whether there were any audio issues (especially with microphones), and how well they emceed your reception. Consider their communication with you beforehand, whether they learned about your venue ahead of time, did a sound check, and asked for song preferences and specific songs for different parts of the ceremony and reception.
Protocol: Optional, yet preferred
The Standard: $50–$500
When to Tip: An attendant should tip the DJ at the end of the reception.
Delivery and Setup People
Sure, you may have already paid a "delivery fee," but it's customary to tip the people delivering and/or setting up your wedding cake, flowers, tent, or larger rentals.
Protocol: Optional, yet preferred
The Standard: $5-$20 perperson, depending on the complexity of the setup. A huge tent that takes 6 people to set up should receive a tip. One person delivering a small cake might receive a $5 tip.
When to Tip: Upon delivery and setup.
Am I missing any vendors?
Other non-monetary ways to thank your vendors:
- Spend time writing reviews of their services – on social media, their website, Google, the Knot, local wedding groups or directories, etc
- Share their business with your friends – on social media or when they ask for recommendations
- Share photos – florists, dessert bakers, stationers and planners really need photos of their work for
marketing materials and their portfolio. If you’re able to get permission from your photographer to provide these images, you’ll score extra points!
- Send a thank you note. Explain exactly what you are thankful for, how they improved your wedding day and how you might be able to help them in the future with their business.
- Visit their brick and mortar location, if they have one, at some point in the future.