I can’t be the only one who’s heard about tipping your vendors and wondered if people are really doing this. I can’t remember where I found this screen shot (you can click on it to make it bigger), but I was looking around about tips and this popped up. Are you guys doing this much tipping?
For us, it’d come out like this:
Bar: $100
Waitstaff: $40
Reception site manager: $210-$280
DJ: $25
Caterer: $300-$400
So between $575 – $745 just on tips!!! Wha?!!! That’ll throw a wrench in the ole budget!
Am I the only cheap person that thinks that this is crazy? What would your tip totals be?
The Happy Nappy Bride 
My short answer is “no”
No, I never actually understood the tipping bit. I am paying you for good service, why am I tipping you for doing your job? (no one tips me for doing my job – lol).
As you can imagine, no we did not tip. We did good to pay/gift people – lol. Not sure what my tip totals would be, but it would be AT LEAST 1K, but likely closer to $1500 in the name of tips. Wasn’t. going. to. happen.
I know right?! I’m paying the vendors (a lot, fair, but a lot) so why do I have to tip them?
I didn’t know we had to tip our vendors. When did this start? We’re already paying them ridiculous wedding prices, when did tipping them start?
LOL! Maybe it’s one of those “wedding industry” things…probably started by caterers! 🙂
PS. 575-745 in tips…that’s craziness!
Yeah, and that’s on our budget wedding…imagine on a blowout!
I have considered tipping my DJ but just because they gave us such an awesome low priced deal. Everyone else already charges a 19% gratuity. Yep!! 18-19% is standard in our state everywhere. We have 19% already added on top of any food and beverage totals which are all being taken care of through the hotel where we are having everything. I did have to account for this in budgeting so I am certainly not adding anything else onto that.
19%!! That’s craziness! Uggg!
I’m thinking along these same lines. We are also doing everything at the hotel who charges a 20% gratuity. Heck, this chunk of our budget alone is more than my dress, STDs and invitations will cost! Will.not.add.anymore.
I won’t get into my own personal feelings on tipping but to answer your question we did tip some of our vendors but it wasn’t really based on any guidelines in particular. Also a lot of our vendors were the owners and from what I understand you don’t have to tip them.
I believe that you should ONLY tip vendors who have performed in an OUTSTANDING manner… I think this is why musicians usually get tips. They can get (and keep) your reception moving and many times help create some of the most memorable moments!
–ct
Well, you guys sure are making me feel better. Plus, I couldn’t figure out why certain vendors got tips and others didn’t.
Wha?! Owner-vendors don’t get tips? Huzzah! No tipping for Dawn! (Not that I was gonna do it anyway)
Yes, when I calculated our tips it came up to about 1,500 dollars but I am only budgeting 500 for it. It’s a waste of money to me and at the risk of sounding crass “I ‘aint got it”…
I ain’t got it…and they ain’t getting it! 🙂