Tipping Wedding Vendors

When planning your wedding, it is important to keep in mind a often times forgotten expense, tipping. Tipping your vendors is important but it's equally important to decide how much to tip and whether tipping is required based on your written contract or agreement.

For the major expenses, tipping is typically included in your contract but check the fine print to be sure. Bartenders should be tipped 10% of the total bar tab. This should be given to the head bartender at the end of the evening. The wait staff should be tipped 15 of the total catering bill. Again, tipping at the end of the evening gives you an opportunity to adjust tips based on performance.

For the plethora of other vendors there to help on your most special of days, aside from common sense, there are a few rules of thumb. For parking attendants, $0.50-$1.00 per car, for limousine drivers, 10-15% of the total bill not to exceed $150.00. Any coat room attendants should receive $0.50-$1.00 per coat. Be sure to post signs for your guests so they know that coat check and parking attendant tips have been taken care of.

Tipping the florist isn't necessary unless there are employees from the florist, delivering and setting up arrangements, then tip $5-$10 per person. Same with the cake, unless there is significant set up required, tipping is not necessary. If you do feel that a tip is warranted, $5-$10 per person if they are employees, if it's the business owner, send a card thanking them instead. Musicians are the same, $5-$10 per person.

Tipping the officiate is not good manners. If you would like to provide additional funds outside of the fee, a donation to the church would be in order.

Tipping your wedding planner is in good taste. They planned your day down the to the last detail and most likely had many problems to solve along the way. 10-15% of their total bill is appropriate.

It's important to include tips in your overall budget. They can add up to a significant sum if you don't plan ahead.