Your Cheat Sheet to Tipping Wedding Vendors
Just when you think you’ve accounted for every imaginable wedding expense, there is one fee you may have forgotten: tipping wedding vendors. The majority, if not all, of your vendors generally receive some sort of gratuity or tip. Since many of these can be done in cash, it is easy to lose track of how much is spent, be sure and budget for gratuity and taxes.
Tipping wedding vendors (from photographers and florists to caterers and DJs) is expected, and it will serve as a thank-you for a job well done. But who, when, how much – can all be confusing! After spending 20 years in the wedding business, we can help you break it down!
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Wedding DJ
Offering a 10 to 15 percent tip is a nice gesture to your wedding DJ. Think about it, they kept your night running smoothly, made all the announcements, packed the dance floor and likely carried a lot of heavy equipment from one location to the next!
Photographer and Videographer
Giving your main wedding photographer & videographer an extra $50 to $200 is a nice gesture at the end of the evening. If there are two or three shooters, giving a $50 to $100 tip to each person is optional, too!
Officiant
Often times officiants won’t accept tips, but a donation to their church is a great way to thank them.
Ceremony and Reception Staff
It’s not mandatory to tip the ceremony staff, reception staff and delivery staff, but if you’d like to, then you can offer them $20-$50 each.
Catering
If your contract doesn’t include gratuity, you should tip 15 to 20 percent of the total bill.
Hair and Makeup
A 15 to 20 percent tip is expected, just like it would be for any other regular salon visit.
Transportation
A 15% tip is optional if it isn’t included in the contract.
Florist
The florist doesn’t expect a tip. However, if you want to show your appreciation, you can consider giving them a 10% to 15% tip.
Other Ways to Show Appreciation
Your wedding vendors are excited for your wedding day too! After helping throughout the planning process, and perfectly capturing your vision, it is nice to show them thank you for a job well done. In addition to tipping, there are plenty of ways to thank your wedding vendors for being part of your day, in non-monetary ways.
Write a Note
All vendors (especially in the wedding industry) love knowing we helped make your day extra special – so tell them! Send an email or a handwritten thank-you note. You can also send your vendors ‘thank-you’ notes when sending them to your wedding guests – remember to send those out within two months of your wedding!
Leave a Review
Think back to a prior to your wedding, when you were researching and booking vendors. Remember how valuable reading reviews was? Wedding vendors value your feedback, and so do other couples planning their weddings. Post a review on The Knot, Google, Zola, or WeddingWire! This is a great way to say ‘Thank You’ for their hard work and you can’t put a price on a positive review!
600+ Five-Star Reviews
The Knot Hall of Fame
15 years straight
Wedding Wire Couples’
Choice Award
10 years
Detroit-Area Venues and
Wedding Professionals
Referrals
When your wedding day goes off without a hitch, you have a team of vendors to thank for that! You got to experience their professionalism, punctuality, and expertise – so refer them to your friends and family! This is a great way to show your vendors ‘thanks’!
Small Gifts
Is your love language gifts? Consider sending the vendors who went above and beyond a small gift as a token of your appreciation. Fresh flowers, baked goods from local businesses, or personalized keepsakes are always a great option!
The Mike Staff Productions Guarantee
At Mike Staff Productions, we trust that you’ll choose the perfect person to work with because you know what you want on your wedding day! There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all wedding photographer, DJ or videographer – we get that, that’s why we invite you to be a part of the planning process.
Let’s bring your wedding vision to life!
Mike Staff is the founder and CEO of Mike Staff Productions, one of the most highly acclaimed wedding services companies in the country, providing award-winning Wedding DJs, Wedding Photographers, and Wedding Videography for over 25 years.
