Tipping?

[Amber2015]

Hey everyone!!

 

I've been following these boards since I booked my wedding last August. We are getting married in St. Thomas March 2 while on the Adventure of the Seas. We however are using an independent planner in St. Thomas. I just had a question about tipping, should we tip the planner? Photographer? Steel Drum player? These are all part of our package, and we are spending quite a pretty penny already on these services. How or do you determine to tip them as well??

 

-Amber

[Bo59rt]

I also was married on st Thomas with an on island planner. We had a large package that included many different people. I had my father handle all the tipping during the day. And that is my first huge word of advice. Do not have yourself or your groom handle the tipping. you will be doing so much that its difficult to track people down when you are being whisked off to here or there. I talked to my planner about tipping policies and this is what my father and i had planned to do:

 

Wedding planner - it was the owner of the company and etiquette online stated she did not have to be tipped since she was owner. I gave her a thank you card and a small gift (necklace that i found that was there company logo)

 

Photographer- Also owner/ didn't work for a photography "group". So i did not tip her.

 

Steel drum player (we had two) - both received between 35-50 bucks depending on how they were to the guests i'm pretty sure we did the full 50 each.

 

Officiant - We did between 50-100. I really don't know how much was given to him.

 

Servers- My wedding planner told me not to worry about tipping servers.

 

Bartender - I'm sure my father tipped generously at the beginning and bartender made tips from people throughout the reception.

 

Drivers- we had two safari type "busses" each driver received 30-40 dollars. (a dollar or two per person).

 

 

you should be able to ask your planner and they will give you a good idea of who needs to be tipped.

[mrstriceasnice]

I consider it no different than a land wedding. If I would tip them for a wedding at home I will tip for this wedding. We are planning very conservative tips for the wedding coordinator and the officiant since they will not have much to do for our small group. I've made no real special requests other than a table for programs at the ceremony and to have our menus places on the table. So i am planning $20-30 each

The photographer will be tipped about $40 assuming I get the poses i am asking for. The servers will be $20 each. They will be the ones who have to be bothered with us the longest and I know they are working a shift that prevents them from being able to go ashore for personal things that day.

[Amber2015]

Thank you both!!! I will definitely email my wedding planner as well to see what she thinks. :)