Which Vendors Do I Tip?
Fun Fact: Weddings are an off-shoot of the service industry.
When it comes to service, US residents are accustomed to tipping restaurant servers, hair stylist, movers, drivers & delivery personnel… basically anyone doing manual labor to execute our vision or take work off our plate. Your wedding is no different. If anything, your wedding is all that on hyperdrive! This is most likely your first time planning and paying for a wedding, but not to fret! We have some tips that clarify who to tip, when to tip, and how much.
Common questions from couples
How much should I tip?
We recommend setting aside 5% of your overall budget to tip the many people you’re hiring to work your event. We always recommend tipping the people who literally run around for you to make your day great.
Need a quick tip?
Budget $50-100 tip for each staffer at the wedding. That’s $1,000-2,000 in tips for the 20 staffers working your wedding day. “20 people??!!”, you might say. A 20 person wedding team is actually very common as 10 staffers instantly come from your catering & bar crew. The other 10 staffers are the mix of other vendors hired for the day.
Who should I tip?
This is a personal choice. But here are two questions you can ask yourself when deciding tip amounts for each vendor.
Which vendors do the most running?
Caterers and staffing company: Just like US food service, this is culturally required
What everyone sees: They’re serving food during cocktail hour, dinner, and dessert.
What typically isn’t seen: They’re moving heavy items and setting up the space to match your unique vision. AND moving those heavy items back to the venue’s original set up so couples don’t get charged at the end of the night.Planners: I can honestly say I get 20,000 to 30,000 steps (8-12 miles!) anytime I work a wedding 🤣. Us planners are making last minute store runs, correcting wardrobe malfunctions, setting up the ceremony area, helping with last minute florals and centerpieces, tracking down late vendors, making quick decisions and stepping in where possible if vendors don’t show…. trust me. It happens! Plus tidying the bridal suite so you can enjoy the dance party and still exit the venue in time. Basically doing THE MOST.
Photographer/Videographer: Turning into acrobatic contortionist and running all over the place to get the right shots. Literally on their feet the entire day while carrying heavy cameras and lighting equipment. OOF. That deserves some recognition.
Which vendors do the least running?
Bartender: Pretty stationary. BUT if you have an open bar that requires lots of cocktail making, that can be very demanding on the body. If you allow a tip jar at your wedding, your guests may also give gratuity throughout the night.
DJ: Pretty stationary. BUT they often move their heavy equipment in and out of the venue so you get the party you always dreamed of on your wedding day.
Hair & Makeup: Pretty stationary. But do you have one artist working on your 10 person bridal party? Or are they only responsible for 1-2 people? Keep that in mind as you decide how much tip to provide. We generally see MUAs receive 15-20% of the service price.
Officiant: They take center stage and have a very important role. But their job ends after they pronounce you married. In fact most are only onsite for 1hr. A gift or donation to their religious institution is very common.
Entertainers: Depends largely on who you book and if they’re there for 1 hr or 10 hrs. Dance entertainers will always work the hardest as they’re giving their all on the dance floor. Same goes for live bands who work up a major sweat playing under the lights.
What if I don’t have the cash for tips after we just spent so much on the wedding?
Here are great options that your vendors will surely appreciate
Glowing reviews & recommendations! Reviews go a long way to helping businesses reach new prospective clients and increase our credibility.
A gift or a token of your appreciation - maybe unopened bottles of wine from the wedding, or useful swag you get from connections at work. You can never go wrong with something tasty and delicious.
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We’re so excited you’re on your way down the aisle!
