Tipping Vendors

[Marksbride]

I'd like to start making the envelopes out for our vendors.
Just curious how much everyone tipped their vendors?

For reception:
DJ (4 hrs)
2 bartenders
someone helping serve food

Any input would be helpful.

[Heather]

Ugh. My husband went overboard but I'll post anyway. Don't use this as a reference, lol. Oh - Feb has an awesome tipping guide for weddings that she sent to me before my wedding. If she still has it, I'm sure she would pass it on. I don't think I have it any longer.

DJ - 6.5 hours (ceremony & reception)

• He owns his own business so you're technically not supposed to tip. If a DJ works for a company, then you do tip.
• Mike - tipped him $100 in addition to the $850 fee

BagPiper - 1 hour, before ceremony

• Owns business himself, not supposed to tip
• Mike - tipped him $50 in addition to the $150 fee

Bartenders - were included with reception fee

• We had a full open bar all night, they rec'd salary plus tips from guest
• Mike - gave all three of them an additional $100 each

Magician - 1.5 hours, during cocktail hour & a half

• Owns business himself, not supposed to tip
• Mike - tipped him $50 in addition to the $100 fee

Head Waiter

• Typically tip him and he distributes among rest of waitstaff
• Price included in reception fee
• Mike - gave him $400 tip for the 10 servers

Mike even tipped the owner of the reception hall $200. The guy tried to refuse but Mike insisted.

[whiddle]

Originally Posted by Heather

Ugh. My husband went overboard but I'll post anyway. Don't use this as a reference, lol. Oh - Feb has an awesome tipping guide for weddings that she sent to me before my wedding. If she still has it, I'm sure she would pass it on. I don't think I have it any longer.

DJ - 6.5 hours (ceremony & reception)

• He owns his own business so you're technically not supposed to tip. If a DJ works for a company, then you do tip.
• Mike - tipped him $100 in addition to the $850 fee

BagPiper - 1 hour, before ceremony

• Owns business himself, not supposed to tip
• Mike - tipped him $50 in addition to the $150 fee

Bartenders - were included with reception fee

• We had a full open bar all night, they rec'd salary plus tips from guest
• Mike - gave all three of them an additional $100 each

Magician - 1.5 hours, during cocktail hour & a half

• Owns business himself, not supposed to tip
• Mike - tipped him $50 in addition to the $100 fee

Head Waiter

• Typically tip him and he distributes among rest of waitstaff
• Price included in reception fee
• Mike - gave him $400 tip for the 10 servers

Mike even tipped the owner of the reception hall $200. The guy tried to refuse but Mike insisted.

Wow. Mike was feeling generous.....I should have sang at your wedding lol

You had a magician. That's pretty cool!

I can't even remember who we tipped (or didn't).

[imstilldreaming]

I tipped the caterer 15% of the total charge, but I held it until the end of the night to see how he did. (I wasn't sure based on a few things...) Since we had finger foods, there were no servers to tip.

I tipped the musicians during the ceremony $50 each.

Anyone who helped with the wedding, setting up for example, got a $25 gift card....

ermmm I actually think that was it! I didn't tip the owner of the reception hall since he owns it.

[sparklesweetie]

I'm not much help as we didn't tip too many. I think we gave our preacher some extra but I couldn't tell you how much. We didn't tip the caterer b/c of the whole fiasco of them not wanting to bring in the food. (Long story.)

Other than that the band played for free (unbeknownst to me until the end of the reception...grrrr) and our bartender got tipped by the guests so we didn't.

I agree with H though, don't follow Mike's plan, lol.

[imstilldreaming]

Oh yeah and I tipped our officiant $100, but we knew her very well and she had travelled to get there too.

[Heather]

Originally Posted by sparklesweetie

I agree with H though, don't follow Mike's plan, lol.

LOL. Definitely not.

Yes, we had a magician. He was really cool though. I was worried he was going to be odd or tacky. He showed up in a beautiful tux, was well-groomed & did a lot of slight of hand & card tricks. The guests loved him.

[Marksbride]

Thanks for the input ladies.

[Julz518]

I was actually just reading a PASH article about this last week, since I was trying to work the tips into my budget. Check it out (if you haven't already):
PASH Tipping Chart

[ladedah]

we tipped our DJ $50, I tipped our hairdressers $10 each, and I gave our caterer $100, I think.....


Our bartenders we didn't tip because they were tipped by our guests and also paid by our reception site and....

Our musicians I didn't tip because since they basically charged us something like $50 an hour....I didn't feel the need to tip...

[Marksbride]

Originally Posted by Julz518

I was actually just reading a PASH article about this last week, since I was trying to work the tips into my budget. Check it out (if you haven't already):
PASH Tipping Chart

The chart was very helpful! Thanks for pointing that out to me!

[VenusElaine]

I read the tipping chart with great interest, and I am the "Forgotten Wedding Vendor" again.

Ladies, I am your alteration specialist. When you purchase your gown from any source that does not provide alterations, or choose not to use this service, I am the person you seek. Few gowns need no alteration, from hems and bustles to complete redesigns.

I am booked as much as a year or more in advance, the same as your venue, caterer, photographer, florist, hairdresser, etc.

Yet I am still contacted by Brides, Maids, Mothers, etc. as little as a week before the wedding because "it's only a simple hem". In most cases it is NOT SIMPLE. And my clients (formal and otherwise) may have me booked for as much as a month or more into the future.

I do not expect a tip, though they are greatly appreciated. Nor do I incorporate them in my pricing, as many vendors do.

VenusElaine