There will be many vendors that you deal with on a regular basis throughout the planning of your wedding. While you will be paying each of these a certain amount of money, it is always best to consider offering them a gratuity for their services as well.

While most are not required, others are built into the contract and some people who are planning a wedding find it helpful to know what is customarily given to these vendors. Below you will find the gratuity amounts that you should expect to pay so that you can add them into your overall wedding budget.

Caterers – Wait Staff – Bartenders

This is one area that the gratuity is typically included in the contract when you first sign it; normally around 15% – 20%. However, some feel as though their caterer did an outstanding job in regards to handling their guests and offer an additional dollar or two per guest for this reason.

An additional 15 to 20% is also typically included in the contract, but if it is not you should offer the additional gratuity to the maître d’ with an additional 1% to 2%. Bartenders are also typically given 15 to 20% gratuity, but if they are not also accepting tips from your guests, it is best to add an additional 10% on top of this amount.

DJs – Bands

Neither of these vendors require a tip, but many people offer one if they have provided an exceptionally nice experience for the bride and groom or the guests. For DJs, the standard is to offer a 15% to 20% gratuity. For bands, the standard is $25 per band member.

Limo Drivers

Many couples choose to have a limo driver to transport them to the wedding venue, to the airport or other locations before and after the wedding. It is standard to offer this driver 15% to 20% after they have completed their services.

Other Vendors

Other vendors that you may conduct business with throughout the wedding planning process are photographers, videographers, florists, and bakers. Each of these provide something special to your wedding and it is usually typical to provide them each with a 15% to 20% gratuity.

While this is not required, nor will it be added into the contract, some feel as though these vendors have done an amazing job and wish to reward them for their hard work.

Wedding Planners

This is one of the main vendors that typically receive a gratuity after the wedding. They are usually in charge of many aspects of the wedding planning process and help make sure that everything comes together as planned. The customary gratuity for the wedding planner is 10% to 20%, but an additional 10% to 20% is sometimes offered for an exceptionally good job.

Conclusion

Gratuity may be one area of your budget that gets overlooked when you are setting up funds for your wedding. While most of these areas are not required, it is still standard to offer a gratuity to the vendors after the wedding.

In order to make sure you have the funds available, you should make sure that you add the proper amounts to your budget so that you can properly thank your staff for their hard work.

Best For Bride

Best for Bride can help you plan your perfect day from start to finish. They specialize in the perfect gown, décor, and accessories that any bride will need to feel beautiful on her big day.