First thing I must say when tipping your wedding professional team, please remember that it is not a mandatory expense. Gratuities should only be given to those wedding professionals who have gone above and beyond their contracted duties. Small business owners should never be overlooked since their businesses are often run by just one person. Before dishing out gratuity, double-check your contracts. Some professionals will include it in their contract, and I wouldn’t want you double tipping. Also, keep in mind that this is a guide. There really is no set number in what you should tip. You tip what you want, and trust me, any tip a vendor gets will be a surprise.
Lastly, a review is the BEST tip you can give any vendor. So if you cannot tip monetarily, PLEASE remember to at least leave them a glowing review.
THE MYTH ABOUT NOT TIPPING OWNERS
It is not uncommon to read articles that tell you that IF the individual providing the service is also the owner of the company, you do not technically need to tip them. Here is my take on that:
If you were to go out to eat, you would not tip the owner of the restaurant, right? But if the owner was also the person taking your order, making sure you’re taken care of, bringing your food and topping off your drinks, then you would absolutely give them a tip.
It’s my opinion that it works the same for your wedding pros.
If you are using a DJ who is subcontracted to work for a company, you would tip the DJ, not the owner. But if the owner was also the DJ working with you throughout the process AND their playing some killer tunes on your wedding day and keeping all of your guests on the dance floor all night long, then it’s a great idea to pass along a tip to them.
How Much: $50 if you’re married by a judge, clerk or officiant. Clergy members, in general, don’t accept tips, so instead, make a donation to the appropriate house of worship.
MAITRE D’ OR VENUE COORDINATOR
Sometimes referred to as a “Captain” or banquet manager. This tip may already be included in your total agreement with the catering company and/or venue. Be sure to check first.
How Much: $1 – $2 per guest
SERVERS & WAIT STAFF
Look this over carefully PRIOR to the wedding day to avoid double-tipping or forgetting to give them a tip. It may already be included in your caterer or venue contract. If it is not clear whether a tip is provided or how many staff members there will be, ask your contact with that company. Also, keep in mind that a “service charge” is often different than a tip.
How Much: $15-30 per staff member
BARTENDER
You may wish to have a “tip jar” out on the bar where your guests can choose to tip their bartenders. I’m not a huge fan of this, but it’s a personal preference. Just remember if you do not wish to have a tip jar out, that you should then take care of a tip for the bartenders on your guests’ behalf (if it’s not included in your contract). Inform the bartenders of your intent to tip after the reception, and request that they refuse tips from guests.
How Much: 10-15% of the total pre-tax bar bill, which should be split among the bartenders. OR $40-$75 per bartender
DJ & EMCEES
How Much: 10%-15% of the cost of services up to $150
HAIR STYLISTS, MAKE-UP ARTISTS & OTHER BEAUTY TECHNICIANS
How Much: 15-20% of the cost of services
DRIVERS FOR LIMOS, SHUTTLES, BUSSES, TROLLEYS, ETC.
The total tip amount depends on the extent to which they are driving you and/or your guests. Are they just making a few trips, or are they working all day?
How Much: If it is not included in the contract, $50-100 per driver
VALETS, COAT CHECK OR BATHROOM ATTENDANTS
Display a sign stating that gratuities have been taken care of. The staff should also be instructed to refuse any tips offered by guests.
These pros will often be spending the most time with you throughout the day and it’s important to appreciate their hard work and attention to detail. If they will be having any assistants, you can also extend an optional tip to them.
How Much: 5% – 10% of the cost of services – $25-$50+ per assistant, depending on their level of involvement
HOW YOU SHOULD GIVE YOUR WEDDING TEAM THEIR TIPS
It’s most ideal to pass along your wedding vendor tips (and final payments if necessary) to your wedding planner/coordinator or to a trusted family member (like mom or dad). That way you won’t be worrying about getting it to them while you’re occupied with your big day. Make sure they are in sealed envelopes with the person’s name and/or role written on it so that there is no confusion.
