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[wgleventplanner-blog]

Guide to tipping wedding vendors

Unless a service charge is spelled out in your contract, you're never obligated to tip anyone, but it is helpful to have cash ready on hand to tip for great service! 

A general rule is to not tip business owners, only tip their employees (however, you can/should tip an owner when the service exceeds expectations); tip vendors who offer exceptional service; thank-you notes are always appreciated; and assign the responsibility to your wedding planner, a parent or the best man/maid of honor. 

Wedding Hair Stylist and Makeup Artist

This is one area where a gratuity is definitely expected. Tip between 15 - 20 percent just as you would in a hair salon, and consider giving a little extra if there's a crisis, like one of your bridesmaids has a meltdown over her updo and it requires a redo at the last minute.

Protocol:

Expected

The Standard:

15 - 25 percent, depending upon the quality of service

When to Tip:

At the end of your service

Wedding Delivery and Set-up Staff

Slip a few dollars to anyone delivering important items to the site (wedding cake , flowers, or sound system). And if a lot of gear needs to be brought in and set up (tents, chairs, or port-a-potties), the workers deserve a tip too.

Protocol:

Expected

The Standard:

$5 - $10 per person

When to Tip:

Drop off cash envelopes the day before the wedding to the catering manager so the person accepting deliveries can turn the tip.

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. If you're using a nondenominational officiant, no tip is required because they will charge you for their time.

Protocol:

Expected (depending on officiant)

The Standard:

Donate $ to the church or synagogue, or, for a nondenominational officiant, an optional tip of $50 - $100

When to Tip:

Most ceremony fees are required prior to the wedding. Or cash envelope to wedding planner at the rehearsal.

Wedding Ceremony Musicians

If you worked with a mini orchestra to come up with the perfect score for your service (and they pulled it off flawlessly), consider showing some monetary thanks for their talent. However, you probably don't have to tip the solo church organist who was required to play.

Protocol: Optional

The Standard:

$15 - $20 per musician

When to Tip:

At the end of the ceremony OR give to wedding planner.

Wedding Photographer/Videographer

You don’t need to tip the photographer/videographer if they own their own company. But if they have a second shooter or have done a kick ass job, $50 to $100 in cash is a nice surprise that they can split with the second shooter. 

Protocol:

Optional

The Standard:

$50 - $200 per vendor

When to Tip:

At the end of the reception OR give to the wedding planner.

Wedding Reception Staff

This type of staff includes the on-site coordinator, and catering manager. A service charge (typically 2 percent) is almost always built in to the food and drink fee, 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 (based on labor, not the cost), or $200 - $300 for the catering manager.

When to Tip:

Your wedding planner will remind you to give the catering team a final head count a month or so out. Your final bill shouldn't vary too much from that amount. Even if that amount is paid ahead of time, make sure you have some cash in an envelope for the catering manager to dole out to their team at the end of the night. 

Wedding Reception Attendants

When it comes to bartenders, waitstaff, parking, bathroom, and coat-room attendants the rules of tipping are dictated by your contract. If the service fee is included, consider doling out extra only if the service was exceptional. If it's not included, ask ahead of time how many attendants will be working your wedding and calculate on a per person basis.

Protocol:

Optional, based on contract

The Standard:

$20 - $25 per bartender or waiter; $1 per guest for coat room and parking attendants; $1 per car

When to Tip:

Although tips are traditionally passed out at the end of the event, you could alternately distribute them at the beginning of the evening, to encourage all the workers to give you great service.

Wedding Reception Band or DJ

Whether you hire 12-piece swing band or grooving to a DJ, tipping musicians is completely optional. (Depending on the quality of the job and how willing they were to follow your ideal playlist!) And don't forget about any sound technicians they bring with them.

Protocol:

Optional, yet preferred

The Standard:

$20 - $25 per musician; $50 - $150 for DJs

When to Tip:

Give envelope to wedding planner! 

Wedding Transportation

Again, check your contract, as gratuity is usually included. If it isn't, plan to tip provided they show up on time and don't get lost!

Protocol:

Expected

The Standard:

15 - 20 percent of the total bill

When to Tip:

At the end of the night or after the last ride. If you used a separate company for the guest buses, designate a bus captain to hand the driver a tip, otherwise, this duty falls to the best man. Don’t forget that the wedding planner will not be on the bus with you to go back to the hotel, so make sure this job is assigned to best man or maid/matron of honor!

Wedding Planner

Wedding planners won't expect anything; however, if yours did a great job you can always offer a token of your appreciation. You know your planner pretty well by now, so a personalized gift would be a nice alternative to extra cash. Keep in mind, they almost always hire an assistant (similar to the 2nd shooter for a photographer) and that person can always use some extra cash as a thank you. 

Protocol:

Optional

The Standard:

Up to $500, or a nice gift

When to Tip:

Marked envelope along with the other vendor envelopes with name on it OR a personalized card mailed after the honeymoon.

This list was created based on experience at 35+ weddings, the Knot and Real Simple.