Exactly How Much To Tip Wedding Vendors: A Complete List
Written by Kim Forrest • Photo: Joseph Lin Photography Figuring out how much to tip wedding vendors can be tricky, but wedding tipping is an important way to show your appreciation for your pros’ hard work. To avoid scrambling on the day of, we recommend creating a list of who to tip at your wedding and organizing the cash tips into envelopes well in advance of your wedding day. While it’s extra-nice if you are able to hand the tips to your vendors on your wedding day, it might not be possible (you’re going to be super-busy!). Instead, have your wedding planner or a member of your wedding party be responsible for handing out the tips, which should be handed out after the service is rendered. Another great way to thank your vendors? Write them a review on a site like WeddingWire!
Check out this list to help you decide how much to tip your wedding vendors (note that not all wedding vendors traditionally receive tips!). Hair and Makeup Your hair and makeup pros work hard to ensure that you and your crew look their best—so knowing how much to tip these wedding vendors is important! Hair and makeup pros should receive 15 to 20 percent of their fee.
Catering If you’re wondering how much to tip wedding vendors, your caterer will likely be at the top of the list—food will be a super-important part of your wedding! Usually a caterer’s tip is included in their service fee, but if not, tip 15 to 20 percent of the food bill.
Wait Staff The servers at your wedding will ensure that your guests receive their meals in a timely and efficient fashion. Each server should receive about $20 or more.
Bartenders Bartenders keep the drinks flowing all night long—how much do you tip these wedding vendors? Turns out each bartender should receive 10 to 15 percent of the total bar tab.
Wedding Planner When considering who to tip at your wedding, you might think that your wedding planner requires gratuity. Actually, wedding planners don’t usually receive tips, but if you feel yours went above and beyond, you may tip 10 to 20 percent.
Photographer and Videographer If a photographer or videographer owns their business, no tip is necessary. If that’s not the case and your photographer or videographer works for a larger company, tipping them $100 to $200 is a nice gesture.
Officiant Whether your officiant is affiliated with a house of worship (church, synagogue, etc.) will determine how much to tip these wedding vendors. If your officiant is affiliated with a house of worship, give an additional donation of $100 to $300 to his/her institution. For a civil officiant, you may tip $50 to $100.
Ceremony Musicians and/or Wedding Band If you’ve hired live musicians to perform during your ceremony or reception, each player should be tipped $25 to $50.
DJ Your wedding DJ not only plays music, but often serves as the emcee for the evening—a big role to be sure. When deciding how much to tip this wedding vendor, the rule of thumb is that he or she should receive 10 to 15 percent of the total bill.
Transportation Couples may hire a transportation company to transport themselves, their family members, and/or guests. Oftentimes, the gratuity is included in their fee, but if not, tipping 15 to 20 percent is appropriate.
Delivery Staff It’s important to show appreciation to those who transport important wedding-related items to your vendor—it’s definitely a hard job. For those who deliver floral arrangements, rentals, cake, etc., give $5 to $20 per person.
Other Attendants When thinking about who to tip at your wedding, remember those who are assisting your guests. Give $1 to $2 per guest for restroom and coatroom attendants. For example, if you’re hosting 100 guests, your restroom and coatroom attendants should receive $100 each.
Parking Attendants When it comes to tipping the parking attendants at your venue, estimate how many cars you’re expecting (probably about half the number of guests), and tip the attendants $1 to $2 per car. Guests should not be permitted to give cash tips to parking attendants, since you’ll be covering the gratuity.