To Tip or Not to Tip

Gratuity Guide for Tipping Wedding Professionals

Tipping is not something that is required but if a wedding professional exceeded your expectations then why not show them a little bit of extra love! But how much do you tip and how do you go about doing it? Place the tip in a sealed labeled envelope which can be given to your planner, coordinator, or a designated person to distribute to your wedding pros on the wedding day.

Wedding Professionals who are typically given tips:

Catering & Servers: Gratuity is usually included in the overall charges for your day. But if it’s not then you will be expected to tip 15 to 20% of the total bill and $20 to $50 per server.

Bartenders: Consider having your guests tip the bartender(s) by placing a tip jar next to the bar. If you decide to do the tipping yourselves then 10-20% of the bar package is recommended.

Wedding Professionals to consider tipping:

Officiant: If this is a friend or family member then a personal gift would suffice as a Thank you. If not, It is typically recommended to tip $50-$100.

Band/DJ: $25-$50 per musician for the band or 10-15% for the DJ.

Transportation: 15% of the total package

For Hair & Makeup Artists: A gratuity of 15-20% of the total price is customary.

Wedding Professionals who welcome tips:

Photographer/Videographer: Although gratuity is not mandatory, if they provided exceptional service, it is appreciated to tip 10-15% of the photography/videography package.

Photobooth/Specialty Vendor that is onsite: $25 - $50 per specialty professional.

Florists: 10-15% is appreciated for this professional.

Wedding Coordinators/Planners: While tips are not required, if the planner/coordinator exceeds expectations, a 10-20% tip is a thoughtful gesture to show appreciation for their exceptional service beyond the contracted duties.

While tipping is something that is not required by most wedding professionals it is something that is greatly appreciated by each vendor that helped to make your day extra special. If you don’t have it in your budget to be able to tip every vendor; there are other ways to make your vendors feel appreciated.

Consider leaving them a glowing review which is something that really helps future clients know how great it is to work with that vendor and reviews are great ways to show appreciation!