We all know that weddings can get real expensive, real quick! When budgeting, it can be easy to forget to factor in funds to tip wedding vendors. While gratuities are usually built into most vendor contracts, this isn’t always the case.
Not sure when it’s necessary to tip? Worried about committing a faux pas on your big day? Don’t worry – Check out our complete guide to which vendors you should tip (and how much) on your wedding day.
Hair & Make-up Artist(s)
Your glam squad might be up at 4:00 AM to prepare your bridal party for an early morning ceremony or pre-nuptial group photos – that fact alone is a reason to tip! Consider their expensive tools and equipment, plus the beautiful artistry they’re sharing. We recommend tipping hair and makeup between 15-20%.
Wedding Officiant
Wedding officiants don’t operate like the rest of the vendors on this list. Some will not charge a set fee for their services but expect you to donate to their church or organization. They will most likely suggest an amount. The donation can range from $50 to $500 (but expect it to be on the more expensive end if your officiant is associated with a house of worship).
Catering Staff (Servers, Bartenders, Chefs, Etc.)
Many catering companies include a service fee in their contract, so double-check before taking out your wallet to tip. If gratuities are not included in their fee, then check out this tipping breakdown:
- Wedding Venue/Catering: Tip 15-20% percent of the total bill.
- Reception Waitstaff: Your contract will usually include gratuity for reception staff. If not, tip 15-20% of the total food bill for the staff at the end of the evening.
- Reception Bartender: Tip 10% of the total liquor bill at the end of the evening.
Florists, Photographers, Videographers, and Wedding Planners
Many of the vendors in this category run their own business, so tipping isn’t necessary. They’ve already set their prices, so don’t feel like you NEED to tip unless you want to! But, for all those in this category that do not own their own business, you could tip between 10-15%.
Delivery Staff
You’d tip your pizza delivery guy, so why wouldn’t you tip the person delivering your wedding cake? A small cash tip ($5 to $10) for those making deliveries on your wedding day is a nice gesture.
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Musicians/DJ
It’s common to tip wedding DJs around 15%, especially if they’re doubling as the MC. While musicians don’t usually expect tips, you can choose to tip $25 per musician.
Transportation
No matter how you’re getting around on your big day (are horse-drawn carriages still a thing?), your transportation vendor will usually include gratuity in their fee. If not, the normal tip suggested is 15-20% of the bill. Leave it with them after your last ride to thank them for their service.
For the most part, tipping your wedding vendors is not expected. If you want to show your appreciation (but tipping isn’t within your budget) these gestures cost next to nothing:
- Write a thank-you email or send a handwritten note
- Post a 5-star review online
- Share photos of their work to add to their portfolio
- Tag them in your photos on social media and give them a kind shout-out
Going out of your way to share your positive reviews will be SO appreciated by your wedding team and may help them book future clients. Sharing your positive vendor experiences could be more lucrative than your cash tip!
This is a helpful article but as a musician myself, your comment that musicians don’t accept tips should be removed. We are actually not paid very much and generally if the band goes above and beyond to really set the vibe of the evening couples do tip. Could I ask that you kindly change that statement as this is a very popular site and that advice is misguided.
said with love,
Alicia
Thanks very much for your constructive input, Alicia. We indicated that musicians don’t typically *expect* (rather than accept) tips. We definitely agree that musicians (or all vendors for that matter) will accept tips =)
I definitely agree, musicians should most certainly be tipped! their long hours are them practicing your music, mastering their skills, and quite often bringing their own gear. musicians are at the TOP of the list for tipping.