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Tipping Vendors

[Deleted User][Deleted User] member
First Comment First Anniversary
in Michigan-Grand Rapids
I've noticed that tipping vendors seems to vary by region so I thought I'd ask on the local board: did you tip your vendors?

I was reading an article that said don't tip if it's built into the contract (ie. my reception venue charges 20% "gratuity" or "service fee") and you don't have to tip if the person is the owner of the business.

My MOH said that when she got married they didn't tip any of the vendors, what have you done/what do you plan on doing?
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Re: Tipping Vendors

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    jhaga1513jhaga1513
    First Comment
    edited June 2012

    I was shocked when my MOH told me about tipping etiquette at a wedding. A big added expense that no one thinks of when they first start planning.

    I'm planning on tipping: 
       -limo driver $30-$40
       -DJ $40-$50
       -ceremony musician $25
       -ceremony AV guy $25
       -Hair Stylist and Make Up Artist 15%-20% each (only 10% at the trial appts)

    I'm torn on tipping the flower delivery people. You pay a delivery fee on top of the floral fee so this seems excessive to me, but I don't want to come across stingy or ungrateful either. I probably will but keep it around $10-$15 per delivery person.

    I am not tipping anyone who owns their own business (ex. photographer) or anyone at the reception as gratuity is already charged. I also will not be handing over their envelope of cash if they don't live up to their contract on the big day. I don't expect this though as I am pretty pleased with all my vendors thus far.
      

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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] member
    First Comment First Anniversary

    jhaga, I agree with you!  Your amounts are feasible.  Normally when I think tip I think 20% which means I'd have to give my DJ $125!  Some people I've seen posting on other boards say it accounts for $1000+ in their wedding budget!

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    dogsandfrogsdogsandfrogs member
    5 Love Its First Comment
    When we got married 2 weeks ago, we didn't have a flat rate we provided tips on and kind of went on a case by case basis.

    Our caterer did not include gratuity in their fee (one of the few who don't!), so we gave them about 18% of our final bill as a tip (we had a plated dinner; you can generally tip a little less if you're doing buffet style and the staff is just switching out food trays).

    We had a limo for 2 hours, and we tipped the driver $40.  Technically that was only 10% of the bill, but they were already getting some of the "service charge" (we checked) and most of our research said that about $20 an hour for anything short of one of the stretch Hummers was normal.

    We had a string quartet play at the ceremony, and we tipped them $40, $10 a person.  It was a little overkill, but they're all students, and I have been in their shoes, so I felt like being a little generous there.

    I tipped my hair and makeup person 20% at both the trial and the day of.  It's partially out of habit, but also because she really did a fabulous job.

    We didn't have our flowers delivered, we picked them up ourselves, so there was no tip there.  We also didn't tip the photographer or the venue coordinator as they're the business owners.  We also didn't tip the bartender, but only because our venue coordinator assured us that the entirety of that "service charge" was gratuity towards her.
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