Tipping Wedding Vendors: A Gratuity Guide to Who to Tip at a Wedding

You don't need me to tell you that the cost of everyday things over the last five years has gotten stupid expensive, and that tipping culture has gotten so out of hand that we now have self-checkout machines asking for tips. And we have no one to blame but ourselves for feeding into this culture in the first place. But not me. I have never believed in (monetary) tipping, so much so that I refuse to spend my hard-earned money at any business that demands tips — which is practically every sit-down restaurant out there. Not gonna lie, I can't even tell ya the last time I ate at one, because I don't remember. It's been that long.

Why? Because tipping should be a voluntary gesture of appreciation for a job well done, not an obligation that makes you feel guilty for skipping it. Yet, these days, it feels like society has been conditioned to tip for just about everything. But when was the last time you tipped the cashier at Buc-ee's or City Wok? Probably never. Yet somehow, we all instinctively pause to calculate a tip for the Olive Garden waitress who buried our pasta under a pound of cheese. And it's not even about good service anymore — tipping is expected for just doing your jeerrrb now. Like, the bare minimum of the job description.

Which brings us to your wedding. Should tipping wedding vendors be necessary? After all, you're already spending a shit ton of money on their services. Yet wedding publications insist tipping is practically mandatory, breaking it down by vendor and percentage rates. Brides even encourage future brides-to-be to tip their vendors too. So it's no wonder tipping culture feels so inflated in the wedding industry in 2026. But as I said, we have no one to blame but ourselves.

How Much do You Tip Wedding Vendors on the Wedding Day?

Now, even though I don't believe in tipping, I recognize that many people do. So let's just cut to the chase without using some stupid convoluted tip calculator every wedding publication tells you to use. If you do want to tip, slide your vendors $100 cash if they're there for more than 4–5 hours. If they're there less than that, slip 'em a $50. Place the bills in an envelope and have your planner, coordinator, or maid of honor hand them out — preferably before the day gets going. That said, I believe that either everyone gets a tip or no one does. So take that how you will.

What Wedding Vendors do You Tip? A Confusing Etiquette

Unfortunately, there's an unspoken — but very much followed — hierarchy of wedding vendors who usually get a tip, starting with the planner at the top, followed by the photographer and/or videographer, and DJ. But I'd argue that every vendor you've chosen for your wedding is just as important as the next one. Which makes tipping wedding vendors feel random, like there's no logic behind who gets tipped and who doesn't. I've even seen vendors not get a bootleg-ass box lunch simply because they weren't there at the crack of fucking dawn. And I put the blame squarely on the "experts" in mainstream wedding blogs who got us into this stupid-ass mess in the first place.

A quick search on tipping wedding vendors makes one thing clear — tipping in the wedding industry is a confusing, unfair dumpster fire. Publications like Zola, Brides, and The Knot, bombard you with confusing ass tipping guides that dictate who to tip and how much, often implying that some vendors are more deserving than others. The Knot's Vendor Tipping Cheat Sheet, for example, highlights specific vendors to tip, while Martha Stewart Weddings, Brides.com, and U.S. News recommend tipping only the staff, but not the business owners — creating an unnecessary hierarchy among vendors, despite everyone pulling their weight to make your wedding day happen.

And this is exactly why I say, fuck these people. WE — yes, including myself here — are already charging thousands of dollars to show up to YOUR wedding, and then we expect to get a tip on top of that!? Hell to da naw! But as I said earlier, if you believe in tipping go for it, ain't gonna stop ya. Just please, don't follow the bullshit ass advice the industry shoves down your throat.

Gratuity for Wedding Caterer: Sneaky Service Charge and Gratuity Fees

Many venues and caterers tack on mandatory service charges, gratuity fees, and 'recommended' percentage tips for staff — often calculated before tax — forcing you to pay hundreds of dollars in tips alone. Yet, no one in the wedding industry can tell you with a straight face why you, the client, are responsible for subsidizing vendor employees' salaries just because they're too cheap to pay them a living wage. And don't get me started on how California now allows restaurants to add mandatory junk fees, all thanks to powerful lobbying groups.

What is a Service Charge? Does it Count as a Tip? Are These Fees Legal?

A service charge is a fee collected to pay for services related to a primary product or service being purchased. Legally, it belongs to the employer and may be distributed to employees at the business owner's discretion. In contrast, tips are considered the direct earnings of the employee. According to California's labor code, service fees are not considered tips. However, some businesses treat them as tips anyway — so if you tip on top of a service fee, that business is essentially double-dipping on tips. Always read your contract thoroughly, and don't let wedding vendors (or any other business) guilt-trip you into tipping after they've already tacked on bogus service fees.

Wedding Vendor Tipping Guide: Practical Non-Monetary Alternatives

While I can't speak for every wedding vendor you'll encounter throughout the living, breathing whirlwind that is wedding planning, I can tell you that most wedding vendors don't expect cash tips but will certainly appreciate them. And remember what I said at the beginning? I don't believe in monetary tipping — keyword: monetary. Meaning, if I like the product or service, I tip by coming back, buying a little extra, or showing up with friends next time. Because nothing says more about you being a successful business owner than seeing customers come back with friends. So with that, I'll leave you with the following tip alternatives that will show your appreciation without costing you a dime — just a few minutes of your time — and will mean the world to your wedding vendors.

Don't haggle with your vendors for discounts.
Share your vendor's website with friends and family.
Let your vendors enjoy a drink or two from the bar.
Give your vendors the same meal as your guests and not a sad, cold-ass box lunch.
Follow your vendors on social media: like, comment, and share their posts.
Recommend your vendor to friends and family — the tip that keeps on giving.
Propose your wedding pictures to wedding publications on behalf of your vendors.
Tell your favorite podcaster, YouTuber, or blogger to invite your vendor as a guest.
Write a five-star review on Google, or better yet, record a quick 30-second testimonial video. Bonus points if you copy-paste it across their vendor listings like Zola, and The Knot.

Yes, something as simple as a five-star review can mean the world to a wedding vendor — far more than a $50 tip. But again, don't feel obligated to tip anyone. We know how much of an investment it takes to put a wedding together, and no vendor should ever feel entitled to a tip.