Ohio-Toledo

Tipping

I have some questions about tipping. I read on Martha Stewart Online that you need to tip your caterer 15-20%. My caterer does not provide gratutity in my bill. But being somone who is of VERY limited means, and extra $250.00 tip is NOT in my budget.

I even read that you should tip your photographer! And those are SO expensive. Maybe the wear n tear of paying my paycheck completely gone every two weeks is getting to me, but this all just seems a little much.

Can you guys provide some advise on what you tipped or what you plan on tipping? Thanks!
Love knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust. Love still stands when all else has fallen. Corinthians 13:7-8 Wedding Countdown Ticker

Re: Tipping

  • MerinMerin member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    IIRC, we only tipped for exceptional service. So we gave some extra to my DOC and the bartenders (because they were really awesome).  Oh, and the DJ I think.  But none of those were 20%.

    I do think that gratuity was included on our catering bill, though.
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  • rak123rak123 member
    First Anniversary First Comment Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    Gratuity is included in our catering contract, so I don't plan on tipping them.

    I will tip for exceptional service, like Merin did.

    I plan on tipping the photographer because she is very inexpensive and I want to give her a little incentive to get my pictures back to us faster :)  I will probably tip the DJ as well, and the bartender.  Even 10% of the bill seems like a lot...I was thinking more like tipping each $50. 
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  • cschuma2cschuma2 member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011

    Honestly my parents handled tipping everyone that night because we didn't want to worry about carrying the cash and taking care of that.  I'm not sure exactly what they did. 

    I do know that we gave the bartenders a fairly hefty tip and told them that their tip jar had to go away.  I would keep this in mind.  If you don't tip the bartender, or don't tip them enough, they will expect the tips from your guests.

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  • catarntinacatarntina member
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Gratuity for waitstaff (and bartenders) is included in my catering contract also.  It was 20% on top of the per plate price, and then since it was included in the contract, sales tax is on top of the 20%.

    person count * per plate fee * 1.20 (grat) * 1.0675 (tax).  It's actually $80 cheaper if tax is calculated BEFORE gratuity.  I was pretty upset when I found it was calculated after gratuity...

    You should only have to tip the caterer if they are providing you wth a waitstaff for the evening.  If they are, then the waitstaff deserves a tip.  If they aren't, then I wouldn't think you'd need to include one.

    I don't think I'll be tipping the DJ or the photographer. I feel as though I'm already paying them gobs of money to do the service I hired them to do.  Why pay more? The limo driver's tip was included with the contract price as well, but the limo company told me to bring that $60 in cash to hand to the driver, and then contract price minus $60 is what my credit card will be billed.
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  • edited December 2011

    Tip was included with our reception hall/catering.

    I had heard that if the vendor owns their own business, you don't need to tip (unless you want to).  That made sense to me, considering all profit goes to them, unlike if it were an employee of some sort.  For me, this applied to nearly every vendor, so I wasn't too worried about it.

  • edited December 2011
    Thanks so much you guys. My Caterer is not providing waitstaff (phew...) and the grat is included in the limo. So I am going to my bartender and pay my friend for her help with the day of - coordination of the reception... i think. i may tip the DJ too since he was such a steal. But well see how good he is. :) Thanks again for the help you guys!
    Love knows no limit to its endurance, no end to its trust. Love still stands when all else has fallen. Corinthians 13:7-8 Wedding Countdown Ticker
  • edited December 2011
    We paid for the vendor providing service. We only tipped for exceptional service.
  • bethany_dyebethany_dye member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I'm actually a freelance wedding photographer and I have never had someone tip me, nor do I expect them to. So I think it's definitely ok to not tip your photographer :)
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