Almost every one of our wedding couples asks, "Who should I tip and how much should I tip?" While it may be tough to find additional funds in the budget for gratuities, tipping is always appreciated for a job well done, as well as a thoughtful and caring gesture. If you intend to tip your vendors, make sure to budget for it early on to avoid going over budget.
Tip wedding vendors that provide great service and write thank-you notes from the heart. Here's a quick rundown of how much you should consider tipping each vendor to help you calculate your overall wedding budget. And of course, this will just serve as your guide - tip however you feel is appropriate!
Standard Tipping Practices
Beauty Team
Gratuity: 15–20%, depending upon the quality of service
When to Tip: On your wedding day following all services
Rentals + Setup Staff
Gratuity: $20–$40 per person, depending on complexity of your setup
When to Tip: Hand off the tip in an envelope to the person who will be receiving the deliveries for them to distribute upon completion of setup
Florist
Gratuity: 10-15% of the total floral cost
When to Tip: Following completion of setup or after ceremony to reception floral transfers are completed
Baker
Gratuity: Bakers - 10-15% of the total bakery cost, Delivery Team: $10-$20 per person, depending on the size of the delivery and setup required
When to Tip: Following cake or dessert bar setup
Stationary
Gratuity: $100-$200 or a personalized gift
When to Tip: At the final delivery of your wedding day stationary
Dj/Band
Gratuity: $50-150 for a DJ or 10-15% of the total entertainment fee for a band
When to Tip: Following your wedding reception
Wedding Photographer + Videographer
Gratuity: $100–$200 per photographer or videographer, $50 per second shooter
When to Tip: Following your wedding reception, before they depart for the evening
Wedding Planner + Coordinator
Gratuity: 10-15% of the planner/coordinator's final bill, $50 - $100 per assistant
When to Tip: Following your wedding reception
Officiant
Gratuity: Donate $100–$500 to the church or synagogue, and for the officiant, a tip of $50-$100. This will vary depending on how much time your officiant has spent with you in preparation of the wedding
When to Tip: Following the wedding ceremony
Alterations
Gratuity: $30 to $100 depending on how much work they are doing on your attire
When to Tip: At your final fitting
Banquet Staff + Bartenders
Gratuity: Dependent on contract. This cost is sometimes built into your contract so be sure to check that prior to allocating part of your budget here. If gratuity not included, 15–20 percent of the food and drink fee or $100-$200 for the head chef, and $25-$75 per staff member
When to Tip: Following your wedding reception. Give the gratuity in an envelope to the banquet caption to distribute to their staff
Transportation
Gratuity: 15–20% of the total transportation bill
When to Tip: Following their last service of the night
Other ways to show your Appreciation
Other than monetary gifts, there are numerous other ways to express your gratitude and love for your vendors. Consider any of the following ideas to show your appreciation and support!
Write Reviews
Reviews not only show what it's like to work with the vendor, but they can also aid in search engine optimization and getting the vendor you love to appear in more search results. It's also a good idea to post the same review on multiple sites. Consider leaving a review on websites such as The Knot, Wedding Wire, Yelp, and Google!
Share Photos and Tag Your Vendor Team
Share your wedding photos on social media, making sure to tag your entire vendor team. This will increase their exposure and may even help them book one of your online followers and friends.
Recommend Them to Everyone
Tell everyone how much you adore them! You probably know someone who is engaged or will be engaged soon, so help them find their dream vendor team by referring the vendors who wowed you on your wedding day!
Engage on Social Media
The more you interact with their online posts, which includes likes, comments, shares, and saves, the more Instagram will feature their posts to other wedding couples who may be in need of wedding vendors. Ultimately, helping them book more clients!
Whether you tip monetarily or express your gratitude in another way, make sure you show your affection and express your gratitude when it is due. Wedding professionals are in the business of making your wedding day everything you've imagined and more, so hearing that they did an excellent job will make their day!
Comments