Tipping Services?

I'm following this.

EDIT: I have an "all-inclusive" place, so any additional recommendations there are appreciated.

Search this here or scroll. It literally comes up every single day.

Tip anyone you feel goes above and beyond to make your wedding day phenomenal! It's okay to tip some vendors a percentage (e.g., hair and makeup 15-20%), while it's okay to tip other vendors a lump sum rather than a percentages (e.g. caterers, photographers, DJs $50, $100, etc.).

We have pretty pricey services, so to tip just seems overwhelming:

our dj is $1,800

our photographer is $3,750

our venue/caterer is $10,000+

hair/makeup seems more realistic to me to tip, as that's someone who normally receives tips.... thoughts?

Lindsey, my prices are close to yours and I am tipping my DJs and photographer without a doubt. Try this link: https://www.weddingwire.com/wedding-ideas/etiquette-advice/wedding-tipping-guide

Even though my DJ and photographer own their own businesses I am still tipping them. I will also tip anyone "working" my wedding i.e. bartender, waitstaff, etc. Your caterer if provided by your venue (I'm assuming it's all inclusive? Mine is) usually will have gratuity included so be sure to look at that beforehand.

Anyone who doesn't have a tip/service charge/etc written into their contact gets tipped. Also check what the policy for servers and bartenders is if you go through a vendor to ensure they get tipped. There was a good thread on this a few weeks ago.

@Sunshine - yes, our venue has an exclusive caterer, who provides the bartenders as well, our gratuity was over $1,000.00 already

thank you for the guide, too! very helpful!!

Gotcha. Ours is about the same as well. I agree that it's overwhelming thinking of all the extra money you need to pay on top of what you're already paying them, but necessary.

I tipped everyone who was working at my wedding.

This is an area where i differ from many of the brides here. The fact of the matter is, tips are never obligatory. They are supposed to be expressions of appreciation for especially good service.

1. Check Your Contracts

“Many gratuities are built into the price quotes for major items like catering, limo, etc. Read carefully to avoid unnecessarily double-tipping. If the gratuity is not included in the contract, you might consider adding it in the contract so you don’t have to deal with it on the day.

2. Don’t Tip the Owners

My dj, videograher, & photographer (not doing retouches, editing, or printing. I'm doing that myself) own their business so there’s no need to tip them. On the other hand had i booked these services through one of those agencies you see at wedding expos, i would most definitely tip them. My photo booth attendants don't own the business, they will get tipped.

Again, this is my opinion but as you know Everyone is different and what you see fit is fine.

The knot has a tipping guide of who to tip, how much is custom, and let's you calculate tips right there.

I'm only tipping people who provide excellent service. Tips are not "mandatory", they're earned. If you do your job well, then I will show my appreciation with at least a 20% tip.

Always tip your owners if they do a good job. They are the people who will go over the top for you, who will suck up cost overruns (as in your red roses came in fuscia and had to be reordered), they will pay themselves last and pay everyone else first. Their name is on the business and they'll (usually) go the extra distance for you.

They are also making less than you think.

I read an article that said if they are the owners of the business that they get all the profit, so not to tip them.

My venue is an all inclusive package, therefore I paid directly to the venue, not each individual vendor separately. This made it hard to know what 10 or 20 percent was, since I never got their pricing. I asked my coordinator if there was industry standard tipping, and she gave me a list of tipping, where it was basically 50, 100, 200 or 300 dollars per vendor based on our level of satisfaction for their service.

ETA- I should add that we will tip everyone who works, even if they are an owner. Also, we are located in Southern California.

Also keep in mind that venue/caterer service charge does NOT go to the wait staff and bartenders in most cases.

Please leave a glowing referral for your business owners who do a wonderful job -- that is priceless to them.

If an employee does a wonderful job, let his/her boss know.

The grooms, I don't know why you say that in most places the service charge does not go to the wait staff. Brides should ask, but in NY, it is illegal not to pay wait staff anything labeled servce.

I have an "all-inclusive" venue (caterer, liquor, cake, etc. all at the venue). Ours comes with a service charge in the contract, but that pays the staff's salary, not gratuities.

Here's what I'm tipping:

$100 to our venue coordinator

$100 to the matre dei

$50 per server

$100 per bartender

$100 for the DJ

$100 for the MC

$20 for the photobooth attendant (only 3 hours)

$200 for the kitchen

$250 for our priest

Hair and Make up will get the standard 20%

I'm still undecided on tipping photo and video, just because it is so pricey. I will decide after I get the photos and video. The musicians at the Church are also getting a hefty fee that they get to keep, and we didn't get a choice in hiring them.

Make sure to ask who/what your service fees are for. Mine was an all inclusive price +23% and all of that is gratuity for the vendors. Other people on here have had different experiences with what their service fee includes.

All of our prices included gratuity but we still gave everyone a $100 tip. That included wait staff.