Determining your wedding budget is the first step before you can start wedding planning and pinning all your pretty ideas! When thinking about your expenses, gratuity is often overlooked or forgotten. We have some guidance on what you should plan to spend and why tipping wedding vendors is important.
Get tipping advice for the following services:
- Wedding photographer and videographer
- Hair stylist and makeup artist
- Officiant
- Florist
- Delivery staff (wedding cake, rentals, etc.)
- Ceremony musicians
- Catering
- Wedding DJ
- Wedding band
- Waitstaff
- Bartenders
- Wedding planner
Etiquette for tipping wedding vendors (and why it’s important)
Extra gratuity may feel like an unnecessary expense on top of the amounts you’re already paying for a vendor’s product or service. So why is it important to tip wedding vendors? The simple answer is it’s the right thing to do to show how much you value the hard work and excellent service they’re providing on your wedding day. You’ll likely already have enough stress, so showing your appreciation for someone that makes your life easier is always a good idea! Just like you give a little extra to a great server at a restaurant or a salon for an amazing experience, tipping wedding vendors should be factored into your budget. Oftentimes, the vendors aren’t making a huge profit on the products or services due to rising product costs, inflation, or competition with a growing wedding industry market. By tipping your vendors, you could be making a big difference to a small local business.
Not every wedding vendor expects a cash tip, but you could offer a small gift as a gesture of gratitude instead. At the very least, send a sweet thank-you note for their help on your wedding day. And since most businesses need great online reviews to stay profitable, be sure to leave some for your wedding vendors after you’ve gotten back from your honeymoon! Those can be as good as gold.
How much to tip wedding vendors (by vendor type)
Knowing how much to tip your vendors is important as you put together your wedding budget. Not all wedding vendors require (or expect) the same amount of tips, so we’ve put together some guidelines to help you plan. You can see the vendor tipping guide at a glance below, or keep reading for more in-depth information on each wedding vendor.
💌 Pro tip: Create a set of envelopes with tips for each vendor. On the big day, you or your wedding coordinator can distribute them as the services are delivered. Get our free printable below to check them off as each tip is handed out!
Wedding photographer(s) and videographers
Expectation: Tipping is optional, but providing a tip to the assistant or second photographer is a nice gesture. Additionally, don’t forget to give photo credit to your photographer when re-posting photos online.
Amount: $50-$100 per person
When booking a wedding photographer, plan to spend around $2,000 on the package. Learn more about how much a wedding photographer costs. A wedding videographer’s pricing is similar at $1,500-$2,500 per project.
📸 Hire a local wedding photographer or wedding videographer on GigSalad!
Hair stylist and makeup artist
Expectation: Tipping is expected.
Amount: 15%-25% of the total charge, similar to a salon
Having beautiful hair and gorgeous makeup on your special day is a must, so leave it to the professionals. Hire your artists in advance and consider doing a practice run (for an additional charge) to make sure you like how everything looks. Plan on spending $125-$250 on your wedding ‘do, depending on the intricacy of the style you choose. Your makeup artist will likely charge $75-$125 and potentially double that if you choose to do a practice appointment.
💄 Book a local makeup artist or hair stylist on GigSalad!
Officiant
Expectation: Tipping is expected, and you may be asked to tip the church or temple, too.
Amount: $50-$100 for the officiant, and another $100-$500 to the religious institution.
Even if you’re not affiliated with a local religious institution, you can find non-denominational officiants to guide you and your fiance through the process. Set aside $125 or so for most simple ceremonies.
💍 Find a wedding officiant near you on GigSalad!
Florist
Expectation: Tipping is not expected but optional if you’re extremely happy with their arrangements.
Amount: 10%-15% of the bill
Flowers are a flexible cost that can be lowered if you are a DIY bride or groom, or you can make a splash with giant arrangements. And remember, flower prices fluctuate based on the time of year and the market. Learn more about how much your wedding flowers will cost.
💐 Hire a local wedding florist on GigSalad!
Delivery staff (wedding cake, rentals, flowers, etc.)
Expectation: Tipping is expected.
Amount: $5-$10 per delivery person
When tipping wedding vendors that deliver products, direct them toward the employees rather than the business. The drivers and staff will appreciate your thoughtful gesture and acknowledgment of their exceptional service!
🚚 Find local wedding services and rentals on GigSalad!
Ceremony musicians
Expectation: Tipping is optional but is becoming an expectation.
Amount: $15-$20 per ceremony musician
Most classical musicians charge per musician, so keep that in mind when planning your ceremony budget. A string quartet will cost $650-$1,000 on average, while a solo violinist will range from $175-$300.
🎻 Book local wedding musicians on GigSalad!
Catering captain
Expectation: Tipping is expected unless gratuity is already included in the total bill.
Amount: 15-20% of the total food and beverage bill
A catering company will generally charge a set amount per guest based on your food choices and can range from $20-$50 per head. To feed a casual crowd, a food truck is a fun alternative!
🍽️ Find a caterer near you on GigSalad!
Wedding DJ
Expectation: Tipping is optional, but is becoming an expectation.
Amount: $50-$100
A wedding DJ can usually pull double-duty as a reception emcee as well as provide all the party tunes! Plan to spend between $500-$1,200 for a great DJ to make sure everything from the first dance to the cake smash goes smoothly.
🎤 Hire a local wedding DJ on GigSalad!
Wedding band
Expectation: Tipping is optional but becoming an expectation.
Amount: $20-$35 per band member
The wedding band is one of the high-budget items that you’ll need to prepare for if you plan to have a rockin’ reception! A great party band is worth the price at around $2,000-$3,500 for 4 hours.
If a wedding band or even a DJ is out of your price range, there are a lot of other entertainment options that could make your reception one to remember. You could stick with a solo musician or even a smaller band. Or if you want to go all out, try adding some other unique entertainers like dancers, caricaturists, or circus entertainers. On GigSalad, we have wedding performers for any budget!
🎉 Book your wedding entertainment on GigSalad!
Waitstaff
Expectation: Tipping is expected unless gratuity is included in the service bill.
Amount: 15%-20% of your food and beverage bill
Hire waitstaff to help serve appetizers, refill buffets trays, clear dishes, and more. Most waitstaff companies charge by the hour, so depending on how long you need them, you’ll be spending around $30 per hour per staff member on average.
🤵 Find wedding waitstaff near you on GigSalad!
Bartenders
Expectation: Tipping is expected unless gratuity is included in the service bill or a tip jar is available for guests.
Amount: 15-20% of the total liquor bill
Make sure your wedding guests can get their beverages quickly and easily by hiring a bartender. You can provide the alcohol and supplies or ask the bartending company to do the shopping for you! Also, try working with them to create a fun signature cocktail in honor of your big day.
🍷 Book a local bartender on GigSalad!
Wedding planner
Expectation: Tipping is optional and not expected, but a small personal gift is a great alternative.
Amount: 10-20% of the total bill
Find a local wedding planner to help keep all your wedding events on track! On average, wedding planners charge $60 to $125 per hour, depending on their level of experience and the services provided.
💁♀️ Hire your wedding planner on GigSalad!
Tipping your wedding vendors is certainly something to consider and include when you’re thinking about your overall wedding budget. Showing your appreciation for the wedding professionals who helped you make your wedding day successful will be a great first step in this new chapter in your life!
Megan is the Director of Customer Experience at GigSalad and has gained 9+ years of insight on what makes a great event on both sides of the booking process. Her favorite things include books, true crime podcasts, coffee, hiking, puns, and making people laugh.