Today, I thought I would give you the ins and outs of tipping wedding vendors. A wedding never goes by without a last minute phone call from the bride, groom, or family member, asking me about tipping wedding vendors. Seriously. It comes up during the planning process every time. It’s also one of those overlooked wedding expenses I told you about last week (you can read about them all here, to see if you left anything out of your wedding budget). And if you happen to be one of my brides, to whom I just sent this link: What up girlfriend! You got this!

Tipping at Your Wedding

In general, the rule of thumb regarding tipping wedding vendors, is that you do not need to tip the owner of the company if they are the one providing the service on the day of your wedding. If the owner of the business brings extra people to help, like assistants or interns, you should tip them according to the quality and value of the service. To help break it down for you, I’ve created this list the help guide you through planning the tipping for wedding vendors at your wedding. That having been said, there’s nothing wrong with a small gift, or even a tip to the owner of a company. They will appreciate it. And, don’t forget the value in leaving a great online review! They are exceptionally important for small businesses in living in the age of Google!

A Breakdown For Tipping Wedding Vendors

Photographers & Videographers. Photographers do not expect a tip, but as with any service, it’s always appreciated. If they are the owner of the studio, you do not need to tip them, if they are not the owner tipping $100-200 in appropriate. Photographer/videographer assistants should be tipped $50-100 each.

Wedding Planners. Wedding planners do not expect a tip. If you received a discount or they went above and beyond their contractual service or provided additional services beyond your contract without charging you, then 10-20% of the service is a great way to say thank you.  You will want to tip any assistants they bring. Amount to tip: $75-100 per assistant. Obviously less, or more, depending on how you felt regarding the service provided. Speaking for myself, I LOVE getting a sweet note, and I really want to be added to you holiday mailing list to stay in touch. I always appreciate an online review (on Google, please!) and a big hug at the end of the night!

Florist. Florists are another wedding professional that does not expect a tip. But if you want to, 10-15% of the total service is appropriate. In addition, it is customary to tip the person delivering your flowers (especially if it is not the actual florist).

Transportation. First, check your contract because gratuity is often included. If it’s not, 10-15% of the total cost is appropriate. Sometimes I factor in $1 per guest.

Caterer. Many caterers have tipping and gratuity built into their contract. So before you make yourself nuts trying to decide who and how much to tip each person working for the caterer, check your contract to see if it tells you. Tip 15-20% of the total bill, and $50-100 to the chef, each server $20-50, and the bartender $100 (or, roughly $1 per guest)

Officiant. If your officiant is from your church, you have most likely already made a donation for the service. An additional gift or donation is not required, but is a nice gesture. If your officiant is donating their services or a family friend (we were married by my best friend and her husband) then a gift is appropriate.

Hair & Makeup. Tip just as if you were going to the salon, 15-20%.

DJs, Band Members, and Musicians. A tip for the DJ is not expected, but if they went above and beyond their contracted service, or you want to thank them for a great time, 10-15%. Band members and musicians, $25-50 per member is appropriate.

“Tipping” Wedding Vendors with Online Reviews

Tipping wedding vendors at your wedding can add a large line to your budget. Do not forget that many in the wedding industry will be thrilled to receive an online review. One that is personal, raves about their services, how much fun and easy it was to work with them to create the wedding of your dreams.

This is one way to provide a thank you that costs only a bit of time. It will go miles when helping a small business. Many wedding professionals are small business owners. An online review via Google, Wedding Wire, The Knot, or Facebook goes miles in helping them to promote their business. It also helps couples in the future to make an informed decisions about the wedding professionals they choose to work with. So, if you really loved a service, tip and review! Trust me. Your vendors will love you for both! Tipping wedding vendors with a positive review is a win for you both!

How to Go About Tipping Your Wedding Vendors

Tipping wedding vendors should be easy. But logistically it can be a challenge on the day of your wedding to get it done. If you are working with a planner, ask them how they prefer to work with tips. When I am tipping for my couples, I ask that they simply place tips for each vendor in an envelope and write on it the name of the vendor/service. I also have them fill out a “tipping worksheet” so that I know who is getting what, and how much I have to give out. This helps me to make certain that I don’t miss anyone. I review the amount in each envelope with the couple and hand them out on the day of the wedding. Sometimes there are certain vendors who the couple want to personally hand the tip to. I simply make sure that I mention to those vendors, “Before you leave, please see the happy couple, I know they want to thank you.” This gives the couple to opportunity to give them their tip, without having to remember, or hunt anyone down. If you haven’t hired a planner, then a trusted friend or family member can do this as well.

I hope you found this guide on tipping wedding vendors helpful. If you’re not getting married in the next few months I know you are going to want to save this information. So go ahead and pin it or book mark it. If you don’t, no worries, shoot me an email. When the times comes, I’ll be happy to help you out with any wedding pain points you encounter! I want your planning process to be amazing! Please take some time to look at the free resources I’ve put on my blog in the “For Bride” category. You will also wanna check me out on Pinterest on my “BWE Planning Tools for Brides Board.”  If you find yourself needing more help, just give me a shout right here!