TIP, TIP, TIP WHEN & HOW MUCH

I'm curious about tipping the cake baker as well?

Following.

Give a tip to the vendors. The catering staff really make minimal and they bust their buts. The only one I am kinda curious about is tipping the florist who is kinda family because that is my situation. Celia will have a good answer for you.

Thinking about this stresses me out to the max. So many varying opinions and wanting to properly compensate our vendors. Following!

As someone who works in a catering hall, make sure that gratuity is going to the servers who help the evening move along. The hall we work in requests a gratuity as well and we don't see a dime of it (only the maitre'd's), just whatever any kind person at our table offers.

One of the best resources out there is from the knot. Sorry WW. Best wishes!

https://www.theknot.com/content/wedding-vendor-tipping-cheat-sheet

Tipping the baker? Will it ever stop?

Last week I went to birthday party for one of the staff members. Our meal was at a local Mexican Restaurant. Each meal was about $ 20. There was a$ 4 on each bill as there were more than 8 of us, 20% service charge and then a "suggested" 20% tip on top of that.$32 for a$ 20 dollar dinner. We all said it was ridiculous and just paid what was on the bill. I can't wait for the comments on this one!

Give a tip to whomever you feel did a great job to make your wedding day go off wonderfully. Or don't. It's not expected, but it's welcome.

It really is confusing.....

For the venue, you need to find out if the 'gratuity' is actually that or if it covers staff salary or if anyone from the staff ever sees it. This is one of my biggest pet peeves, the lack of transparecy about "service charges' and gratuities enforced by the venues. Have a conversation and ask where that money is going and how much the venue coordinators typically get. (Most of my venues here have unbelievably fabulous coordinators and they usually can guide you towards what's appropriate.) Bartenders are an even grayer area; if they are allowed to take tips at the bar, you may want to adjust what you give them. I have never been at a hosted wedding where the guests didn't tip the BT's with every pour. I have also never been at a wedding where the BT's refused tips.

I personally think a tip in a thank you note after the fact is more meaningful and more accurate; you can decide who actually went the distamce for you after the service has been performed. If your photographer found you an obscure backdrop, your DJ found that song, your officiant revised your script six times, the florist made breathtaking centerpieces? Yep, a tip. I love to tip, honestly, but the surest way to NOT get one is to imply that it's expected, as I have heard about in some limo and dj contracts.

The exception to that is delivery people from any service; cake, flowers with no setup, etc. I'd say 20-25. per delivery person is fine, when they leave. (Deputize someone to do this)

And lastly, tip owners. Owners are the first people to take a hit if the roses cost more or the cupcakes had to be redone. They'll pay themselves last and do whatever they can to make your wedding fabulous. So tip them too, if the work is superb.

Well, maybe not lastly. I think most of my colleagues would say that a detailed, well written, timely review is the best 'tip'.

@HitchedbyMV and @Celia - BEST posts EVER!

I know what I plan on tipping but because we are paying everything in advance, I was curious if it's appropriate to send a thank you note and tip after we come back from our honeymoon and have time to really remember our experience. I was planning on doing thanks and reviews and was going to send an extra tip at that time

Arghhh I totally forgot about this. Now I'm freaking out lol