Tip on Tipping

I've been asked a lot lately about tipping. and who to tip and how much...and do I have to, is it a must???



All of these are good legitimate questions. And here is the answer.



Yes. 20%ish. No. No.



That's the short and sweet of it.



Here are the details. You should tip anyone that does a professional service for you for your wedding. That includes any professional. And if they do an above average job for you. If the professional that is working for you royally screws up, no-tip-for-them!



The average tip about in about 20%, but it does depend on the level of your service, was it good or great? Did they exceed your expectations? If so, show them. Thank them, with a tip.



You don't have to tip, but it is a nice thank you, so when working up your budget add a bit for your professional vendors. Keeping in mind that some gratuities may already be included in some invoices for your vendors.



Did you add tips into your budget?

One Final Tip on Tipping!

Tapped Out Yet?

Well here's some good news: There are some people you don't have to tip. It is easy to remember that you don't tip the owner of a business, but instead tip the people working for that owner. In addition, the florist, bakery, and bridal shop will not be expecting a gratuity, nor will the invitation or party rental companies. Thank-you notes are, as always, universally and eternally appreciated.



However if you feel like ANY of your vendors have gone over and above and beyond the "call of duty" then a tip is always appreciated.

Yup! That's me working on 352 amazing buttons!

Tipping, Part Cuatro!

I was sort of over the french themed numbers after Deux.... so on to Spanish!

So who are these lucky recipients of your generosity? We'll begin with the first person you may encounter and then walk through the rest of the day.

· Hair, Makeup & Nails: Whether you go to the salon or the pros come to you, you tip the hair stylist, makeup artist, and manicurist just as you would normally, about 15% to 20%. If the bridal party is paying for their own services, it's nice if you take care of the gratuities, but of course it's not necessary.

· Wedding Coordinator: I am alittle hesitant to essentially talk about tipping myself, but why not.... Maybe you have a full-fledged "Franc" planning every little detail. Or perhaps someone from the bridal shop helps you with some loose ends during the day. No matter how intricate or basic their jobs are, they usually won't be expecting a tip. If you'd like to show your appreciation, you can include a monetary thank-you in a note, or perhaps send them a little gift after the wedding. (I love the thank you note best!)

· Delivery People (from the florist, bakery, party rental): They load up the truck, find their way to your reception site, and then oftentimes have to dance around the other delivery people, or even the band setting up, lugging in cumbersome flower arrangements, delicate cakes, and stacks of chairs. Show how grateful you are for all of their labor by offering about $10 to each delivery person. (but it's totally optional!)

· Officiant: It may seem a bit odd to slip an envelope to the person officiating your ceremony, but it is the proper thing to do. It's tradition for the best man to hand over the tip, which should be between $100 and $200. If you're getting married in a church, they'll often expect you to donate a percentage of your total wedding cost -- so if your wedding is $20,000, a $2,000 donation is gratefully appreciated. However, if you don't belong to this church and you didn't have a lot of involvement with the officiant, you can choose to contribute a lower amount.

Thus ends our series on Gratuity - I'd love to hear what you think....

Tipping, Part Trois!

Welcome back for another fun filled edition of Gratuity, and You! It's your hard earned money - so who gets it and how much, that's the question, and I am here to help!


· Musicians (ceremony and reception): Whether an organist or string quartet is accompanying you down the aisle, if you're cutting a rug to a 12-piece swing band or a single DJ, tipping the musicians is completely optional. If you do decide to "show them the money," calculate $20 to $25 for each member.

· Photographer/Videographer: This is completely optional. If you're paying top dollar for their fees, they shouldn't be expecting a gratuity. However, a thank-you in the form of cash is always appreciated, especially if the photographer or videographer doesn't own his or her own studio, honestly even if they do, and they are treating you well, a little present is always nice. Estimate $30 to $50.


· Transportation: We're sure you've heard a story about a limo driver who gets lost on the way to the reception and the bride and groom arrive an hour late. Well, those drivers don't deserve a tip. But if all goes smoothly with your transport to the party (and we're sure it will), add about 15% to 20% of the total to the bill. Unless gratuity is already included! Make sure you check before you hand the chauffeur a wad of cash.


Tomorrow, we'll talk about the rest!


And thanks for all of your comments and emails so far, great info all around!

Tipping Part Deux!

So who are the lucky recipients of your hard earned moola? Let's start with where the most of your money goes, the Food.

Banquet Manager, Maitre d': This is where it's very important to check if you're already paying a service charge. If gratuity is not included in your bill total, figure from $200 to $300 as a tip, depending on the size of your wedding. This amount should go to the person in charge of your reception; if there's more than one person in charge, divide the gratuity among them.

Caterer & Waitstaff: If your reception isn't in a hotel or club, there's a good chance your caterer has to work out of a tent or minimally equipped kitchen, and the waitstaff may have to run up and down steps carrying heavy trays. In these circumstances it's nice to show you appreciate all of their efforts. Figure the tip according to the number of waiters -- decide on a dollar amount (let's say $20) and multiply by the number of servers working at your reception, plus some for the catering manager. This total can range from $250 to $500.

Bartenders: Once again, it's time to scrutinize the bill -- sometimes at hotels and clubs a service charge is included in the liquor bill. If there isn't one, leaving 10% of the total liquor bill for the bartenders is a nice gesture. Try to find the head bartender when handing over the cash.

Keep in mind that A LOT of the time the gratuity is included in your final food bill, but if it's not, or you feel your catering staff or venue have gone above and beyond a little extra is always appreciated! Or a nice gift or a gift certificate is super thoughtful!

Tips on Tipping! Part 1

This week a bunch of my clients have been asking about gratuity. So I figured they probably aren't the only ones with these questions. I am going to dedicate the rest of the week to tipping your wedding vendors.

So, you feel pretty confident that you've completed calculating costs for the big day. But wait -- before you close that budget binder, did you remember to include tips? Technically, no one should expect tips, but many vendors might, since tipping has become standard practice.

Depending on where you're getting married, the protocol will vary. Here is a simple rule of the thumb: most of the time you tip employees, not owners. Don't add pressure to your wedding day -- designate someone to be in charge of tipping. The host of the event (often a dad) or the wedding consultant is the perfect person for the job. Several of my clients give me a bunch of white envelopes, and tell me to definitely give these out to "so and so" or tell me to use my discretion.

Advance Prep
The last thing you want at the end of your reception is someone having to count out cash when offering the tips. Set aside pre-determined amounts beforehand and place them in labeled envelopes. This way, your gratuity guy or gal simply has to hand over the designated envelopes, leaving little room for error. Having an additional envelope with a bit more cash is not a bad idea either -- that way, if the bill is higher than expected, or someone really went the extra mile for you or a guest, you can be sure to take care of it right then and there.

Get the 411

Before you just start dolling out money, however, find out about the tipping policies. Talk to the hotel or club manager at your reception site to see how tips are normally handled. Also find out if a service charge is included in the total on your bill. If so, you don't need to offer an additional tip. Remember, it's completely acceptable to have these kinds of conversations with your vendors, preferably at the time you sign a contract, rather than the day of the wedding. You can only know what people are expecting if you ask them.

Tomorrow tips on who and how much!