How much do I tip my wedding vendors?
When it comes to tipping your wedding vendors, it can be hard to keep track of everybody who is part of your big day.
The intent of this post is merely to help you keep track of who may or may not be expecting a tip and what is “standard” in the industry. If you feel strongly opposed to any points laid out within this advice, you do you, boo.
Keep these things in mind when considering who you want to tip and how much:
Prep your tips in advance
Double check wedding contracts (gratuity may already be included)
Tipping is never mandatory unless stated otherwise in a contract
Before moving on, I will say right off the bat that as your photographer/videographer team, we DO NOT expect a tip from you. We are going to go above and beyond for you whether you tip us or not, but of course, a little extra cash is always appreciated.
With that, we’ll dive into wedding vendors that DO expect a tip on your wedding day.
Expected Wedding Vendor tips
Transportation - These are the companies like limo services or your grand exit vehicle. You can expect to tip 15-20% to these vendors. However, don’t be afraid to not tip if your driver is late or if they just don’t do a great job.
Makeup Artists/Hairstylists - Just as if you were going into a salon to get these things done, 15-20% is a pretty standard amount to tip your makeup artists and hairstylists.
Officiant - There are a few factors you should consider when tipping your officiant. One of those factors is whether or not they are part of a religious organization. If you choose to tip in cash, this can amount to $50-100. If they’re part of a church, you can make a donation to the institution they belong to as well, in the ballpark of about $100-500.
Reception Staff - You should always check your contract to see if gratuity is built in (it normally is). If it is not, however, the 15-20% of your overall food/beverage bill is a good starting place.
And now, onto the optional wedding vendor tips, and why you may or may not tip these folks.
Optional Wedding Vendor Tips
Wedding Planner - The list goes on and on when it comes to what your wedding planner did for your big day. They typically price their services to not need a tip. However, if they went above and beyond for you, a 10-20% (up to $500), is a nice token of gratitude
Photographer/videographer - Hey, it’s us! As I stated earlier, we never expect tips from our amazing couples. Also, if anyone tells you it’s standard to tip us 15-20% is out of their mind. Think about it, if you book a $5,000 package, that’s a $1,000 tip. Insane! I won’t lie, you’re going to love working with us, especially when we hype you up on your wedding day. So, if you insist on tipping us, the average tip I’ve received is about $50-200. But keep in mind, this is usually split with any 2nd shooters/assistants that are present on the day as well.
Ceremony Musicians - If you have live music during your ceremony, first of all, go you! As a music fanatic, this is one of my favorite vendors a couple can have on their wedding day. If you’d like to tip these folks, it’s typical to give $15-20 per musician.
Wedding Band/DJ - This is in the optional category even though it’s pretty standard to tip your DJ. However, in my opinion, this is probably the tip that depends on performance the most. Your DJ is the backbone of the flow of your wedding, so if they’re not doing a great job, don’t tip them. Simple as that. However, if they obviously know their shit and gave you that elegant rager you envisioned throughout the entire planning process, feel free to tip them about $50-150.
Florist - Flowers are a huge part of your decor, and they really set the tone for your whole wedding! Your florist knows this and is hopefully taking that into consideration during every step of the process. If you want to express some extra gratitude, go ahead and tip them $50-100.
Again, keep in mind that these are just guidelines. If you REALLY loved a certain vendor and think they deserve a tip that goes above and beyond the industry standard, make it rain, baby.
Free Alternatives To Tipping Your Wedding Vendors
“All right, so what can I do if I don’t tip these vendors?” If you feel bad for not tipping a certain vendor or two, don’t! Your wedding day is about you, and badass couples shouldn’t feel pressured by industry ‘standards’.
Here are a few things you can do in place of a tip that vendors always appreciate (at least I do).
Write a Google review - Think about how you found these vendors in the first place. Was it a venue recommendation, or did you go to your best friend, Google, and search for these vendors yourself? Leaving a Google review for your vendors helps future couples find them just as you did, and could lead to a crap ton of business in the future.
Share photos and TAG the vendor - This is often overlooked by couples after receiving their photos. Although a “Thank you” and a “OMG we freakin’ love our wedding photos”, and even a “WHAT? We love our wedding film… we can’t stop watching!” are very much appreciated, showing our work off to the world via social media and letting people know it was us behind the magic goes a long way.
Referrals - This is probably the biggest gesture of appreciation you can do for a vendor. Word of mouth goes a long way when it comes to small businesses, and a referral could lead to a lot more $$$ than a tip on your wedding day.
What other burning questions do you have about planning your wedding? I’d love to hear in the comments below!