Tip Photographer at Engagement Shoot

Bride939

I was wondering do you give the photographer anything after the engagement shoot. What if he travels to take your pictures, like some in the city and some on the beach? I feel bad just saying thanks and walking away.

FYI: If they do a good job, we do plan to tip him at the wedding.

Thanks for the advice.

Button5807

I have no idea.

You might get a better response over at etiquette or one of the busier boards that have a higher amount of married/engaged ladies on them.

oceana919

First, you might get better/more detailed feedback on the etiquette board or the photography board, if you're interested.

Second, whenever dealing with a vendor providing you a service (from the photographer to your manicurist), you should always tip when they do a good job, typically between 15-20% of the cost of services rendered. This is especially important if they are making the effort to travel to provide you with that service. It's the respectful thing to do and shows appreciation of their services, and provides additional incentive (when working them in the future) to continue providing you with good service.

Acrosthec

I agree with Oceana, but would like to say that tips for photographers (and possibly any other vendor that performs two or more services as part of a "package" etc), I am planning to tip at the end after they've completed all services.  I did not tip my photographer after our engagement pictures, but instead will tip at the end when my contract with them is finished.  For hair/makeup, I may tip after the trial and again after the wedding (haven't decided), but if I do, it'll be because it's easier to divide up the payments in my mind.  It's just simpler for her to say "the trial was $100, the wedding day will be $150" or whatever, and me to tip two separate times.  The photographer did not say "the e-session is $1000 and the wedding is $2000" it was just "your package is $3000 and this includes and e-session and all this other stuff," so it's easier in my mind to just tip once at the end based on the $3000 figure than to try and guess how much the e-session tip should be and then the wedding tip in addition.

If you feel bad about not tipping after the e-session, you could always offer to buy your photographer a meal for travelling, or split the tip yourself between e-session and wedding.  To me it just seems like a hassle, and I wouldn't want to deal with the photographer if they forget they were tipped partially after the e-session or for some reason thought that didn't count towards their total tip, and then gave me crap about shorting them on their tip at the end.

Button5807

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_tip-photographer-engagement-shoot?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:1b861d6e-4fd5-42a3-89aa-176f30bce059Post:37dc119a-6166-422f-859e-ca41822455eb">Re: Tip Photographer at Engagement Shoot</a>:
[QUOTE] then gave me crap about shorting them on their tip at the end.
Posted by Acrosthec[/QUOTE]


I would imagine it would take some big balls on the part of the vendor to do that.

notquiteblushing

Crap, I hope you don't have to tip.  FML

jeanacorina

There's a list somewhere about this stuff...

notquiteblushing

Yeah you'd think all this time on the knot, I would have acquired some knowledge.

Goldlie11

I actually think it depends on who your photographer is.  If he/she is the owner of the business, you don't have to tip because they are keeping the entire amount.  

http://wedding.theknot.com/wedding-planning/wedding-budget/articles/wedding-vendor-tipping-cheat-sheet.aspx

amagwire

Tipping is always optional in these instances.  For me, I will definitely not be tipping my photographers.  I will tell them that I will write reviews, etc for their excellent work.  I feel like recommendations and excellent reviews are a good tip for phtotographers and any wedding vendor.  At this point, the only people I know I will tip are the waitstaff and possibly the band. 

jbwed1

I feel like you should always tip for this type of service. We are having a friend/coworker photograph our wedding (she runs her photography business on the side, and has her masters in photography, etc.) For our engagement shoot (which she gave to us at a very very discounted pkg rate) I gave her a gift certificate to her favorite restaurant as a 'tip.' For the wedding, I will be tipping her 20% of the cost of her services.  I think a gift or tip is always nice and always appreciated. I have heard from some that if you order pics directly from the person, etc, that its' not necessary to tip. I'm not sure how all of that works out, so you may want to check on that.  Those guidelines are foreign to me, so I'm not sure what the reasons are for that...but I'm sure there's a formal guideline somewhere. I'd rather tip than not..especially if they did a great job!

Bride939

Thanks to all of you. I ended up sending a thank you email along with an impromptu large payment towards my contract. I don't think that tipping for every single thing in the contract is the best way to go. I rationalized it to my wedding planner - I don't tip her every time she shows up for an appointment. 

Thanks again.