All About Tipping Your Vendors
Tipping is one of those aspects of a wedding that can sometimes get lost in the shuffle of planning, and one almost EVERY single bride asks about. It is also one of those topics that can be a little awkward to ask questions about. Nobody likes to talk about money, right? Therefore, we decided to answer all of your biggest questions about tipping and put together a little guide for you! All of our TD brides get an exclusive tipping guide; but whether you are a present bride, future bride, or you bestie’s MOH, we hope these tips help you, too!
Who Should You Tip?
In the simplest of answers, you should tip any of the vendors that you feel have done an exceptional job and you want to show your appreciation to. Anyone who has gone above and beyond, that’s what we always say! However, there are a few vendors where it is normally customary to tip. These include your catering service (but keep reading…this is usually included in your final bill), hair and makeup artists, live musicians, transportation service chauffeurs, and bar staff. While this is just a basic list, your wedding may have additional vendors that you would normally tip. Again, think about who has just really gone above and beyond their contracted services to make your day wonderful.
Who Should You Not Tip?
While tips are always extremely appreciated by your vendors, there are a few instances where tipping is not necessary or customary. One of these situations is when tips are already included in your payment for their service (ie. catering and floral). While preparing your tips, make sure to look through your vendor contracts to see if gratuity is already included. Since your planner handles your contracts, they will be able to confirm with you who you will be tipping.
How Much Should You Tip?
This always seems to be the golden question and people choose to tip a ton of different ways. We always have people asking how much they should tip their vendors and to be honest, there is no real answer. The purpose of tips is to show your appreciation for a job well done. Therefore, let that be your guide for how much you choose to tip. However, it is very common for people to tip their vendors similarly to how you tip for any other service. This would be between 10-20% of the cost of the service is often an appropriate tip. That being said, a flat rate is often more appropriate for some vendors. Go with your gut here, but always know your planner is available as a sounding board.
A Few Things To Remember
Like we previously said, there are a million things going on on your wedding day, and it’s easy for things to get lost in the shuffle (enter the importance of having a planner!). The last thing we want is for your tips to be all ready and not make it to their intended destinations. While you can always send your tips out after the wedding if you need to, it is much more appreciated and considerate to get them to your vendors at the end of your wedding. Therefore, we suggest hitting up the atm and getting your tips divided up and ready the day before your wedding. Put this on your pre-wedding checklist so you don't forget to get it done, as it is often forgotten. Then get them to your planner so they can distribute them to your vendors and take care of it for you!
Have any more questions about tipping your vendors? Leave them in the comments below!
Photographer | Rustic White Photography
Floral Design | Bowman and Clark
HMU | Claudia Mejerle
Paper Goods | Meredith Mejerle
Cake | Classic City Confections
Venue | Summerour
Gown | “Leo” by Sarah Seven