Tipping Vendors
Should we tip our wedding vendors? Another couple who are friends of ours reminded us to put tips in our budget, but tipping vendors isn’t something with which we were familiar. If we are inclined to tip them, how much?
Prior to my becoming a wedding planner, I was a professional actress. I have performed in many summer stock and dinner theaters. When performing in dinner theaters, you have the option of waiting tables to make extra money. The first thing I learned about the rules of tipping is that there are none.
I was extremely grateful for that because I was a far better actress (and wedding planner) than I was a waitress. My tips were based on my stage performance rather than my waitressing. So, my advice is:
You are already paying your vendors a handsome salary. Therefore, they should do a perfect job. If you are absolutely blown away, then by all means, tip them. I tell my clients to bring a good deal of cash to the wedding, and I will suggest who should be compensated, as I’ve been working with these vendors all day and/or evening. Many times the obvious do not deserve additional compensation, and the unsung hero that the client never sees most definitley needs recognizing.