Tips for Wedding Services Gratuities
My clients often ask when should I tip, and if so, how much? I'm offering you the guidance I give my clients.
When to Tip?
Many wedding professionals are tipped only for extra special service (photographers, wedding planners, etc). If you don't have a day-of coordinator, keep in mind many of these wedding professionals are picking up that slack and will be providing extra services whether they'd like to or not! (My linen professional once told me about a wedding of 500 that didn't have a day-of coordinator. By default she ended up having to take control of the chaos - tables weren't set up and she couldn't put the linens on until they were, so her team did it - although it was NOT part of their contract, and ended up being onsite for 8 hours, when they were only paid for two!) Others vendors, such as wait staff for caterers or restaurants should always be tipped, unless a tip is already included in the negotiated price. Don't consider service charge a tip. Look for the word "gratuity." Ask directly if you are not sure.
You need to set aside some budget for gratuities, although you shouldn’t expect to pay tips to every vendor. Your guests should NOT tip or be expected to tip, particularly for anything that is being provided to them as a guest (drinks, coat check, bathroom attendant, etc). It is many a wedding planner's biggest pet peeve to see a tip jar on the bar - which happens all too often, and should not. Your guests should NOT be tipping - you will take care of that with your final bill. By the way, although the bartender should not be putting out a tip jar, I can see his dilemna - he's often stiffed as the bride & groom (or their families), in their ignorance of wedding protocol, do not end up tipping him. SO, as I said, make sure you set aside some budget for tips.
Vendors that should always receive tips for service: Valet parking, coat check, bathroom attendants, delivery truck drivers, limousine drivers, wait staff, bartenders and table captains.
How to tip?
One of the bestman's primary jobs is to make final payments and tip payments. Although, if the bride & groom have time and are able, it certainly is a nice touch if they do it personally. Although this is NOT expected - it's your day, the last thing you want to do is take time away from the festivities. You can follow up with vendors that were extra attentive after the wedding (and honeymoon) with a thank you or a testimonial.
With my clients, I make the final payments and tip payments for them. Usually, that makes them feel a bit more comfortable as one too many bestmen end up on the floor at the end of the reception. I advise the bride & groom to either have some blank checks or cash (cash is always better) for the day-of. They typically give either to me to hold onto and we take a quick aside to decide tips before the end of the evening. It also helps if we have a plan as to who we'll tip, how much and based on what level of service, which makes the allocations easier on the spot. My clients tend to be very generous as their special day goes according to plans and dreams!
How much to tip?
Recipient & Amount
Banquet Captains - $50-$150 based on merit & number of guests
Banquet Managers - $100-$300 based on merit & number of guests
Bathroom Attendants - $1-$2 per guest or a flat fee arranged with venue
Caterer - 15%-20% of FOOD cost, to be split among staff, for extra special service
Chef - $0.50-$1.00 per guest
Clergyperson or Officiant - $50 and up depending on the size of the wedding (over & above fee)
Club Manager - $100-$300 based on merit & number of guests
Coatroom Attendants - $1-$2 per guest or a flat fee arranged with venue
Cooks - $20 each
DJ - 15-20% of fee
Hairdresser - 10% - 20% of fee depending on number of heads
Hotel Chambermaid - $1 - $2 per day
Maitre d' or Head Waiter - $50 - $200 based on merit & number of guests. Or 20% of the total bill to be distributed among all the waiters and captains
Make-up Person - 10% - 20% of fee, depending on number of faces
Musicians (Ceremony)- 15% of fee
Musicians (Reception)- $25 - $50 per member, especially if guests make a number of requests.
Parking Attendants - $1 - $2 per car, or 15% of bill for valet parking
Photographer - $100 for extraordinary service if service is on a flat rate with no overtime fee
Tailor - 10% of fee
Transportation Driver - 15% for bus; 18%-20% for limo
Waiters and Bartenders - $15 - $25 each
Wedding Planner - 15% of fee; 15% - 20% if charged hourly or just for the wedding day
Happy Planning!
