Advice from Prosperity Mansion & Farm, an outdoor, garden, Maryland wedding venue located in Frederick County Maryland and near Westminster.
Tipping is customary to the service industry, but it’s not really clear if you should be tipping the vendors you hire for your wedding. Additionally, different vendors are hired for different amounts of time and are doing different levels of work, so tipping everyone equally isn’t a clear and perfect representation of the work they do and how much you appreciate it. If you’re a little confused about whether you tip your vendors and how much to tip them, keep reading for our advice!
As a general rule of thumb, tipping is a reflection of your appreciation for the work they’ve done and the services they’ve provided you. Many vendors aren’t expecting a tip at all. If you feel that a vendor didn’t meet or exceed your expectations, you shouldn’t feel obligated to tip them.
Some vendors will include gratuity in their contract with you. This is equivalent to a tip, so no additional tipping is required for your vendors. A “service fee,” on the other hand, is not always guaranteed to be paid to the employees, so you can ask the vendor if this is including gratuity to their employees.
For your venue specifically, how involved they are in your wedding can help you determine how much you tip them. If the venue’s owner and staff are really only there to help set up and oversee the property, then tipping isn’t necessary. However, if your feel like the venue’s owner and staff are going above and beyond to answer all your questions, recommend other vendors and decoration options, and are happy to accommodate and provide assistance however they can, tips are appreciated to show your thanks for all they’ve done. Basically, did they go above and beyond on your wedding day.
If you’re looking for another way to express your thanks and gratitude for your vendors, leave a nice review and send them a hand-written thank you card! Positive reviews are a great way to let other couples know how hard your vendors worked and how much you enjoyed your wedding with them. A thank-you note is a personal way to let your vendors know how much you appreciate them. It’s always nice to feel appreciated!
Now that you’ve determined which vendors you’re tipping, you’ll have to figure out how much you’re tipping and when you’ll be giving them their tip. Different wedding websites have different recommendations about how much to tip your vendors, but we’ve collected some of the most common and recommended ranges for you to use as guidelines for your tips.
Your photographer and videographer teams are running around all day to make sure they capture everything, plus they work after the wedding to get everything edited for you. Generally, a $50-$100 tip per person on the team is recommended for photography and videography, but they aren’t expected by the team. Most people will tip the photo and video team once the reception is over.
The person who is officiating your wedding is also not directly expecting a tip. In fact, there may be some that do not feel comfortable with tips. If an officiant has a government affiliation, they cannot accept a tip. If you would like to tip your officiant, make sure they’re comfortable with accepting it.
If your officiant is comfortable with tipping, the general recommendation is $50-$100. Many couples tip their officiant after the wedding rehearsal. If your officiant does not or cannot accept a personal tip, you can always give a donation to their house of worship. If you’re going this route, the recommendation is between $100-$500.
Tips for your planner or day-of coordinator are not expected, but many couples decide to tip them. Typically, a planner or day-of coordinator’s tip will be around 20% of their fee, and is given at the end of the reception.
Reception service workers, like catering staff and bartenders, should be tipped if gratuity is not included in your contract. Most couples follow general restaurant tipping guidelines for these vendors, so 15-20% of the caterer’s bill and 10-15% of the bartender’s bill.
If you get any deliveries or set-up assistance on your wedding day, many people recommend a $5-$20 tip per person. The lower end of this range is more for just deliveries, while any set-up assistants should be tipped on the higher end.
If you are having live musicians, such as ceremony musicians or a reception band, most recommendations say that you should tip roughly $25 per musician. If you have a DJ, most couples will tip between $50-$150 for their services. Musicians and DJs are tipped at the end of the night.
Your hairstylists and makeup artists should be tipped just like any salon services are. Their tip is between 15-20% of their fee, and is paid after their services are completed.
Similarly, 15-20% of their services is what you should be tipping any chauffeurs or transportation providers you have. This could mean the limo driver for you and your bridal party, or a shuttle driver for your guests.
If you feel your venue has gone above and beyond and would like to give them a tip, the recommendation is between $250-$500. If your venue has attendants there to help assist your guests with parking and directions, their tips should be $1-$2 per car if gratuity is not included in your venue contract.
All in all, tipping your vendors can be tricky. We hope that our Maryland wedding venue can help you figure out which vendors to tip, and how to tip them. Its a nice gesture to tip people that have gone above and beyond to make your day a success. Frankly, the best tip of all that doesn't cost you a dime is a great review!!
Mission Statement:
Prosperity Mansion & Farm is committed to providing a beautiful wedding venue that is affordable to all couples. Our budget friendly venue allows you to celebrate your big day and then move on to the next phase of your relationship without financial burdens.
Prosperity Mansion & Farm proudly serves:
Frederick Maryland
Carroll County Maryland
Westminster Maryland
Baltimore Maryland
Montgomery County Maryland
Anne Arundel County Maryland
Gettysburg Pennsylvania
Hanover Pennsylvania
Littlestown Pennsylvania
Loudoun County Virginia and more
Contact us at: 443-350-8100
prosperity_mansion@yahoo.com
www.prosperitymansion.com