Tipping.

For my wedding, I decided not to hand out any tips on the night of the wedding. I didn't want to have to carry around checks/cash, or have to worry about that on my special day. So instead, I payed attention to how well they all did, and I plan to send them all thank you cards & tips in the mail, along with great reviews...because I thought they all did an awesome job.

Anyways, for your situation, I think it might be safe to tip the percentage and ask the "head person" to disperse it among the different vendors.

I would tip the dj, photographers, photobooth, etc. separately. But for the service staff I would give one group cash amount to the coordinator, if you have one. Mine said she would split everything up down to the dishwashers. If you don't trust that you could group it to bartenders cut, servers cut, and kitchen staff cut. This will work also then if there is no coordinator.

That is great advice! I will now be doing the same, thanks!

Great advice I'm seeing here, this is very helpful for me. Caitlin thank you for asking, I'm still 105 days out and hadn't even started thinking about this, but I guess I really need to.

I've been thinking this too. i'm thinking I will do tips after the wedding maybe a few days later before we leave town and give them thank you cards. I don't want to worry about it that night and I don't want my family worrying about it either. We have to have our venue cleaned up and ready to go by 11pm so I think we will have our focus there.

Absolutely no one approached, asked, or acted like they expected it. I was pleasantly pleased with most of my vendors too, and even told a couple of them to expect a tip & great review in a few weeks and they said "never expected, but always appreciated."

Yes, you will have a lot to do that night. Plus, I think an unexpected tip received later in the mail along with a thank you card would be a pleasant / unexpected surprise for them.

We are wedding day twins! oh my gosh!! girl I am going through the same thing.

Are you still supposed to tip when they own their own business? My photographer, DJ and Hair/Makeup vendors are all sole proprietors, which I did not think you needed to tip.

Thanks; i didn't think an owner typically gets a tip. That is great, because my hairdresser/make up artist, photographer, officiant and my DJ are all sole proprietors, so there are four more people I don't have to tip!

I would also check the bill (or estimate) for your wedding reception venue. My estimate has a built in 'Service Charge' of 22%. I'm almost sure that is for the tip, but I am going to confirm that this week with my banquet manager. If so, I also don't have to worry about tipping any of the attendants, bar tenders, cocktail/dinner servers, my banquet manager, etc.!! That is so many people to try to tip that day it's a little ridiculous, and I don't like giving one person the tip and hoping they actually split it with everyone there.

I think the only one left to tip then would be the people that deliver my flowers to the venue and help set everything up (runner, lanterns, candles, etc.). They work for the florist company I hired, so i will definitely tip them.

Boy, did this just become a lot easier! I want to enjoy my day and I don't want to be worried about everyone getting their tip, or hoping someone will do it for me correctly.

To save time and effort I would just add to the check and let the person you hand the check to know that there is a tip in there for everyone.