Said It Here

Do I need to tip wedding vendors who own their business?

Wedding vendors who own their business typically do not expect a tip, unlike their hired assistants or employees. Deciding whether to give cash, a gift, or nothing at all becomes confusing when services are already fully paid for.

What people tried

Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.

  1. 1
    Tipping 15 to 20% for major vendors
  2. 2
    Giving $50 to $100 per person for smaller roles like waiters or bartenders
  3. 3
    Checking contracts for specific guidelines or treating tips as optional
  4. 4
    Not tipping business-owning vendors because they set their own rates
  5. 5
    Tipping only the assistants who accompany the owners
  6. 6
    Leaving online reviews instead of a cash gratuity

In their words

Unedited, most upvoted first, each linked to the thread it came from.

“I was wondering if you’re supposed to tip your photographer, DJ, etc? Do you give them a gift? Do you not give anything since you’re paying them for a service?”source ↗

25headbeech · r/weddingplanning · 3 upvotes

“My DJ, photographer, and hair/makeup vendors all own their own businesses. Each vendor will have an assistant with them (2 people each).”source ↗

“What di i tip? $100/vendor? More? Less? Help a girl out”source ↗

-nobody__cares- · r/weddingplanning · 1 upvotes

Where this came up

r/weddingplanningetiquettetippingtipping etiquettevendor managementvendorswedding planningweddings

People with this problem also raised