Happy labour day weekend everyone!
We’re going to kick off this long weekend with a little food for thought. I was talking to a friend of mine the other day who is getting married next weekend (you bet we’re doing her wedding videography and it’ll be featured on the blog soon enough!) when the topic of tipping your vendors came up. She didn’t know this is custom and was totally shocked when I told her (Nor did she know she has to feed her vendors. You must feed your vendors people!). So, I thought she’s probably not alone and decided to cover it on the Brightside blog.
So, let’s get to it! Generally, when someone provides you with a service, it’s customary to tip them for a job well done. This certainly applies to your wedding vendors. Newlyweds often don’t know this is custom in the wedding world, and are wary of doing so when they find out. I know, you’ve just spent a whole lot of money on your wedding day, it’s hard to part with some more. What I’d recommend to any couple in the wedding planning process, is to factor this extra cost into your budget from the get-go so it’s not quite such a shock at the end of the road.
Your vendors work tirelessly to make sure your dream day is everything you wanted. Yes, you’ve already paid a pretty penny for them to do so but it’s wedding etiquette to give a little extra as a thank you for a job well done. Yet, after all is said and done, try to remember that tipping is not required per se, and if a vendor doesn’t meet your standards of service, then you’re within your right to hold back, however it would be quite the faux pas not to tip when you’re happy with the service they provided. It’s also worth noting that a heartfelt thank you note, positive referral or gift is always appreciated. Tips can come in a variety of forms.
So, naturally, the next question is. How much do you tip? Well, that varies and depends on a few things: What service did they provide? How long were they involved in your planning process? Did they go above and beyond, such as being your shoulder to lean on when you needed a quick bride-cry? Did they answer all your emails or phone calls promptly? And of course, do they own their business? Remember, it’s not customary to tip the owner of a business.
Well, it’s your lucky day. We have a trusty cheat sheet from the girls over at Southern Weddings Magazine to help guide you through the who, when and how much of tipping your vendors. And we all know Southern ladies have wedding etiquette down to a fine art!
Take a peak below. Did that answer some of your questions? If you’re still in need of some more advice, head on over to their breakdown of vendor tipping here. We recommend saving or pinning the cheat sheet for future reference. We hope we helped make your wedding planning process a little bit smoother and enlightened some brides out there on the art of wedding tipping.
Happy long weekend!
