tipping who and how much?

rse1221 · May 2010

Hi ladies,

I am trying to get myself organized and figure out tipping. Anyone know what the etiquette is in terms of which vendors I am supposed to tip and how much? Is it a percentage or a flat amount?

Thanks! :-)

Jane_Birkin · May 2010

there is a tipping guide somewhere on the knot site. i was reading it the other day but now i can't find it for you! you may have to dig for it.

CAEid · May 2010

Tipping is completely discretionary, but here's a guide:
Band Members - $40 - $50 each
DJ - 10% (or $150 - $200)
Organist/Church Musicians/Strings - $20/$25 each per hour
Altar Servers - $25 each
Photographer (Main) - $150 - $200
Photorapher (2nd/Assistant) - $100
Video - same as above
Hair/Makeup - 15 - 20%
Transportation - 15 - 20% (see if included)
Maitre'D - $3 - $5 per guest
Bridal Attendant - $100 - $150

alisonz · May 2010

every single one of my vendors is self-employed. and many of them have a very hefty fee, which they are obviously getting 100% of... do I still need to tip those vendors?

julezlee · May 2010

Typically, you only have to tip those who aren't self employed. But, I ended up tipping self employed vendors because I liked them so well and they did such a good job.

Jane_Birkin · May 2010

also, if you aren't sure whether you want to tip someone, you can also send them a gift card or Amex gift check after the wedding as a way to say thank you, with a nice note about how much you appreciated them. a testimonial they can use to attract other clients is also very useful.

MrsKocal · May 2010

Please do not go by the self-employed = no tip rule. I am a self-employed bellydancer and thankfully 90% of my clients do not follow that rule and tip me. A tip is extra $ for a job well done - if someone does a good job, it shouldn't matter whether or not they own the company. Either way, they are getting a set fee for their service (whether it be directly from you, or from their boss) so a tip is an extra bonus for doing their job well.

If you liked the service, a tip is appreciated. I think that's the best rule to follow.

alisonz · May 2010

thanks Mrs. Kocal!

slbriz34 · May 2010

Er, while I generally tip all the time, given that many jack up their services particularly for weddings, often times when the services do not differ much from a regular day requiring the same thing, if a person is tight with their budget or isn't inclined to, then I don't think not tipping someone self employed is really an issue. This is especially the case when looking for hair/make-up services, limo services, etc., that instantly have a higher price when the word "wedding" is attached.

Most of my vendors are self-employed; some I won't know the full quality of their work until after the day (ie: photographer and videographer), so I'll hold off on any issue of tipping. My hair stylist, also self-employed, I will wait and see the final product. She is charging me a bit more for my MOH even though she won't be having any make-up application, and also she's charging me for her parking, so that'll come out of any tip I would have given (I feel if you market yourself as a traveling vendor, you should cover your cost or have it built into your fee, when applicable).

What I haven't figured out what to do yet is regarding the waitstaff/caterer; my doc will already be gone for the night and I don't want to (nor want a family member) worrying about carrying extra cash for tips. I assume I can send something after the fact and they can make sure it trickle downs to the servers. Has anyone done that?

tipping who and how much?

Re: tipping who and how much?

Choose Another Board

Search Boards