I’ve planned hundreds of weddings in Central Park and have accepted thanks for doing so from lots and lots of happy couples over the years. Many couples ask me about the etiquette of tipping their officiant, photographer and everyone else involved on the day and I do my best to explain how I feel about it. Some couples do tip and some don’t. Either is fine.
The majority of the couples I plan wedding for come from the UK and Ireland, where the culture of tipping isn’t quite the same as it is in the US. They are aware that tipping is expected in some circumstances in the US (just as it is in some circumstances elsewhere of course), but it’s not always clear who is and isn’t expecting a tip. The service providers at a wedding tell me that they do get tips and they do appreciate them.
Those of us working in the wedding industry aren’t quite the same as a taxi driver or wait staff in a bar or restaurant, though, so it’s not mandatory. We all earn a good living, although the wedding industry has got a little weird in the past few years. We don’t need to receive a tip, but if you feel someone has gone above and beyond for you, or indeed if you’ve asked a lot of them, (or perhaps watched them get soaked by the rain, or kept them waiting longer than expected in the cold!) then maybe a tip is in order.
There are a lots of ways to say thank you, though. Anyone who works for themselves or runs a small business will thank you for following them on social media, and interacting with them on your preferred platform. I can say from personal experience that I enjoy following my previous couples from my Instagram feed and seeing how they’re doing. It’s lovely to see familiar faces come up in my feed, either from their own posts or their interactions with my posts. I’ve been planning weddings for a long time and I enjoy to see how the families of my couples from years gone by grow and change, and I especially love to see photos of their kids! If a previous client comments on or likes or especially shares any of my posts then I’m happy because it helps my business. But when they do that I’m also reminded of that person and their wedding day, which gives me warm and fuzzy feelings!
Something that is a massively helpful way to say thank you is to leave us a review. I know that I rarely sit down and write a review after I’ve purchased some goods or services, so I accept that many of our couples won’t find the time to do so once they return home and go back to normal life. But I often ask couples if they will leave us a review on Wedding Wire or on Google, because this really helps us. A glowing review on Google helps others to find us when they are doing a Google search themselves and seeing the words of real-life previous couples really helps future couples feel a little more confident when handing over some money to someone they’ve never met to help to plan one of the biggest days of their lives!
Giving a tip to the people who are there on the day; the photographer, officiant, and so on is a nice thing to do, and it will be welcomed. The cost of living in New York gets crazier each year, and a tip could cover the cost of travel to the job or parking, or just a snack they might need because they’re out all day making sure that your wedding goes perfectly. But, we do know that some couples are on a tight budget and it’s just not possible for everyone. And, the people who I work with regularly also know that tipping is not done in Europe to the extent that it is in the US. However, if you do feel that someone on the day has earned it, then please do give a tip, it will be much appreciated.
For me personally, I love it when couples keep in touch. I enjoy being tagged in, or just seeing a wedding anniversary post on social media, or when a previous client comments on a post from a recent wedding with “we got married there!” or similar. I really do remember all of our weddings, some more than others, and I like to see how everyone is doing.
If you would like me to help you with planning your own Central Park wedding or elopement, please visit our website. Check out our reviews on Wedding Wire and Google, too. Keep updated with our news and see lots of beautiful photos, follow us on Facebook, or Instagram or Pinterest. And of course, please comment on our posts and let me know how you’re doing!
