Wedding/ Tipping Related... Not Vegas Related...

erinkay81

Hmmmm... this may belong on the E board... or the Photog board... who knows. You gals are my go-to though so if you have an idea let me know...
Scenario: photog is a family member who owns a studio in my hometown, Instead of paying him to photograph our wedding we have paid to put up him, his wife, and his assisstant as well as pay for their flights. Depending on who you book this may or may not have been a less expensive route. Either way he was my top pick as a photog and I feel very lucky that he will be able to be there  (he was invited to the wedding as well).
So..... do I tip him as I would a standard vendor? Or since we made payment arrangements through travel/ hotel expenses do I buy more of a "gift" thank you? Say, a gift card to a restaurant in Vegas during their stay? No idea of this one only due to the fact that no $ was exchanged as payment so I'm not sure if it would be strange to tip him. Or I may be overthinking this and should just hand him an envelope with some cash in it!

jennia777

Thanks for putting this question up. I was wondering the same thing. Our photographer from Florida is going up to Vegas with us and we are going to pay for his flight and hotel instead of paying him cash. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to tip him after the trip. Any input would be appreciated.

aegrish

I put gift card.  Only because I feel like giving him a cash 'tip' isn't really a tip since you aren't paying him in the first place, I think it'd be like giving him a cash payment, which you agreed you wouldn't.  I would give a GC if I were you because it'd still be a nice thank you and appreciated by him, but it wouldn't be straight cash.

mhoneybee

I did something similar with my hair dresser.  In exchange for doing hair for myself and my girls we covered her lodging while down in Vegas.  She is also a friend and was coming to the wedding.  I gave her a thank you note with a cash tip inside for her work.  It's still a service even though you bartered.  I figured with the cash she could use it how she wanted.