How much did you/do you plan to tip your vendors

[Hope75]

Hi Ladies,

For those who have already gotten married, and those who are getting married, I'm curious what you tipped/plan to tip your vendors for their services.

Examples are:

Limo driver
Priest
Reception Hall (I think this one may be 'built in' to the contract)
Photographer
DJ
Florist


Just trying to get an idea, is it a certain percentage of what their services cost?

We're doing a package deal that includes the cake, DJ, limo and flowers so I am not sure what the break down even is for each vendor.

Just trying to get an idea of what to add to our budget for gratuity!

[Brian's Bride]

We tipped the following:

Limo - $100 (actually passed the hat for the bridal party, 'cuz we forgot)
DJ - $100
Officiant - $50

I didn't tip the photog (didn't really come to mind, but I'm seeing her on Sunday to pick up my pics) and I detested the lady that ran our reception hall so there was no way in heck I'd tip her. Plus she already added in gratuity and THEN charged sales tax on top of it...

[WebLady]

The only vendors we had were the photographer (a friend) and the minister. We took our friend out to dinner, plus he used my camera and I paid for film and processing and all :p We knew our miniter liked cigars, so we got him a gift set of nice cigars; it was about $30 ... I figure that and the $200 we paid him to come out to the house for the service was pretty good :)

Working as a photograher and a wedding planner myself in the past I have been tipped a few times; once I got $50, once I got $25 and once I got flowers; another time the MOB brought me cookies when they came pick up the wedding album :) I got plenty of thank you cards and emails too.

[tawni8806]

I wouldnt even think to tip the photographer or DJ. I feel as if I am being charged enough, and Im sure it's fixed in there. I may send a thank you card out though. Maybe Ill think of sending a gift card with it.

I am tipping the people who cater my wedding, as well as the minister.

[RebelChick]

this may be dumb... but your supposed to tip them even if your paying them for their services.. ive never ever heard of that

[sweetvenus]

The general rule of thumb is...if they own their own business, you don't need to tip. But if you are paying a larger corporation, then they don't get all of the money you pay, so you tip. For example, some photographers may own their own business. Some may be part of a studio. Some DJs may own their own business, but some may work out of a company.

[Nekochanpurr]

I don't plan on tipping any of them. :D I think they get paid more than enough for their services. I did take a liking to my officant, though, so i might get her a gift card to a restaurant or something. *^^*

[WebLady]

The way I see it the whole tipping thing isn't so much a matter of who owns the business or how much you are paying them, but more so what they did for you ... I would only consider tipping someone if they did an exceptional job and showed they really cared/went above and beyond what they were paid for kind of thing ;)

But tipping is not required and vendors don't usually expect to be tipped (except maybe wait staff and bartenders and such) so just play it by how well they do for you and if it is in your budget to do so.

You all should also remember that tips don't have to be monetary; vendors love a good review that may help them get another client ... so a nice thank you card or letter would be great if you feel like doing something and can't or don't want to tip them :grinhappy:

[TangoWedding]

We tipped our bartender $50....my hair/make-up lady $50....and everyone else (DJ, photographer & venue planner), we got them a bottle of our favorite wine.

[FirechickBride]

Firetruck-None we both Firefighters
Firehall reception: $1,000 (darn price for drinks)-tip bartenders prob $50 cause they having a tip jar already out
Photographer: 100 if he lets us-he photos models and in magazines and friend to family
dj-pends how well it goes
officiant: 50