Do I Tip My Day Of Coordinator?

mochapj

Hi ladies,
     I'm a bit confused.

I hired a day of wedding coordinator to make sure that my family and I didn't have to deal with vendors and deliveries day of.  All of the other pre-planning in the last 10 months I have done myself and this woman is really just coming in to supervise.

The coordinator I hired is also the owner of the company.  Am I expected to tip her for her services, and if so, how much?

Thanks,
P.

Avion22

If she owns the company, you don't HAVE to tip her, but if she goes above and beyond then it's fine to tip her if you wish.

achiduck

I've hired a DOC that owns her own company. We decided to go the more traditional route and get her a gift. So we've purchased 3 really nice bottles of wine from a couple of our favourite wineries that have special meaning to us.

aragx6

Mine will be there for the rehearsal and the day of and will get a full meal at both (and she owns the company) Unless she really goes above and beyond we won't be tipping her.

Avion22

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_do-i-tip-my-day-of-coordinator?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:4c4f36b6-470d-4a2e-984c-63e59998f0e6Post:b7df3805-467e-4910-b3f5-c6240a374c39">Re: Do I Tip My Day Of Coordinator?</a>:
[QUOTE]I've hired a DOC that owns her own company. We decided to go the more traditional route and get her a gift. So we've purchased 3 really nice bottles of wine from a couple of our favourite wineries that have special meaning to us.
Posted by achiduck[/QUOTE]

<div>Wine is a good idea, but I would hestitate to give it to anyone who I don't know well. A lot of people don't drink alcohol (for religious, personal, or medical reasons), and that would make wine an awkward gift.   </div><div>
</div><div>For most business owners, a good review on a site like Wedding Wire is tip enough.</div>

Cortney1982

I don't plan on tipping mine.  She set her price, it's her own company.

iriscarmendiaz

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_do-i-tip-my-day-of-coordinator?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:4c4f36b6-470d-4a2e-984c-63e59998f0e6Post:232a65f0-e729-4d6b-8e1c-90a04a2046c0">Do I Tip My Day Of Coordinator?</a>:
[QUOTE]Hi ladies,      I'm a bit confused. I hired a day of wedding coordinator to make sure that my family and I didn't have to deal with vendors and deliveries day of.  All of the other pre-planning in the last 10 months I have done myself and this woman is really just coming in to supervise. The coordinator I hired is also the owner of the company.  Am I expected to tip her for her services, and if so, how much? Thanks, P.
Posted by mochapj[/QUOTE]

Hi,

Generally speaking, people who give a service deserve a tip. Normally I would say don't bother if they work for themselves (especially if they set super high prices) .

However, for people who go above and beyond the call of duty. Let's face it, things always go wrong at weddings. If he/she has to fix them (and does it well) that's a tip well deserved.

DramaGeek

Nope, no need.  I'm a DOC and I never expect a tip.

TurtlesAllTheWayDown

I tipped mine. She runs her own business, but she also had an assistant, and for the two of them it was a great price.

She was really strictly day-of, and my venue is normally a restaurant, so she didn't have to set up tables or place settings. We also dropped off all of our decorations a few days prior. But she set up signs to the chapel, the escort cards, the centerpieces and other decor, and coordinated the vendors who needed to be there setting up, like the cake baker and the DJ.

I also would have been lost without her. She told us when it was time for dinner, to cut the cake, to do the first dance. When the DJ had the wrong song for the first dance, she went over and made sure he downloaded the right one (since she knew what it was supposed to be). There were so many people pulling me in so many directions that I'm convinced it would have been 10pm before we cut our cake otherwise!

mochapj

I already have money put aside in the budget for if she goes above and beyond.  

The reason I ask is because our wedding venue comes with its own event coordinator because it is a Relais & Chateau country inn.  The venue's coordinator works with all of the internal setup of the food, room, placecards, decor etc.  

The day of coordinator was just hired to wrangle all of our outside vendors, of which there is a DJ, florist and late night dessert vendor.  I don't see how much going above and beyond that could possibly be.  

If I do tip her, can someone suggest what would be an appropriate %?  Her fee was $800.