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TIPPING ETIQUETTE

TIPPING YOUR WEDDING VENDORS

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photo by Dave Miyamoto

Many clients ask us about tipping etiquette at weddings. Typically, your caterer is including a gratuity and/or service charge in your bill, but your other vendors who deserve a gratuity do not.

You should definitely ask each vendor you hire if gratuities are included in his or her fee. If your coordinator has hired the wedding professionals, then be sure you ask your coordinator this question. Although each service provider deserves a tip, it is not necessary to do it twice.

It is recommended that you have your tips prepared in advance, in cash, and placed in envelopes for each professional. If you have hired a coordinator to facilitate the wedding, then you may want to have him/her distribute the tips for you. Or, you may want to have the best man or maid of honor be responsible for the distribution of these envelopes. A thank-you note with the tip is also appreciated. It is usually best to present the tip to the professional when that person's job is completed.

Keep in mind that no one/single person should get more then $150.00. For example: Let’s say your limo bus is $2000.00. 10 or 15% of that total is 200 or 300 dollars, not necessary.

This should give you some guidelines on tipping etiquette. Tipping etiquette is different in different provinces, cities and towns. Please be sure to add this to your budget. The amounts below are only examples and are not written in stone.

Hair and makeup artist

10-15% of total cost

Manicurist

15-20% of total cost.

Masseuse (pre-wedding massage)

15-20% of total cost.

Wedding-day transportation

15% to 20% of the total cost

Wedding consultant:

$100-$!50 per consultant
If your onsite coordinator is different from your wedding planner, a gratuity and thank you card should be sent to the wedding planner who helped you plan your wedding from start to finish.

Photographer

Videographer

$25 to $50

Officiant

$20 and up. It is common to make a donation to the church/synagogue or to a charity in the officiant's name in lieu of a tip.
it was found the average gratuity was between $50 and $75. If travel is involved, an additional gratuity is expected.

Musicians for ceremony

$20-$25 for each musician

Altar boys or girls

$10-15.00 each

DJ/musicians at reception.

$20-$25 for each musician

Wedding Cake Baker

You don't have to tip for the baking of the cake but if you are at your reception venue at time of delivery and set-up = $10.00

Florist

You don't need to tip the florist for making your arrangements but you can tip him/her an extra $5.00 per delivery location (3 locations=$15.00) or $10-20.00 per staff member in one lump sum, for set-up and delivery.

Powder-room, coat-check, and parking attendants

Each attendant should receive $.50-$1 per guest. (Also, instruct the maitre d' and coordinator that guests should not be solicited for tips.You may want to make a sign and have it posted.)

Banquet or catering manager

Doesn’t need to be tipped unless they’ve thrown in extras or saved you a few hundred dollars on your bill. The tip would be between $50-$100.

Bartenders

10% of the total liquor bill, presented to the head bartender or divided equally among the total number of bartenders who worked the full evening. Make sure that a tip hasn't been added to your contract already.

Reception hall manager/maitre d'

$30 or more for each, depending on the size of the wedding and the final reception bill.

photo by Wilber Bergado