The wedding cake. A staple of a wedding celebration and most people expect to see one. But today people need to throw their expectations out the window. Don’t get me wrong, about 80% of my couples opt for a wedding cake, but the other 20% have something different. From cupcakes to donuts to pies to cookies…..desserts at a wedding are now more of a reflection of the couple.
The first thing you need to do before you start shopping for your dessert is to decide what you want. This is because a lot of bakers can do many different types of desserts, but some only offer cakes, or cupcakes, or cookies, etc. So it is important to know the type of dessert you want so you don’t waste your or their time if they can’t make the type of dessert you’re looking for.
Then comes the fun part, the tastings. Dive right in here and try out a few different places. Reach out to them before you head out and make sure that they offer tastings and how they work.
Almost all places need you to give them advance notice. Some require an appointment, some send it home with you to do on your own, some have monthly events you have to sign up to attend. Keep in mind that some places do charge. You are picking up a product that they cannot get back and this is a very reasonable request. Some even take the cost of the tasting off of your final bill if you go with them.
Questions to Ask Your Baker
Most importantly, have a list of questions you want to ask. Here are a few examples of questions to ask before you schedule your tasting or while you are meeting with them.
What flavors and options do you offer?
What will the estimated price of our cake/desserts be?
What are your payment requirements? (aka deposit, final payment due, etc.)
Do you offer other desserts as well?
Do you offer cake/display stand rentals?
Do you offer organic, vegan, or gluten-free options?
How do we choose a design?
Will the cake be finished with buttercream or fondant?
Is there a delivery fee?
How far in advance will our cake be prepared?
If you don’t know what places to start talking to, give me a call. All of my couples receive a recommended vendors list that includes professionals I have personally worked with and love what they do.
Wedding planning is a series of interviews with professionals that will provide you with a service on your big day. But what do you need to be asking? For instance, you know you want pictures of your wedding, but how do you sift through the hundreds of available photographers in your area? I guarantee there are hundreds of them but I also guarantee there is one out there for you. Just like your perfect person, it may take time, but you will find them.
Before you even start interviewing them there are two things you MUST do. First, set your budget. Second, find the style that speaks to you.
But how do you set your budget without knowing what something costs? Join local wedding planning groups on platforms like Facebook and ask around in there. Keep in mind that the amount of time they’re needed for and their experience are just two things that will change the cost of a photographer. But it will at least get you a starting point. Another way is to reach out to photographers and get pricing. Some will charge a vastly different price, but you will see the middle ground on what’s average. Then once you have that information, take a step back and decide how much photography really means to you. That will at least give you a starting price to begin with.
As for style, scour the internet. Look at Pinterest and wedding blogs and websites. Look at everything and collect examples of images that warm your heart and you want for your wall. Then find photographers who have a similar style. Photography is an art form and although they are taking pictures that you want, they instill their artwork into each one. So search and find the one and then trust them to do their finest.
You have your budget and style, now what?
Now you start talking to them, in person. Set up consultations to meet them and see their full portfolio. Make sure you see at least one full portfolio of a wedding. I mean I can take some pretty shots, but if you saw the amount of photos I deleted to get there, you would know I am an amateur. Seeing a portfolio from an entire wedding shows you how they will capture the entire day and shows you what they are truly capable of. Posed shots are one thing, action shots are entirely different. And so it’s important to see them all.
As you sit down with them, come prepared with questions you want to ask. There will be some that are very specific to your needs. But as a good basis, here are some questions to keep in mind when you’re talking with them:
What does the package include and how much is it?
What happens if we need additional hours on wedding day?
Do you include engagement and/or bridal sessions in the package?
Will we receive digital files, or prints/albums?
Can we purchase additional files/prints and for how much?
How long will we wait to receive our photos after the wedding?
Have you worked at our venue before?
How many weddings have you done (and can we see samples of your work)?
An important thing to note is that you are not the only person they are talking to about your wedding date. So if you really like them, book them. Photographers are one of the first vendors to be booked by couples, so don’t miss out on the right one.
Also remember with that, that they’re interviewing you as well. They want to make sure (as any wedding professional will) that you and your dream day work with them, their personality and their style. So be prepared for interesting questions. I myself have a questionnaire that I send to my couples before we meet with questions about where they shop, and what they like to do for fun. It just one way to make sure that working together will be a fun experience for everyone involved.
