THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO TIPPING WEDDING VENDORS

In the hustle and bustle of planning for a wedding, budgeting for tips for all of the vendors that help bring your day together can easily slip your mind. Knowing how much to tip wedding vendors can seem daunting, so we’re breaking it all down here. These are all suggestions, and by no means a requirement.

Wedding Planner / Coordinator

The tip for your wedding planner or coordinator should be 10-20% of their total fee. You can tip your wedding planner or coordinator at the end of your reception or when you return from your honeymoon. Make sure to keep in mind if you worked with someone leading up to your wedding day, and then had an onsite coordinator for the day. This can be split between each individual.

Photographer / Videographer

It is not customary to tip your photographer or videographer if they own their own business, however we still recommend doing so. The recommended tip for a photographer or videographer is $100-$200. You also want to consider whether or not your photographer or videographer will have a second shooter or an assistant with them. If so, it is recommended to tip them $50-$100. You can tip your photographer or videographer at the end of the reception.

Makeup Artists / Hair Stylists

The tip for your makeup artist and hair stylist should be 15-25% of their total fee. You can tip your makeup artist and hair stylist after their services are finished.

Delivery / Setup

The tip for those delivering and setup on your big day should be $5-$20 per person. This would include those who deliver rentals, floral arrangements, cake, chairs, etc. At your wedding rehearsal, you can give labeled envelopes to the person who will be accepting deliveries to distribute as they arrive.

Transportation

The tip for transportation should be 15-20% of their total fee, however, gratuity is often included in transportation contracts. Check your contract to see if it is included before tipping. If not, you can tip your transportation after the last ride of the evening.

Officiant

If your officiant is affiliated with a house of worship, it is customary to make a donation of $100-$300 to their institution. If your officiant is isn’t affiliated with a house of worship, you can tip them $50 at the wedding rehearsal.

Caterer / Waitstaff

The tip for your caterer and the waitstaff is typically $15-$30 per person. You can tip your caterer and waitstaff during setup or after the reception. Some however already include an 18% gratuity, so make sure to look on your agreement with them before tipping.

Stationary / Paper goods

Stationery and paper goods vendors appreciates a tip too, even if it’s small. Typically $25-$50. Especially for full custom invite suite, as they usually we go above and beyond for that service and custom product for their clients.

Bartenders

The tip for bartenders should be 10-20% of your total cost for their services. If you have multiple bartenders, this should be paid per person or split between each. You can tip your bartenders at the end of the reception.

DJ / Band

If you’re just having a DJ at your wedding, they are typically tipped 10-15% of their total bill. If you’re having a band or some other type of live musicians, they are typically tipped $25-$50 per person. You can tip your DJ or band at they end of their service, whether that be ceremony, cocktail hour, or reception.

**PRO TIP**

Have your tips separated into labeled envelopes beforehand and give them to a designated person to hand out. This will make it easier to tip wedding vendors at the end of the night and make it one less thing you have on your mind on the big day!