When you’re looking at your wedding budget, most brides don’t even think about adding in extra money for tipping wedding vendors. In fact, most brides don’t really think about it at all, I know I didn’t, at least until a few days before the wedding that is. And then it was a scramble to figure out who I wanted to tip, how much, and how to get the money to everyone while still doing everything else I needed to do and enjoy our wedding day. So with the economy the way that it is right now, and the amount of money that you’re looking at having to spend on your wedding, you’re probably wondering if tipping wedding vendors is really necessary or not. Here are a few etiquette tips when it comes to tipping wedding vendors, which wedding vendors to tip, and when it’s okay not to give a tip.
Tipping Wedding Vendors – Who to Tip
Tipping is a reward for a job well done for their work on your wedding. A few of the wedding vendors that you need to tip are the officiant of your wedding ceremony, your wedding planner if you have one, any kind of waitstaff or manual labor that you have working during your wedding ceremony, drivers of your limo if you have one, or delivery service for your wedding goods is also a good idea as well. For example, if the bakery making your wedding cake is going to be delivering and setting up your cake for you, you may want to give them a small tip for doing so. Use your discretion, most wedding vendors are willing to go above and beyond for your wedding day, and it never hurts to give them a small thank you for their hard work.
Tipping Wedding Vendors – Who Not to Tip
This is something that you’ve probably been waiting to hear – people you don’t have to pay extra money to. There are some wedding vendors who you probably don’t need to tip. If some particular wedding vendors own their own business, you usually do not need to give them a tip. For example, if your wedding photographer owns his own business, and he is the only photographer on site for your wedding day, then he has already quoted you a fee of what he expects to receive from your wedding day. But if your photographer has a large studio and sends a junior photographer to come and take pictures, then you should give them a tip for their time. If a stylist comes to your home, then give them a tip as you would at a salon, but in general, make up artists and hairstylists who own their own businesses are not tipped. If you are hiring a wedding band, the money is already going right into their pockets, so don’t feel like you have to give extra for that either. Of course, if any vendors have gone over and beyond what was expected of them, it never hurts to leave a tip to say thanks!
Tipping Wedding Vendors – How to Handle it
With everything you have to think about the day of your wedding, worrying about tipping wedding vendors should not be high on your list of priorities. Having a wonderful wedding day is though. Designate someone, a wedding planner, friend or family member to handle the tips before all the wedding vendors go home. If you are unsure about how to handle tipping wedding vendors, you can always ask for help from your wedding planner.
Tipping wedding vendors isn’t usually something that most brides think about when they are allocating money for their wedding out. But just remember that while all the wedding vendors you’re working with are making money off of your wedding, they are also people working for businesses who are working extra hard so that you can have the wedding of your dreams. A little thank you can really go a long way.
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