Tipping Your Wedding Vendors: Top 5 Questions Answered

We get a lot of questions about tipping wedding vendors. Some of the most frequently asked questions include:

• How much should we tip our wedding vendors?
• Do we tip business owners?
• How and when should we give our vendors their tip?
• What’s the difference between a tip and a service charge? 
• Do we HAVE to tip our wedding vendors?

Quite often we are asked who to tip when it comes to wedding vendors. The short answer is basically everyone who goes above and beyond for you at 15%-20%. Tipping is a wonderful way to say thank you, but is by no means mandatory. Tips are meant entirely as a reward for excellent service provided.

Just remember, tips are never obligatory. They are simply a much appreciated expression of thanks. 

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How much should we tip be tipping our wedding vendors?

First, check your contracts! Be sure to confirm that a gratuity has not already been included in your total fees. Some businesses like caterers and transportation companies may automatically include the gratuity, usually 15% to 20% of the total bill, which you pay in advance as a condition of your contract. Be sure to read the contract carefully to avoid accidentally double-tipping. Please keep in mind, however that an Administrative Fee/Service Charge is not the same thing as a tip. That said, even when the gratuity is included, this does not always include everyone working your wedding. Ask your wedding planner to confirm who the tip goes to so you know who is being left out. The coat check, photo booth attendant and valet/parking attendants are some examples. 

If the gratuity or service tip is not included in the contract, here are our guidelines for tipping wedding vendors:

Tipping: WEDDING PLANNER/EVENT COORDINATOR

15%-20% of the total.

Tipping: VENUE/CATERING

15%-20% of the total or tipping a predetermined amount per server.

Tipping: PHOTOGRAPHER/VIDEOGRPAHER

$50–$200 per vendor.

Tipping: BARTENDERS

$25-$50 per vendor

Tipping: CAKE/DESSERT

10%-15%

Tipping: FLORIST/FLORAL DESIGNER

10-15%

Tipping: BAND/CEREMONY MUSICIANS

$20–$25 per musician

Tipping: DJ

$50–$150

Tipping: OFFICIANT

$50-100

Tipping: HAIR AND MAKEUP ARTISTS

15%–25%, depending upon the quality of service

Tipping: PHOTOBOOTH ATTENDANT

$50-$150

Tipping: DELIVERY/SETUP STAFF

$20-50 per person

Tipping: VALET/PARKING ATTENDANT, COAT CHECK, OTHER VENUE ATTENDANTS

$2 per guest/car

What about tipping our wedding vendors if they are the business owner?

Often you will hear, “Don’t tip the owner.” People will tell you that vendor who’s self-employed or is the owner of a business is generally not tipped. This doesn’t hold true with small business owners.

If your photographer owns the studio there are far more expenses that they have to cover just to own a small business, so tipping is very much appreciated. The same doesn’t hold true with bands booked through an entertainment agency. They are working for the agency which covers expenses that a small business owner would have to absorb on their own. So, if your (self-employed) wedding vendor has gone above and beyond from start to finish, and pulled it off flawlessly, you might want to show your thanks with a tip (up to $500, 15% – 20% percent of their fee). Trust us, no one works in the wedding industry to get rich…we all do it because we have a passion for it. We simply love love!

Of course, if cash tips simply aren’t a line item in your wedding budget, there are other ways to tip your amazing wedding vendors. Whether or not you give them a tip, you can always leave a glowing review, recommend them to friends/family, and share your professional photos from the wedding day to use for their website, social media, blog, and other promotional content. These things can be worth way more than cash!

How and when – Tipping our wedding our vendors?

We recommend putting cash tips in envelopes and labeling who they go to. Then you’ll want to pass these off to your wedding planner to pass out when the service has been completed. If you do not have a wedding planner, we recommend assigning someone you trust to get this job done right. 

Is a service charge the same thing as gratuity? 

No, it is not. Again, check your contracts. If you see there is a service charge, you can (and should) ask what that is for exactly. If it does not include gratuity, then that is a separate thing. A service charge is usually referring to administrative fees or maintenance of some sort. 

Do we HAVE to tip our wedding vendors?

Though tipping at weddings has become more of a custom in all service areas, it isn’t mandatory or even expected by most wedding pros. With the exception of the catering staff, tips are considered a nice surprise by almost all vendors.

If you don’t have the money to shell out thousands more on tips, there are a few gestures that will go a long way with your team of wedding pros. Post a glowing review on Google, Yelp, Facebook, WeddingWire or The Knot and tag them in your social media posts. These are great ways to show appreciation and offer something the vendor can use when booking future clients. Even better, refer your vendors frequently to your friends and family — this gesture will go much further than a cash tip!

We hope that this helps you as you budget and plan for your wedding. If you are in need of a planning team that offers everything you need and a great team you’d be happy to tip, contact us for all of our package and pricing info and to book your free initial consultation!