-Melissa
www.MoonriverWeddings.com
When to Tip?
Many wedding professionals are tipped only for extra special service (photographers, wedding planners, etc). If you don't have a day-of coordinator, keep in mind many of these wedding professionals are picking up that slack and will be providing extra services whether they'd like to or not! (My linen professional once told me about a wedding of 500 that didn't have a day-of coordinator. By default she ended up having to take control of the chaos - tables weren't set up and she couldn't put the linens on until they were, so her team did it - although it was NOT part of their contract, and ended up being onsite for 8 hours, when they were only paid for two!) Others vendors, such as wait staff for caterers or restaurants should always be tipped, unless a tip is already included in the negotiated price. Don't consider service charge a tip. Look for the word "gratuity." Ask directly if you are not sure.
You need to set aside some budget for gratuities, although you shouldn’t expect to pay tips to every vendor. Your guests should NOT tip or be expected to tip, particularly for anything that is being provided to them as a guest (drinks, coat check, bathroom attendant, etc). It is many a wedding planner's biggest pet peeve to see a tip jar on the bar - which happens all too often, and should not. Your guests should NOT be tipping - you will take care of that with your final bill. By the way, although the bartender should not be putting out a tip jar, I can see his dilemna - he's often stiffed as the bride & groom (or their families), in their ignorance of wedding protocol, do not end up tipping him. SO, as I said, make sure you set aside some budget for tips.
Vendors that should always receive tips for service: Valet parking, coat check, bathroom attendants, delivery truck drivers, limousine drivers, wait staff, bartenders and table captains.
How to tip?
One of the bestman's primary jobs is to make final payments and tip payments. Although, if the bride & groom have time and are able, it certainly is a nice touch if they do it personally. Although this is NOT expected - it's your day, the last thing you want to do is take time away from the festivities. You can follow up with vendors that were extra attentive after the wedding (and honeymoon) with a thank you or a testimonial.
With my clients, I make the final payments and tip payments for them. Usually, that makes them feel a bit more comfortable as one too many bestmen end up on the floor at the end of the reception. I advise the bride & groom to either have some blank checks or cash (cash is always better) for the day-of. They typically give either to me to hold onto and we take a quick aside to decide tips before the end of the evening. It also helps if we have a plan as to who we'll tip, how much and based on what level of service, which makes the allocations easier on the spot. My clients tend to be very generous as their special day goes according to plans and dreams!
How much to tip?
Recipient & Amount
Banquet Captains - $50-$150 based on merit & number of guests
Banquet Managers - $100-$300 based on merit & number of guests
Bathroom Attendants - $1-$2 per guest or a flat fee arranged with venue
Caterer - 15%-20% of FOOD cost, to be split among staff, for extra special service
Chef - $0.50-$1.00 per guest
Clergyperson or Officiant - $50 and up depending on the size of the wedding (over & above fee)
Club Manager - $100-$300 based on merit & number of guests
Coatroom Attendants - $1-$2 per guest or a flat fee arranged with venue
Cooks - $20 each
DJ - 15-20% of fee
Hairdresser - 10% - 20% of fee depending on number of heads
Hotel Chambermaid - $1 - $2 per day
Maitre d' or Head Waiter - $50 - $200 based on merit & number of guests. Or 20% of the total bill to be distributed among all the waiters and captains
Make-up Person - 10% - 20% of fee, depending on number of faces
Musicians (Ceremony)- 15% of fee
Musicians (Reception)- $25 - $50 per member, especially if guests make a number of requests.
Parking Attendants - $1 - $2 per car, or 15% of bill for valet parking
Photographer - $100 for extraordinary service if service is on a flat rate with no overtime fee
Tailor - 10% of fee
Transportation Driver - 15% for bus; 18%-20% for limo
Waiters and Bartenders - $15 - $25 each
Wedding Planner - 15% of fee; 15% - 20% if charged hourly or just for the wedding day
Happy Planning!
-Melissa
www.MoonriverWeddings.com
posted by Melissa | 9:55 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home