"Couples want to give their guests a great meal and memorable experience so they are still ordering nice entrees and wouldn't dream of cutting out the cake," says Katie Grace, Director of Catering for the Grand Hotel Minneapolis. When it comes to saving money at the reception, brides and grooms are opting to limit the open bar.
"It is nice to offer guests complimentary beverages, however, one can still host a memorable event without doing so," Grace continued. "Many brides are hosting just one hour of open bar, a champagne toast and/or wine with dinner, and a cash bar is available for the rest of the evening. Most wedding guests do not mind paying for their own alcoholic beverages." This move can save thousands of dollars without sacrificing the quality of the event.
What to tip your vendors
Your vendors are responsible for making your wedding day great and many couples wonder what the standard is for tipping vendors and who normally gets a tip.
Catering Coordinator: Most couples aren't aware that their catering contact doesn't get any of the mandatory gratuity tagged onto their bill. They do a lot of work for you, so it is really nice to thank them with a gratuity. Standard gratuity ranges from $50 to $2,500, but the average is $100-$300.
Wedding DJs: Your DJ is working hard for your gratuity and typically the majority of their compensation comes from a tip. Fifteen to twenty percent of the show price is standard.
Hair and makeup: Just like if you were to go to a salon, your hair and makeup artists do expect a tip. The standard amount is 18-20% of your service price.
Photography: Unlike DJs and hair and makeup artists, photographers do not rely on a tip as their compensation. However, most couples do tend to tip their photographer. The typical tip for photography is anywhere from $100-$1000 per event. Some couples prefer to wait and see their photos before giving their photographer a tip.
Videography: Five to fifteen percent of the service price. They get tipped less than photographers, but they definitely deserve it. Some couples do wait until they see their video.
Event Planner: Typically event planners see 10-15% of the price as a gratuity. If you have hired a planner, you know how invaluable they are to your wedding success!
Officiant: Fifty to $200 is the standard gratuity for your officiant.
Transportation: Fifteen to twenty percent of the price. They also rely heavily on tips for compensation and many transportation companies automatically add gratuity on to the package price.
Florist: It is not typical to tip your florist. However, if you have extensive floral, a small gratuity would be appreciated.
Cake: No gratuity necessary.
Photo Booth: Fifty to $100 is the average tip.
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