Tipping

barnanimal

A few questions regarding tipping:

How much should we tip the DJ? Photographer? Ceremony musician? Any ideas?

Also, the girl who handles events at the venue has been terrible throughout our whole process. From not getting back to us, lying to us, etc. it has been a disaster, which we knew going into it but really wanted the venue. They tack on a 20% service fee with everything as well as a bartender fee for our open bar. What is expected as far as tipping them? Honestly I don't think they deserve another penny but am curious what others have tipped. Thanks!

cackin

Ha, I came on this board looking for the same advice.  We are getting married in San Francisco in a few days and are also being charged for service (a flat amount that, when you work through the #s, equals about 26% of the costs we are paying for the venue, food/drink and rentals), although it's just a staffing fee and does not include gratuity, so we are going to tip all of the staff.  We didn't know what to do so we asked our venue manager for tipping guidance.  She offered the following suggestions (none of which are for the folks you list above, but FWIW):

Catering staff:
1 account executive – suggested $50
1 event manager – suggested $50
3 captains – suggested $40
8 wait staff – suggested $40
2 bartenders – suggested $40
1 Lead chef – suggested $40
4 Party chefs – suggested $40

Reception venue staff:
1 Party Manager – suggested $50
2 house managers – suggested $50
1 coat checker – suggested $40

Re. the personnel you asked about (DJ, Photographer, Ceremony musician)--we are not tipping anyone who owns their own business because 100% of what we are paying for their services goes to them.  Therefore, we're not tipping the photographer, but we will tip her assistant/second shooter, and we will tip both the DJ and his assistant.  Our ceremony and reception are in the same venue and we're using the DJ for ceremony music as well, so we have no separate ceremony musician.  We're thinking of $100 for the DJ and $50 each for the Photography second shooter and DJ's assistant.

Maybe ask your venue manager (sorry that she is terrible) whether the 20% service fee includes gratuity or whether that is just a staffing charge?  Even if she's awful, she probably would have guidance on this topic for the other staff members--you don't have to tip her if you don't want to, tips are generous and for good service!