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Planning a wedding can be an exciting, frightening, fun, stressful, happy, invigorating experience. Once you actually get to your wedding you just want to sit back, relax, and enjoy the fruits of your labor – but you're not done yet! The many different fabulous vendors at your wedding ceremony and reception need tips. But how do you know how much to tip, and to what? Read on for some basic wedding tipping tips that any bride can use.
Is tipping mandatory?
Short answer: no. Long answer: there are three different ways to look at it. Unlike a waitress or a bartender, who generally does not get an hourly wage and depends on your tips to earn a living, your venders have already paid for their services. Some couples think that they have paid their vendor the required fee, and that should be enough. Other couples decide to tip their vendors a set amount ahead of time, no matter what the service is like. The third type of couple will wait to see the type of service they receive, and then tip (or not tip) accordingly.
In general, although vendors are already being paid for their services, there is often a very small margin of profit, so they expect tips and depend on that money. Tipping is always recommended if your vendor has gone above and beyond what was expected or if they worked with your smaller budget or gave you discounts.
Delegate!
The only thing you want to do on your wedding day is sit back, relax, and enjoy the fruits of your labor. You've done lots of work leading up to this, so do not worry about tipping – you'll have plenty of other things taking up your time. Pick a member of your wedding party, your wedding coordinator or another trusted friend or family member to act as a designated tipper.
Give your designed tipper clear and concise rules or guidelines ahead of time on how much to tip each vendor, and provide the tipper with envelopes clearly marked with the vendor's name (and possibly their service, ie John Smith – photographer, to avoid any confusion) to put the tip in, because no one wants to keep track of a grateful of cash.
Tight Budget?
Tips should be included in your budget to avoid overspending, but if you are tight on money there are other ways to show your appreciation. Most vendors require a meal, and have it written into their contracts, but you could provide them with beverages as well (just take it easy on the alcoholic beverages when they still have to work). You should also include them in your thank you notes, and if your vendor did an exceptionally outstanding job, write a formal letter of reference that they can show to other brides and grooms interested in their services.
Last but not least, remember that this is your big day. Do not sweat the small stuff – just enjoy your wedding. You deserve it! Vendors should be tipped the day of, but do not worry if you forget. They can always be tipped afterward if everyone gets too cooked up in the wedding celebration.
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Source by Sarah Simmons
