When planning a wedding, it can be stressful figuring out the tips you need for various wedding vendors. Some wedding venues have all-inclusive packages, so read your contracts first because gratuities may already be included in the bill. You can also have extra cash on hand for vendors that go above and beyond on your special day.
Work closely with your wedding planner to determine the preferred payment methods to avoid miscommunications with the wedding vendors. Tips can quickly eat into a wedding budget, but we will go over the standard practices for tipping every kind of wedding vendor. Continue reading to learn how much you should tip wedding vendors.
Caterer and Wait Staff
Unlike restaurants, wait staff at weddings do not depend on tips, but if you feel like their service went above and beyond, there is nothing wrong with giving them that kind of gesture. Primarily, gratuities for catering services are included in the contract. Double-check your contract first and go from there to determine your tip budget for catering.
Tip amounts for caterers and wait staff at full-service wedding venues should be 15 to 20 percent of the total bill. Another way you can calculate the whole tip is by allocating at least $50 per chef and roughly $20 per waiter or waitress.
Officiant
If your officiant is a clergy member, they may not be able to accept a tip for officiating at the wedding. However, you can donate a few hundred dollars to their parish if you want. For non-clergy officiants, a $50 to $100 tip is appropriate. Ceremony fees are collected just before the wedding in most cases. If you forget, find a responsible adult and hand them an envelope with the cash to give to the officiant.
Photographer and Videographer
Tipping a photographer or videographer at elegant wedding venues is entirely optional. The majority of wedding photographers do not expect to be tipped. Most of the time, photographers and videographers own their own businesses, so their regular fee amounts have calculated a tip into the package.
However, if you have multiple photographers assigned to photograph the wedding, they most likely work for a studio. If you feel inclined, you can allocate 10% of the package fee or up to $200 to tip your photographer and videographer. You can send them the tip amount after the wedding. Again, please do not feel like you have to tip these wedding vendors because a tip for them is optional.
Wedding Planner
Your wedding planner is another vendor that will not expect a tip from you. If you notice that the wedding planner goes above and beyond to ensure you have the perfect venue for your wedding, you are welcome to give them a 10% tip at the reception.
A non-monetary way to tip them is by sending them a personal thank you note with a few professional photos from your wedding to add to their portfolio. If they have an assistant, you can give them a $50 tip if they worked hard to ensure your special day went as smoothly as possible.
Hair and Makeup
Like at a hair salon, the typical tip amount equates to about 20% of the total bill, but it can be anywhere from 15 to 25 percent. Slip them their tip right when they have finished dolling you up for your special day.
The Band
If you have individual musicians in the band, giving everyone $25 tips is a nice gesture, but these tips are optional. For DJs, check your contract to see if the gratuity is included in the overall cost first. If it is not, assign someone you trust to give them a 10 to 15 percent tip at the end of the reception. Again, tips for these wedding vendors are optional and will be up to your discretion if they exceed your expectations.
Baker
The wedding cake is often the central feature at every outdoor wedding reception venue. If your baker did a magnificent job with the cake, you can send them a thank you card with $100 or a 10 to 15 percent tip after the wedding. Bakers do not expect a tip, so do not feel obligated to do so.
Florist
Like bakers, florists do not expect a tip when working at elegant wedding venues. If you absolutely loved how they put together your floral arrangements, feel free to send them a thank you card with $100 or a 10 to 15 percent tip after the wedding. Do not feel like you have to. Only tip the florist if you feel inclined to do so.
Conclusion
We wish you the best of luck with your wedding planning. With this cheat sheet, we hope all your wedding vendor tip questions have been answered. If you are still considering options for your wedding venue, look no further than Eden Gardens. We are one of Southern California’s premier beautiful outdoor wedding venues, and we can make your special day everything you ever dreamed it would be. Call us and take a tour of our elegant wedding venue today.