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Savvy September 2020

Tipping Photographer

Kaitlyn, on October 18, 2019 at 10:36 AM Posted in Etiquette and Advice 0 5

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Hi all! I know that tipping discussions come up often and I looked through the discussions before posting, but couldn't find exactly what I was looking for.

Our photographer offers a free engagement session with our wedding package. Because of this, I don't know how much she generally charges for just an engagement session. We are scheduled for our engagement shoot in about 2 weeks, so I am wondering, how much do I tip for an engagement session? I do know that she typically charges $150 an hour, unless you purchase a package.

Thanks in advance!

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5 Comments

Latest activity by N, on October 29, 2019 at 10:17 AM

Legend November 2019
Caytlyn · on October 18, 2019 at 10:40 AM
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Our engagement session was included in our package and we didn't tip. We tipped her based on the entire total after we received our wedding photos.
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Expert April 2020
Jill · on October 18, 2019 at 10:47 AM
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We plan on tipping based off of our total package since ours also includes the free engagement session!
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Devoted November 2019
Emily · on October 18, 2019 at 6:20 PM
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I personally don’t think you have to tip for this session if it was added in your package. I also read online that if a photographer owns their own business, you do not have to tip them.
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WeddingWire Administrator January 2025
Sinéad · on October 21, 2019 at 7:58 AM
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Hi Kaitlyn! Since your photographer is working on both your engagement shoot and your wedding photographs, you can wait until you receive your entire invoice from them and give your tip based on this. You don't have to tip separately for your engagement shoot, you can tip for their entire service when your payment is due.
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Dedicated July 2020
N · on October 29, 2019 at 10:17 AM
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I’m not tipping my photographer as she owns her own business and she’s not bringing any assistant. I’ve never heard of tipping a self-employed individual but I keep seeing it as etiquette for weddings. If she brought an assistant I’d tip that individual. My photographer is $3800 (including the engagement shoot)so 20% would be exorbitant. I’ll get a card and thank you gift.
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