Tipping Vendors

ujocdeelovely · August 2012

Hi Ladies!

Just curious on how you are going about tipping your vendors? I know for the hall our tips are included in the price given but how about your DJ, Photographer, and Florist? I was considering tipping $100 per vendor. Is that too much/too little?

TIA!

StephBeanWed61502 · August 2012

I've seriously never heard of tipping the florist - delivery and all that jazz is generally rolled into the price around here.

As for the DJ and the photographer, I think it makes more sense to do a percentage of the price than a flat dollar amount (I've seen anywhere from 5-15% recommended on various websites). Also, you only have to tip vendors who work for others - if your photographer is self-employed, for example, you wouldn't tip her, since as the owner of the company, all of the profits go to her anyway. You would, however, tip an assistant if she brought one.

StephBeanWed61502 · August 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_chit-chat_tipping-vendors-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:14Discussion:f9a614a5-e801-49ea-b387-0504ed206055Post:5e86bd14-607c-4662-b9b3-775e464cd11e">Re: Tipping Vendors</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Tipping Vendors : This is also a point that's up for debate. Plenty of people tip owners because of how they view a tip. In my world a tip is a thank you for providing a service above and beyond expectations so I would tip a business owner if he or she went beyond my expectations.
Posted by LingerLonger1[/QUOTE]

I do agree with this, and we're planning on tipping everyone on Saturday regardless of who owns what (assuming they remain as awesome as they've been up to this point.). I guess what I was trying to say was that it's not "expected" in the same way that it would be if the person wasn't self-employed.

achiduck · August 2012

You should tip based on service. $100 may be an enormous tip for some vendors and not big enough for others. I would do it based on percentages and how good you feel the service was. You don't have to tip them on the day of the wedding. You can send a tip afterwards with a thank you card.

allychase · August 2012

Ugh.... I'm already paying so much I can't imagine paying any more. I just don't understand the point if you are willing to pay more for a better service why pay even more after they've done their job? Honestly 850 dollars for the DJ to play music off his ipod for 4 hours... they don't need any more in addition to that. I get that if the DJ works for someone else they dont get it all, but even if he ends up making 100 dollars an hour.... yeah... I can live with that. I'm sure I'm in the minority on this one but I can't help but feel that way.

allychase · August 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_chit-chat_tipping-vendors-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:14Discussion:f9a614a5-e801-49ea-b387-0504ed206055Post:2d6d43a9-7c4d-431e-8ebc-a702850e4db1">Re: Tipping Vendors</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Tipping Vendors : How do you feel about tipping waiters and waitresses? If you can't afford to tip properly don't hire the more expensive vendors. And do you honestly think the DJ is making $100 an hour?
Posted by LingerLonger1[/QUOTE]<div>
</div><div>Typically I'm not racking up a 3000 dollar bill with a waitress, and I know they're paid about 2 dollars an hour and live off tips, so that I have no problem with. I have no idea what a DJ makes but if you're an expert on how much vendors in my town take home, then feel free to enlighten me. I hired a more expensive photographer who owns his own business... So it's up to me if I want to tip him or not, actually.

</div>

QueerFemme · August 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_chit-chat_tipping-vendors-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:14Discussion:f9a614a5-e801-49ea-b387-0504ed206055Post:28fc7389-9bb9-42e4-9dbc-9366ab84c802">Re: Tipping Vendors</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Tipping Vendors : Typically I'm not racking up a 3000 dollar bill with a waitress, and I know they're paid about 2 dollars an hour and live off tips, so that I have no problem with. I have no idea what a DJ makes but if you're an expert on how much vendors in my town take home, then feel free to enlighten me. I hired a more expensive photographer who owns his own business... So it's up to me if I want to tip him or not, actually.
Posted by allychase[/QUOTE]

DJs typically spend hours putting together a playlist, buying music, renting equipment (or paying for it, if they own it), and dealing with drunk guests to come up and demand (request) songs... as well as keeping the reception flowing. It isn't just someone playing music of his/her ipod.

allychase · August 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_chit-chat_tipping-vendors-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:14Discussion:f9a614a5-e801-49ea-b387-0504ed206055Post:73217ad0-ff57-44fc-a8df-e94f6542c465">Re: Tipping Vendors</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Tipping Vendors : DJs typically spend hours putting together a playlist, buying music, renting equipment (or paying for it, if they own it), and dealing with drunk guests to come up and demand (request) songs... as well as keeping the reception flowing. It isn't just someone playing music of his/her ipod.
Posted by cmgilpin[/QUOTE]

<div>I already made the playlist, using songs off of their inventory of songs they already have. There's a no request policy for songs. The company already owns equipment, I can't imagine for as big a business they have why would they would rent equipment every weekend. So that leaves them with showing up and setting up their equipment and speaking every so often while keeping the music going. I'm not saying they stand up there like a zombie, but I'm saying for what I'm paying I don't understand paying even more just because they came and did what they were supposed to. I probably will, just because thats what etiquette states, but it's annoying how tip hungry everyone is nowadays. </div>

QueerFemme · August 2012

So, you made the playlist, but they are putting together the songs.... right? they still had to buy those songs at some point. And, they have to arrange the songs so that the flow together.
Even if they own the equipment, they still have to/had to pay for it.

You aren't just paying for their 4 hours they are there, you are paying for the fact that they invested in the equipment, they know what they are doing, they put together the right combination of songs, so you don't end up with a rap song up against a country song, they mix the music together correctly. They can judge the dance floor, and know if its time to maybe change it up a bit and get the crowd into the music.

For example... I'm a paralegal in a corporate law firm. Our clients don't pay my firm $270.00 an hour for that one hour of my work... they are paying for the years of experience I have, and the fact that I can spit out work product in an hour... and not spend 15 hours researching it first. It's an acquired skill.

As far as tipping goes... I really think that tipping a service provider for a job well done, isn't just driven by etiquette... it's just a nice gesture. It doesn't have to be a huge amount... but, kicking down 50-100 dollars for someone who spent hours preparing and did a great job for you, isn't a bad idea.

JadziaDax · August 2012

Hi Uj- I sent you a PM.

librababy · August 2012

Thank goodness all tip is included with the total price for all my vendors.

I get what alleychase is saying.. if you are already paying these vendors so much money (remember the wedidng industry is marked up ridiculously as it is, it's not regularly priced like a food in a restaurant), why do you then have to turn around and tip them more money on top of the insane amount you are already paying them?

Yes it's a nice gesture to tip but it's not mandatory. Also, I feel that a nice heartfelt note about how you appreciate what they did and how thankful you are could be considered a 'tip' of sorts, no? Remember if they do a good job, you might just recommend them to others, which brings them more busniess, which boosts their earnings. However, if you feel they went above and beyond and made your day EXTRA special, I agree, a monetary tip would be nice.

ujocdeelovely · August 2012

Thank you everyone for the very helpful advise. Gotta love TK!

ujocdeelovely · August 2012

Jadz you have a PM!

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