It’s no secret that weddings are expensive. Once you start planning, the list of expenses can grow endlessly—and tipping can be one of those sneaky details that slip through the budgeting cracks. If tipping isn’t something that you budget for in your early planning, it can end up becoming a significant surprise on your special day.
So how do you tip your wedding vendors? And are you expected to tip every one of your vendors? Ultimately, who and how much you tip is up to you. Tipping isn’t always expected, but it is definitely always appreciated. It’s a great way to show your appreciation for the creative professionals who worked so hard to make your day special. There may be some vendors who truly go above and beyond your expectations, warranting an extra “thank you”.
Since we’re lucky enough to have so many connections with incredible wedding vendors, we’ve taken notes and compiled all the details on this subject to hopefully answer all of your tipping questions!
Who Should You Tip:
Any vendor who provided services on your wedding day can be tipped, especially if they exceeded your expectations.
This list can include:
- Photographer
- Videographer
- Coordinator / Planner
- Floral Designer
- DJ / Musicians
- Hair / Makeup Artist
- Officiant
- Catering Staff
- Bartenders
- Venue Staff / Attendants
- Transportation
- Photo Booth Attendant
*NOTE: You’ll want to make sure you read every contract carefully since gratuity is sometimes already included in your fee.
How Much You Should Tip:
Once again, we want to stress that the amount you decide to tip is up to you, but here we’ve included a list of typical amounts per vendor.
- Photographer / Videographer: $50–200 each or a gift
- Coordinator / Planner: 15–20% of their fee, up to $500 cash, or a gift
- Floral Designer: 10–15% of the total bill, $50–$150 cash, or a gift
- DJ / Musicians: 10–15% of the total bill, or $15–$50 per musician
- Hair / Makeup Artist: 15–20% of their fee
- Officiant: $50–$100 tip, a $100–$500 donation, or a gift
- Catering Staff: 15–20% of the food & beverage bill, or cash tips*
- Bartenders: 10–20% of alcohol bill
- Venue Staff / Attendants: $1–$2 per guest, or per car for parking valets
- Transportation: 15–20% of the fee
- Photo Booth Attendant: $50–$100 per person on-site
*Catering / Banquet Manager and Head Waiter: $100–$300 each
• Head Chef: $50–$100
• Wait staff and Kitchen staff: $20 each
When Should You Tip:
Tips are typically distributed once the services are complete and before the vendor has left for the day. Having your tips prepared and ready to go before your wedding day will save you lots of stress and help prevent you from forgetting anyone!
NOTE: We recommend handing off the task of distributing these tips to your Maid of Honor or other member of your wedding party.
More Ways You Can Show Appreciation for Your Vendors:
Many wedding industry creatives are small business owners and rely on positive testimonials and word of mouth to grow. Leaving a positive review for them can be super valuable, especially if you provide lots of details on their exceptional service. You’ll also make their day by sharing their information with others who are in the wedding planning process. And be sure to tag them on social media when sharing memories that they played a part in creating!
Check out our Vendor Tipping Worksheet so you can easily reference all things tipping throughout your planning process!
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