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Gratitude in Action: The Essential Guide to Tipping for Your Wedding Services!

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Is it obligatory to tip every vendor at your wedding? Or is it alright to assume that the vendor charges cover their services and you needn’t add gratuities into your already-stretched wedding budget?

Wedding tipping is a tricky area, with no set rules on what is right and what isn’t. More often than not, it is up to the couple to decide whether they want to tip a vendor or not. If you aren’t really sure of what to do, this guide will help you recognize who you should tip and who you can skip.

Ground and set-up staff

These people do most of the hard work, like moving or setting up equipment and furniture at the venue. So, they deserve a tip for their efforts. You can budget roughly $10 per person. This list also includes anyone who delivers gifts or the important items from your baker, florist etc.

At your reception venue, unless you have taken an all-inclusive package, you will have to pay the staff in charge of serving wine or cutting cake, separately. In both cases, it is common practice to tip these attendants, and you can put aside roughly 15% of the food expenses for this purpose. To avoid double-tipping, check your contract for whether it includes service charges and make your decision accordingly.

Hair and Makeup

Similar to when you visit a beauty salon, these staff expect a tip for their service. How much you pay will depend on how well you think they performed the job.

Florist and Baker

It isn’t usually necessary to tip your florist or baker, as their rates normally include gratuity. One way to know whether it would be appropriate to tip the person you are dealing with is to read your contract. If it includes service charges, you do not have to tip again. Another thing to remember is that you needn’t tip a vendor who owns the service, but it is right to tip employees.

Wedding planner

It is optional to tip your wedding planner, but you can always do so if you appreciate the effort the team put in, to make your wedding a success. You can also show your appreciation by giving them a nice gift instead of cash. Don’t forget to send a thank you note to your wedding planner if you loved what they did, and make sure you do this soon after the wedding. A good review and photos for their portfolio would be nice too.

Photographers and Musicians

It is optional in both cases, but if you are happy with their service or if they exceed your expectations, don’t hesitate to tip them. Again, if the photographer is the owner of the business, you can always skip it. For the musicians, if they did a splendid job and kept the evening alive and active, you can tip them.

Apart from the customary tips, you should appreciate anyone who has made a special effort to do the job well. Don’t think of the rules if you think they did a splendid job, and also send out a thank-you note afterwards. In a business where customer satisfaction decides a vendor’s business prospects, it will be well-appreciated if you can provide them a good online review or recommend them to your engaged friends

To obtain more wedding advice and tips, and also find everything you need for your wedding, visit us at Best for Bride.

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A Beginner’s Guide To Your Vow Renewal [2024]: Checklist and Everything You Need To Know

A Beginner’s Guide To Your Vow Renewal: Checklist and Everything You Need To Know

Marriage is a mosaic you build with your spouse. Millions of tiny moments that create your love story.”

This quote by Jennifer Smith is an apt representation of what marriage means and entails. Every couple who has been married for long should know that they are in a special relationship that has stood the test of time. Such a marriage is definitely worth a celebration, and vow renewals are the perfect way to do it.

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Whether you want to celebrate your love, or wish to reaffirm your commitment to each other, you can always have a vow renewal ceremony. It can be as small or as elaborate as you wish.

Although planning a vow renewal isn’t as stressful as wedding planning, there are a few things that can make it even easier. But before we look at that, let us first look at something that is very important when planning such an event: Vow renewal etiquette.

Continue reading A Beginner’s Guide To Your Vow Renewal [2024]: Checklist and Everything You Need To Know
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5 Wedding expenses that you may overlook

It is important to budget everything at your wedding. Only then will you stick to what you can afford. A common mistake is to not account for the overhead costs when booking a service or vendor. These aren’t usually stated upfront, and unless you ask, you may have a nasty surprise when you receive the final bill.

These are the usual areas where couples wrongly budget and it leads to costs they didn’t expect.

Shipping Costs for Invitations

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Vendors usually do not mention charges inclusive of shipping when you place your order for your wedding invitations. Remember that the bulkier your card is, the more postage stamps or courier charges it will cost. Where hundred or more invitations are concerned, this can quickly add up, especially if many are to be sent overseas. When you receive an estimate for invitations, make sure you account for the postage charges as well. You may rethink your preferences when you figure it in.

Wedding dress fittings and alterations

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It is unlikely to find a dress that fits perfectly when choosing off-the-rack. Every bride requires minimum alterations. Alteration services depend on the extent and nature of the work involved. You may have to pay more if you want custom changes, such as changing the neckline or adding sleeves.

First, fix an amount and set aside roughly 20% of it for alterations. Inform your bridal consultant of your wedding dress budget and mention that it is inclusive of all the overheads, so she can direct you to suitable ones. Make sure that you choose a dress that doesn’t need too much work by choosing the right size and finding one that has most of the features you desire.

Taxes and extras on services

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There are taxes on everything from venue booking to caterers, florists and other services. The actual rate may depend on the amount you spend. Find out the cost inclusive of taxes, so you know whether what you chose is an option you can afford.

Extra charges at the reception include costs for cutting and serving the cake and serving wine. Unless you take an all-inclusive package where the cake and drinks come with the venue, it is likely you will have to pay the staff who perform the service. Make sure you discuss the rates before committing to the deal.

Cleaning up

If you have chosen a full-service, cleaning up after the function is usually included. However, if you are only renting the place and arranging the caterers and decorations yourself, you have to arrange for clean-up following the function, or else pay for it. Even if you book a full-service venue, make sure you know about any extra charges you may have to pay for late-night cleanup, should your party extend beyond midnight.

Extra equipment and overtime charges

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Unless you stick to your original wedding schedule, you have to compensate for any extra time your service providers spend at your wedding. This applies to the band, DJ, caterers, wedding photographers, wedding officiants and wedding makeup artists. Book with a realistic time schedule, and you shouldn’t have to pay too much extra. Any additional equipment such as speakers or microphones, that will be required at your venue, will come at an extra cost. So, check this outright in the beginning.

For more wedding tips and advice, visit us at Best for Bride.

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Do’s and Don’ts of Bridal Make-Up

To help you deal with the wedding day anxiety, we’ve gathered a list of several do’s and don’ts, when it comes to bridal make-up:

Do:

Arrange your trial make-up session at least three weeks before the big day. Experts also advise on having a test-run with the fake tan, if you intend on applying it on your wedding day – this will help the make-up artist see what your skin will look like tanned and chose the best color scheme to complement it.

Experiment with colors! The bridal make-up allows for brighter color scheme, as it needs to compensate for the whiteness of the dress. Also, bridal make-up tends to be very different from your normal everyday make-up in order to help you stand out.

There are several elements to your look and the first one is your skin. Make sure you have smooth and natural-looking skin. Accentuate your eyes with individual eyelashes, instead of a full strip – they look fuller and are far more subtle. You can also finish your look with a highlighter shade on the brow bone – this will make your eyes really stand out!

Don’t:

Be careful not to arrange your test trial in a place with fluorescent or unnatural lightning – it will make the color scheme and your face look differently. Also, if you have your make-up artist coming at your home, ensure it’s still light outside.

Stick with neutral colors. They look washed out in photos, so better chose a brighter color for your eyeshades and lip color. Don’t be afraid to experiment with red or pink! Plums and roses are indeed a classic choice for brides, as they look stylish, while being eye-catching at the same time.

Overdo your eyes. You can define them by applying colour in the crease, but don’t use too much eyeliner or too dark shade.

For this and more advice on how to make your wedding day as smooth as possible, check http://www.bestforbride.com/.