Planning a wedding and reception can be stressful. Placing Billy “J” Full Spectrum Entertainment in charge of your reception instantly alleviates some of that stress; their one-of-a-kind wedding entertainment services help to ensure everything goes according to plan. From your initial consultation all the way to the final dance at your wedding reception, expect nothing but the personalized attention that makes us the most highly referred DJ company in Cleveland. The DJs at Billy “J” Full Spectrum Entertainment take pride in their ability to entertain to your liking. They are refined announcers who know how to MC your event and meet the specifications you place upon them. We built 25 years of experience and success from the continuous stream of praise and referrals from our satisfied customers, including Cleveland Indians star, Jhonny Peralt. Contact us today to learn more about our wedding entertainment services and just what we can do for you!
Tell my readers a little about yourself and your history as a Wedding DJ.
In the entertainment industry, 20 years of success is nothing short of remarkable. The success of Billy “J” Full Spectrum Entertainment can be attributed to Billy “J”. Billy “J” started his Mentor Ohio Wedding DJ company with previous experience in event planning, lighting, sound, special effects, and even technical equipment. Billy “J” is also a skilled musician and recording artist. Billy’s impressive resume and experience backed by great customer interaction proves why thousands of clients have nothing but praise for Billy “J” Full Spectrum Entertainment. The admiration heaped upon Billy “J” Full Spectrum Entertainment places them in the elite tier of entertainers in the Ohio area.
Why did you choose to do what you do within the wedding industry?
We love making couples days and bringing to life the day of their dreams
What trends in the wedding industry are you loving right now?
Purple hues and barn weddings
What is your favorite thing about your job?
Seeing how happy the couple is on their wedding day
What would be the most common mistake couples make when it comes to your business?
(i.e. booking late,etc.)
Booking late, before we are booked up
What is your ideal day at work?
Being part of a wedding and making a couples dream come true
What is your ideal day off?
Sleeping in and going to grab dinner with the family
Describe yourself in 3 words.
Fun, Energetic and Professional
Who inspires you and why?
The couples that I work with and their visions inspire me to be the best I can be at my job
What are three things you cannot live without? (Not including humans and pets)
Music, Traveling and sleep
What is your favorite thing to do, or place to go, in the Northeast Ohio area?
I love Mexican food
Thank you so much to Billy J for taking the time to answer some questions. If you would like to reach out to him to discuss his services please do so at:
The Wicked Sugar Cake Studio is a home-based bakery located in Perry, Ohio. I make custom order edible sugar art in the form of cakes, cupcakes, cake pop truffles, cookies, truffles and sweet treats. I also custom craft sugar flowers and figurines.
Tell my readers a little about yourself and your history as a baker.
Born and raised in Lake County, I graduated from Eastlake North High School. I’ve been baking and decorating since I was a junior in high school. I have a wide range of experience in and a deep passion for sugar art. In addition to baking, I’m a wife, mother of one daughter, step-mother of three and grandmother of eight. While I have “caked”, I have also worked full-time as a legal secretary, paralegal and just started my 27th year as the elected Fiscal Officer in Perry Township and do the same job at Perry Public Library.
Why did you choose to do what you do within the wedding industry?
I love my part in the wedding industry, the sugar art, because I love to produce beautiful, fun and tasty edibles!!
What trends in the wedding industry are you loving right now?
I love the inclusion of color, DIY personal touches, beautifully different cakes
What is your favorite thing about your job?
Setting up a cake, the final view – I love to see them all put together!
What would be the most common mistake couples make when it comes to your business? (i.e. booking late,etc.)
Not being realistic with budgets and resources to accomplish weddings of their dreams.
What is your ideal day at work?
Waking up in the morning with nothing but a bowl of buttercream and fresh cake and turning it into something beautiful!
What is your ideal day off?
A long, slow day at the beach or front row at a Hall and Oates concert!!
Describe yourself in 3 words.
Detailed, customer-oriented and precise
Who inspires you and why?
