ASK THE EXPERT: How Should I Tip My Wedding Vendors?

Creatas

Q: I’ve heard conflicting things about this—what are the general practices for tipping my various vendors?

A: “A good rule of thumb is to start with the up-front people,” says Mark Kingsdorf, owner of Philly’s Queen of Hearts Wedding Consultants (now an arm of Glenside’s Eventricy). “You’ll want to give cash to the hair and makeup people—and transportation services, depending on what their contact says—that day. You’ll also want to tip your servers, unless that’s included in your contact, and it’s become the practice to separately tip your maitre’d.” For others—like your planner, florist photographer and band—if they’ve gone above and beyond and you just loved them, he says, you can give them a cash gift, a restaurant or spa gift certificate, or just some lovely flowers. “And,” he says, “definitely send them a nice thank-you note they can post on their website for other potential clients to see.”

{And remember: Never, never, ever, ever allow the bartenders at your event to put our a tip jar. Shudder.}

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