The planning is over, the dress is zipped tight, and you’re awaiting the anticipated walk down the aisle; but not so fast! There’s one last thing to do. Tips!
Am I supposed to tip?
How much do I tip?
Help me Fairy Godmother!
It may seem odd for other counties, but in America, tipping service providers is quite common. In fact, not tipping would probably make most of us cringe a little. Be sure to tip all the great people who have been by your side for the last several months or more! Through the process of planning a wedding, you meet many people and vendors and eventually develop an entire team. This team then, works very hard to help plan your important day, dotting I’s, crossing t’s, wiping away tears, and responding to late night emails. ?
It is common knowledge that you tip your cab driver, the server at your favorite restaurant, and your hairdresser (goodness knows, she’s a lifesaver). However, did you also know that it is customary to provide a tip to your wedding team? Who makes up your “wedding team” anyway? Your wedding team is composed of your photographer, videographer, wedding planner, caterer, officiant, and others. You may see a line in the contract for gratuity from your caterer and bartender (be sure the doublecheck), but most other vendors do not include tips in their fees, so read on.
It is expected to have some cash on hand to pay a gratuity to all the folks on your A-team (W team?). This also includes your Fairy Godmother. Your event producer is like the quarterback of your team. It’s a hard thing to swallow when we’re handing out everyone’s tip envelopes, but ours is absent. Though it may seem like we make magic happen with the steady swish of our wands, the reality is, we work very hard for our clients! We hustle our bustle, that is for sure. ?
Do you have a hair and/or makeup artist getting your already beautiful self, wedding ready? You want to make sure you tip them the same as you would at the salon. If you are not paying for your bridesmaids’ hair and makeup as well, let them know ahead of time what they should expect to pay with gratuity in mind.
Photo by Left Coast Design Studio
Yes! Your officiant is part of your wedding team. If your officiant is a member of the clergy, your local church congregation, you may not be able to tip him or her directly, but you could make an additional donation to the church itself. It may feel a little overwhelming, but have no fear. This is precisely the kind of thing wedding planners and event producers are supposed to assist with. We will lay it all out for you and tell you exactly how this works and how to go about tipping all the very important behind-the-scenes people who have crafted your perfect day.
Other vendors to remember might include:
Musicians
Driver or Valet
Florist
Rental staff
Customary gratuity rules will be different for each person or vendor. There are so many creative partners involved in making your day top notch. Ultimately, who to tip is up to the bride and groom. We will help guide you through this process and advise you on how much. If you feel like any particular vendors went above and beyond for you, feel free to also add a personalized Thank You note. Those little touches are big!
It should go without saying, however, that you should never feel obligated to provide a tip if the service was clearly not up to snuff. If you aren’t sure, just ask your Fairy Godmother.
It is a great idea to have already prepared tip envelopes ready to go ahead of the wedding. Having the appropriate cash organized in advance means that you (or we) can give the money directly to the appropriate person or vendor. This way you’re not panicking at the very last minute.
Weddings do not have to be crazy expensive! But providing a gratuity to your various vendors, your wedding A-Team, is a kind gesture. It is a way to express your gratitude to them for helping you create and carry out all the plans for the ultimate day – one that will be etched in your memory forever.
As professional event producers, it is our job and our pleasure to take the stress and anxiety out of wedding planning. Visit our website to learn more about our wedding and event experts and how we can help make your special day absolutely magical!