Sylvia Weinstock – she’s an amazing sugar artist and is the whole package when it comes to cake. She knows what she wants taste and design-wise and gets it done!
What are three things you cannot live without? (Not including humans and pets)
Coffee, my daughter and music.
What are you reading, listening to or binge watching right now?
Music – Maroon 5, binge watched PBS’ Victoria
What is your favorite thing to do, or place to go, in the Northeast Ohio area?
Headlands State Park beach
What would you tell your 16 year old self if you could?
Don’t be in such a hurry to be a grown-up!
What is your favorite dessert?
Dark Chocolate Stout Cake with chocolate buttercream
What is your favorite drink (alcoholic or non)?
El Mayor Tequila
Thank you so much to Chris for taking the time to answer some questions. If you would like to reach out about all of the delicious desserts please do so at:
We provide Photo Booth Rentals for all types of events.
Tell my readers a little about yourself and your history as a business.
I have been in the event industry for 12 years now and love every minute of it. We have grown from just me running the show to an entire team of well trained professionals that I trust sending out every day.
Why did you choose to do what you do within the wedding industry?
We started in the photography side of the industry and we have primarily moved to the Photo Booth Rental side 3 years ago. We now work an average of 200 events a year.
What trends in the wedding industry are you loving right now?
We stay up to date with some of the newest trends in the wedding industry and we adapt them to our business and the newest ones are the Magic Mirror Photo Booths and our Photo Spot Mini Social Sharing Station.
What is your favorite thing about your job?
I love interacting with the guests at a wedding and providing the best experience. Its not just about them taking photos in our Photo Booths its about creating an experience they will remember.
What would be the most common mistake couples make when it comes to your business? (i.e. booking late,etc.)
Obviously waiting to late to book is a big problem we book out for some events almost 2 years. (Yes I have bookings already for 2020) Biggest problem I see is Brides under estimating the cost for a quality Photo Booth Experience. There will always be someone cheaper but as much as we hear the quote, “You get what you pay for” is very true. You might get lucky with the new professional who takes pride and has just started in the industry but that is very rare. We have almost 1,000 events under our belt to make you feel comfortable when you work with us.
What is your ideal day at work?
We are a professional company we work sometimes 7 days a week. Yes this is our Day Job and we are working all week long to research new trends, attend trade shows, work on customer requests and answer any questions. My biggest thing is if we miss your call we return it within a few hours at most. If you email us we usually answer immediately. Yes even those who email at 3am because that’s when they have the time are shocked I sometimes return the email quick.
What is your ideal day off?
I do occasionally take days off in our slower season and enjoy with my Wife and 4 kids. We do small road trips and try to get a vacation squeezed in during the slower seasons. I trust in my staff to take care of things while I am away and they do an amazing job.
Describe yourself in 3 words.
Reliable, Hard-working & Diligent
Who inspires you and why?
Honestly my biggest inspiration is both Steve Jobs & Jeff Bezos…. Both started their companies with nothing in a garage and built it into one of the largest companies in the world. They provided a quality service and product that customers love.
What are three things you cannot live without? (Not including humans and pets)
Mobile Phone ( I would be lost with out it between all my email, calls and calendar), Scouting (I grew up with scouting and love watching my 2 older boys grow from it), Music (I love listening to music when I’m working)
What are you reading, listening to or binge watching right now?
I am a Sci-Fi Nerd so currently I am binge watching Stargate Seasons.
What is your favorite thing to do, or place to go, in the Northeast Ohio area?
I really enjoy going to Cuyahoga Valley Park and just take in Nature.
What would you tell your 16 year old self if you could?
I probably would tell myself to go for my dreams sooner and take the risk.
What is your favorite dessert?
Cannoli
What is your favorite drink (alcoholic or non)?
I recently gave up Pop so i love drinking Lemonade
Thank you so much to Mike for taking the time to answer some questions. If you would like to reach out about his photo booth services please do so at:
What trends in the wedding industry are you loving right now?
What is it that you do?
What is your favorite thing about your job?
What are you reading, listening to or binge watching right now?
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