It’s becoming standard to not only pay your usual wedding deposits and final installments, but to also tip your wedding vendors. While some brides and grooms might be groaning at this idea, tipping your vendors is a custom that is not necessarily obligatory, but can be a nice gesture anyway! A brief lesson in tipping your vendors might help you avoid making these gaffes when it comes to planning your big day!
- Read Your Vendor Contracts – A good way to know whether or not you need to tip is reading your wedding vendor contracts for language suggesting a tip. Unless a service charge is spelled out, you’re never obligated to tip anyone. However, talk to the vendor anyway to ask if employees expect tips on a regular basis just so all communication is cleared up before the vendors arrive.
- Only Tip Employees – If you have exceptional service, tip the employees working during your event rather than the company owner. However, you might send a tip and a thank you note to the company owner if you are very satisfied with the service.
- Put Someone in Charge of Tipping – Your wedding day will be stressful enough without having to worry about tips as you schmooze your guests, listen to toasts and take photos. Ask your best man, maid of honor or wedding planner to do the tipping on your behalf. You might ask them to wait until the end of the event to do so. Prepare envelopes ahead of time and label them so there is no confusion.
