Who do I tip and how much?

Wedding professionals, from bridal consultants to photographers, are tipped only for extra-special service. While you might set aside an extra 15 percent as unexpected tip fund, you needn’t anticipate tips for the consultant, club manager or caterer, florist, photographer, or videographer. Often a caterer’s gratuities are imbedded in the total costs; many hotels include a service charge for the waitstaff. Always ask whether gratuities are included before signing any contract. You should play a gratuity budget for the following:

• Valet parking
• Coat check
• Powder room attendants
• Delivery truck drivers
• Limousine drivers
• Waistaff
• Bartenders
• Table captains

Tip parking lot, coat check, and powder room attendants ahead of time so that your guests don’t have to. Ask a friend to make sure there are no tip dishes or baskets sitting on the coat check counter or powder room shelf that would make guests feel obligated to tip. A general guideline is to tip attendants a flat fee or $1 to $2 per guest. For more advice about tipping and to find out exactly how much it is customary to tip each service professional, see our article on Budget Extras.