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i wonder this too! my photographer is an independent agent and i don't know if i am meant to tip her...
i think the main rule is you are never OBLIGATED to tip...but some people def. expect it!! And I'd hate to be totally rude and upset someone who thought they were working hard to get a good tip.
That is a good question, especially when you are paying so much for it already. I didn't really factor in tips into total wedding costs.
i know! it is hard. i don't want to tip him since i know i'm paying him a lot already, so i don't know if it is necessary or what.
I had not planned on tipping my photographer. Actually, I didn't even know I was expected to.
Tipping totally kills me. I have an added mandatory 20% "service fee" for our catering. We're having a buffet - where is service coming into this? Everyone is serving themselves.
This is what I've been going by... I don't think that I'm going to tip the photographer, but I will tip the DJ and the florist. I know the florist expects it because whenever they send me an invoice it is ______ + tax + gratuities. The gratuities were already factored into my venue fee luckily...
Tell me about it. I'm doing buffet and there is the 19.1% gratuity. Not to mention it doesn't account for my minimum... yeesh people try to get anything out of you they can!
We didn't tip our photographer or DJ because they both owned their own businesses.
thanks MissAsB! that makes me feel better. i just didn't want to come across as rude/cheap. but yeah i think it definitely makes sense to not tip him.
I know, I'm feeling like I am being squeezed for every last penny.
I also did not count on tipping the florist, since she is just a lady who works out of her home.
I have heard so many mixed things about this, and everyone seems to have a different opinion on the matter. Even though my photographers own their own business, I also feel like they are going to be working harder than the rest of the vendors - on their feet with you all day - so I am going to give my photographers a $100 tip, and their assistant $50.
This is just what I personally decided to do...but, given that this seems to be a gray area, I'm sure whatever you decide will be fine.
Man, I am so conflicted about this. I remember seeing a photography blog where someone brought up tipping and a lot of photographers chimed in saying they never EXPECTED To be tipped, and most had only been tipped a handful of times in their entire careers. But some then said that a tip is greatly appreciated, and nothing is more motivating than being handed a wad of cash before the wedding begins. But I'm thinking, if I tip my photographer, I want to reward him for a job well-done, not give him a handful of cash only to get back crummy pics. That would suck. I don't know.
i did not tip my photographer either.
i agree with veganglam, i would maybe tip if they did a great job after I recieved my pictures and everything... unfortunately i don't have that problem if you know what i mean
I thought tipping was supposed to be either for extraordinary service or good service from someone who is paid below minimum wage and is relying on tips to get a decent wage.
Photographers, DJs etc are already paid a very generous amount, so unless they performed the Heimlich maneuver on you during the reception, I would not tip them. (:
I too am going off of the article The Knot posted regarding tipping, therefore, I'm not planning on tipping my photographer or my hair stylist as she is coming to me.
I'm conflicted on tipping my hairstylist. She is doing my makeup as well, and she is my regular stylist. Thing is, she owns the salon (it's just her and her sister), and she's already charging me $360. It's $180 for a bridal updo for some unknown reason (because everything "bridal" is automatically 3X as expensive) when I've gotten updo's from her for other formal occasions and it's only been $50.
The first time I received a tip I was shocked! I never saw photographers as someone you should really tip. The photographer from our wedding stayed an extra ten minutes for us at our request so we tipped him $100, but it was really only for the extra time. We never thought it was expected. I definitely don't expect to be tipped for weddings.
We also tipped the coordinator at the venue $100 because she did a lot to help us.
I've only been tipped a handful of times in my career and I never expect to be tipped. Although who doesn't like to be handed money for going over and beyond. We have received cash (most ever was $100) at the end of the wedding and a few have sent us gift cards after they received their photos to say thank you. If your photo owns their own biz and they do an extraordinary job and you are really happy with the service they provided you then the absolutely best tip you can give them is send them more work by posting stellar reviews on all the wedding sites/forums/blogs. We know people are investing a lot in us so I would never under any circumstances expect to be tipped. I'm pretty sure that goes for most photogs... the ones I know personally anyhow.
I hate the coordinator at our venue. She will NOT be getting a tip. She barely ever replies to my emails and when she does, it's like a one-sentence reply that doesn't answer the question.
@chillmer - $180 for hair?! holy cow. I'd think if you were a regular she would be able to cut you a deal. wow!
...Plus another $180 for makeup. That includes the trial for both, but it's still insane. She did cut my hair for free when I stopped in to sign the contract, at least. I didn't even ask, she was just like "should I do a trim while you're here?"
We tipped our photographer $300. (Owns his own business, $1700 package) Tipping him was an easy decision for us since he was great to work with before (and during and after) the wedding, came over the night before to the rehearsal dinner and didn't charge us any travel expenses despite driving 4 hours and staying at a $125/night hotel.
I'm having a student photographer photograph my wedding & paying him a flat rate of $150 (& he's good, & has done a wedding before, just building his portfolio). After I get his pics, I'll tip him depending on how well he does. I'm paying so little as it is, I wouldn't feel okay not giving him more (so long as the pics are good). :)
If I hired a professional, I wouldn't tip them because I'd be paying a ton anyways.
I'm so confused about tipping. A lot of our vendors have their own business (they are the business) and I feel weird deciding their tip before the wedding even starts. Can you mail it to them later?
@mrsRtobe - I wouldn't tip them until AFTER your wedding, maybe a few weeks after. You don't know how well they'll do & you aren't required or expected to tip them. For example, I'm going to tip my student photographer AFTER I get back the wedding pics. If I tipped him before & he gave me all bad pics, that makes the tip pointless. The tip goes to them if they do an amazing job & you're happy with them. You don't need to tip them, its just an added bonus if you really like them/their work :).
i am not tipping my florist, she works out of her home and does this as a hobby and will be getting 100% of the $2k (minus flower costs)... and she also isn't coming back to the venue until the following day to pick her vases up, so we won't have a chance to anyway.
i am not tipping my dj/videographer as they are both friends, gifting us, so we will get them a thank you gift after the wedding.
i am not tipping our photogs as they own their own business, but obvi, both of them will be fed as i also believe they're the ones that will be working all day and the most out of all of our vendors.
all of our other vendors include gratuity, delivery, and service charge. so we really won't be tipping anyone...
I own my own business, and don't expect a tip. I agree with Pizzuti--the absolute best thing you can do for your photographer is to go a bit out of your way to talk them up to friends and write good reviews. If they've done an absolutely stellar job, be sure to send a nice note or email, telling them how happy you are, which pictures you like, what certain pictures mean to you, etc. Those notes make my day; and the referrals make my business. Consider, too, using your photographer in the future, for family or event pics, maternity and newborn pics, etc. If you're looking at your pictures again a year down the road, send a quick email thanking them again. I *love* having relationships with my clients that extend far beyond a single day/transaction.
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i've read up that when the photographer owns his own business, there is no need to tip as highly as you would for someone who works for a company since he/she will be taking most of the package price anyway as profit. is this true? i hope so anyway. our photographer has his own business, so i'm wondering how much we should give him as tip. the package is $2200. help!