Most weddings will have multiple vendors and staff members coming together to make the large-scale event happen. It’s important to know when tipping is necessary, and the proper tipping etiquette for weddings.

Of course, the bride, groom, and family of the newly betrothed will be the ones responsible for and expected to tip certain wedding staff members. The wedding guests, party, and planner should not be expected to do so.

According to The Knot, it’s important to factor tipping into the wedding budget. The gesture is kind and much appreciated, although never necessary. Some vendors may expect tips, but it truly is up to the bride, groom, and family to decide if they want to spend even more money on top of the established wedding budget.

If you do decide to tip on your wedding day, there are select vendors that will typically receive a tip and some that will not. Photographers, musicians, DJs, your wedding planner, cake baker, and florist do not typically expect tips. However, $20-$50 or 20% of the overall fees from these vendors is a kind gift for their assistance. Your photographer and wedding planner will likely already require a large sum of your wedding budget, so use your discretion with those examples.

Generally, you’ll want to tip your hairstylists, makeup artists, delivery/ set up crew, wedding reception staff, wedding transportation company, and officiant. Your officiant will likely accept the gift as a $100-$500 donation to the church and an additional $50-$100 on top of that. The others usually receive about 20% of the overall bill.

Here are a few wedding tipping Dos and Don’ts to consider before your special day:

DO: Set the money aside in cash.

DON’T: Wait until the event to realize you don’t have cash.

Cash is the quickest and easiest way to tip on your wedding day. You don’t have to worry about scrambling, asking any vendors for their Venmo information, or calculating how much to send over. Calculate and set this money aside before the wedding and keep it in a safe place to delegate during the event. You could even delegate this job to your planner.

DO: Thank your vendors for their hard work.

DON’T: Fail to mention their service while handing over the money.

Appreciation goes a long way, and your wedding vendors and staff dedicated a good chunk of time, energy, and possibly funds to complete their service for your special day. Be sure to thank them while you’re tipping them!

DO: Tip generously.

DON’T: Tip more than the budget allows.

Like we said earlier, tipping is never expected, but always appreciated. Don’t break the bank to tip your vendors but do try to be as generous as you can. They don’t expect much more money than the fee that you paid for their service, but it’s also important to support them for a job well done.

DO: Make it a point to get the tip to the vendors.

DON’T: Make a scene on your wedding day.

While tipping is very kind and important, don’t try to hunt down each vendor to hand them some cash. If you miss the chance to thank a vendor and give them a tip, ask your wedding planner to handle it or make a note to send them their tip later in the week. Enjoy your special day!

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