Tipping Your Vendors

TIPS ON TIPPING:

* All tips should be given in cash. If the person serving you is an employee of the company, their tip should be in a separate envelope.
* No one/single person should get more then $150.00. For example: Let’s say your limo bus is $2000.00. 10 or 15% of that total is 200 or 300 dollars, not necessary.
* Tips should be given just before your vendor leaves. That way you can judge how much to give, according to the job they did for you.
* All vendors would love a thank you card. It is a great reminder of happy clients and let's face it, it'll help them book future clients.
* Giving vendors a favour/bomboniere is totally up to the couple and how many they can spare.

THE ONES YOU SHOULD TIP

Altar boys or girls - $10-15.00 each

Limousine Drivers – 10-15% of the limousine bill, given at the end of the evening. See "FB Tip" above.

Valet Parking Attendants - $.50 to $1.00 per car, prearrange this amount with the supervisor based on an estimate of how many cars will be arriving and a sign should be posted to guests that the gratuity has been taken care of.

Wait staff - If the tip is not on the contract already, 15% of the total catering bill is tipped. Wait staff do the hardest physical labour on your wedding day.

Bartenders - 10% of the total liquor bill, presented to the head bartender or divided equally among the total number of bartenders who worked the full evening. Make sure that a tip hasn't been added to your contract already.

Restroom and/or Coatroom Attendants - $.50 to $1.00 per guest, prearranged again based on the number of guests.

Makeup artist or Hair Stylists - You don't have to tip them if they come to you. If you go to the salon, then you should tip them 15%. Why you ask, well the salon makes the money, not the individual. If you have received a good job, and you would tip normally, then go ahead.

DJ - If your DJ owns the company then the tip is optional but if the DJ is an employee $50-100.00. If you have 2 DJs (DJ & MC), give each person $50.00 in separate envelopes. When your guests rave about your reception later, it's the DJ that had everything to do with the fun.

OPTIONAL TIPPING (amounts reflect optional tips)

Business Owners - You don’t have to tip the owner of a business, unless you feel that they have gone beyond the call of duty and you want to give them a token of your appreciation.

Ceremony or Reception Musicians - $5-10/hr per person, in one lump sum given to the person in charge.

Banquet or catering manager - doesn’t need to be tipped unless they’ve thrown in extras or saved you a few hundred dollars on your bill. The tip would be between $50-$100.

Photographer and Videographer - If these vendors own the company, then the tip is optional. If they are employees $50.00 goes to the main photographer and he/she can give a split to the assistant.

Officiant - To tip them is to trivialize their profession and extremely bad etiquette. Generally you pay your fee and that's it. If you wish to make a financial contribution to the church, you can do that separately.

Florist - You don't need to tip the florist for making your arrangements but you can tip them an extra $5.00 per delivery location (3 locations=$15.00) or $10-20.00 per staff member in one lump sum, for set-up and delivery.

Wedding Cake Baker - You don't have to tip for the baking of the cake but if you are at your reception venue at time of delivery and set-up = $10.00

Wedding Coordinator or Room Manager- This is the person managing the reception venues staff and facility the night of your wedding = $50.00

Your Wedding Coordinator - If this vendor owns the company, then the tip is optional. If they are an employee = $50.00

Your Wedding Planner - This person has planned your wedding from start to finish. An appropriate tip would be 10% of their total commission or bill.