Re: Just got off with the hall giving my final counts and they suggested

What if you don't have a maitre d? Are you supposed to help whoever you've been dealing with to book the site, make decisions, etc...?

Re: Just got off with the hall giving my final counts and they suggested

Ok, stupid question on my part, but I just want to make sure that I understand.

so, the tip to the Maitre D is ABOVE AND BEYOND any % that's in the contract? So, for example, my contract reads price pp + 18% gratuity + tax.

Is it that the gratuity goes to the waitstaff, and the Maitre D gets his own tip?

Or is it all one, and that's the Maitre D $$?

Re: Just got off with the hall giving my final counts and they suggested

---

Posted by mnttnbchbride

Ok, stupid question on my part, but I just want to make sure that I understand.

so, the tip to the Maitre D is ABOVE AND BEYOND any % that's in the contract? So, for example, my contract reads price pp + 18% gratuity + tax.

Is it that the gratuity goes to the waitstaff, and the Maitre D gets his own tip?

Or is it all one, and that's the Maitre D $$?

---

Yes, this is above and beyond that 18% B.S. charge they hit you with.

When I booked my hall, they wrote on my contract 18% gratuity. When I paid my bill, they told me that it was a service charge, not a gratuity, and that what I was giving the Maitre'D was actually being shared with the waitstaff. I work for lawyers, so I know when someone is lying to my face.

Re: Just got off with the hall giving my final counts and they suggested

---

Posted by eroxgirl

---

Posted by mnttnbchbride

Ok, stupid question on my part, but I just want to make sure that I understand.

so, the tip to the Maitre D is ABOVE AND BEYOND any % that's in the contract? So, for example, my contract reads price pp + 18% gratuity + tax.

Is it that the gratuity goes to the waitstaff, and the Maitre D gets his own tip?

Or is it all one, and that's the Maitre D $$?

---

Yes, this is above and beyond that 18% B.S. charge they hit you with.

When I booked my hall, they wrote on my contract 18% gratuity. When I paid my bill, they told me that it was a service charge, not a gratuity, and that what I was giving the Maitre'D was actually being shared with the waitstaff. I work for lawyers, so I know when someone is lying to my face.

---

They told me the 18% service charge was for the valets, coat check, bathroom attendants, etc. and that the $4pp was for the Matire D and waitstaff. I also remember it saying 18% gratutity on my contract....oh and just for those who don't know they did tax the service charge as well!!!

Re: Just got off with the hall giving my final counts and they suggested

---

Posted by EvenEdan

My hall suggested between 5-7 bucks a head!!

---

thats f*cking scary!! I just did that math.. YIKES.

Danielle-- what about everyone else-- BM and Bridal Attendant-- did you get that??

Re: Just got off with the hall giving my final counts and they suggested

I didn't tip the Maitre D' beforehand, we did it at the end of the reception.

Our Maitre D' was fantastic - so we tipped him about $4 per person.

Your day is almost here!!!!!!

Re: Just got off with the hall giving my final counts and they suggested

When my sis got married there in April, they suggested 2-3 per person

Re: Just got off with the hall giving my final counts and they suggested

My hall suggested $5 pp but that it was up to my discretion (which means we're tipping about $3pp). The BM said that the tip for the maitre'd gets split between among 3 other people. All this tipping...... Ridiculous!

Re: Just got off with the hall giving my final counts and they suggested

---

Posted by bridget&jimmy

I would not give it in advance, I would give it the day of. What if you are not happy with your Maitre D.

---

Absolutely, but we have to pay in advance at our hall for the M's tip. We have 2. I think it's like mandatory $400 which is like a dolar something a guest.

Re: Just got off with the hall giving my final counts and they suggested

I think I need to change careers...doing one wedding could mean making more than some people make in two weeks!

Re: Just got off with the hall giving my final counts and they suggested

My hall suggested we give it in adavance as well and that we tip $3 to $4 per person. However, when we made our final payment this week we did not give the tip.
We will hand out the tip the day of and most likely it will be $2 per person. $1 per person for the bridal attendant.

Re: Just got off with the hall giving my final counts and they suggested

They suggested to us $2-4 per person. We don't like him very much so we won't give it to him ahead of time. Plus, how do you know what kind of job he will do. We are going to give him whatever we feel like

Re: Just got off with the hall giving my final counts and they suggested

I gave $1 a person, I dont think they did anything spectacular. And if they didnt like it, then next time i get married I wont have it at that hall.....

Re: Just got off with the hall giving my final counts and they suggested

$2-$3 per person

I had 83 show to my wedding but RSVP'ed 90
We rounded up to 100 and paid him $300

Added in another $50 for the last minute dash to Macy's to buy us candles! LOL

Re: Just got off with the hall giving my final counts and they suggested

I don't know if this changes your decision, but my friend works at westbury manor as a bartender. she told me that the maitre d only receives something ridiculous like 25% of what you actually tip them. the rest goes to the westbury manor. so, if you want to tip them, and want them to actually receive the tip you have to do it on the supersly. i don't know if this is common practice, but this is what she told me happens there.

Re: Just got off with the hall giving my final counts and they suggested

---

Posted by MrsMadness

I don't know if this changes your decision, but my friend works at westbury manor as a bartender. she told me that the maitre d only receives something ridiculous like 25% of what you actually tip them. the rest goes to the westbury manor. so, if you want to tip them, and want them to actually receive the tip you have to do it on the supersly. i don't know if this is common practice, but this is what she told me happens there.

---

Well that's not very nice! They are making a ton of money!!! Thanks for the info!

Plus they only suggested $50 for the bridal assistant - who I'm sure works her tail off!!! I will definitely be giving her more (under the assumption she will do a good job of course )

Re: Just got off with the hall giving my final counts and they suggested

We didn't tip anyone. We felt we got what we paid for and no one went above that so we didn't tip anyone. We didn't get our proofs yet, but if they come out great (which we think they will) then we'll tip them.

Re: Just got off with the hall giving my final counts and they suggested

First of all, dont pay it until the day of. Second of all, I think it is rude for them to make a suggestion like that. I personally think you should give what you feel he earned.

I ended up giving more than I had planned because Flowerfield was incredible that day!

Re: Just got off with the hall giving my final counts and they suggested

Because of this thread I went and read my contract and it clearly says 18% service chanrge, then in BOLD letters it says 'Maitre 'd gratuity not included'. ***! OK, provided that the service is above and beyond I will tip him $2-3 pp the day of. I will tip the bridal attendant $1pp the day of and I will tip the waiter's captain $2 pp the day off because from what I hear the maitre 'd keeps all the tips and doesn't give the waiters anything. I think we all are in the wrong industry!

Re: Just got off with the hall giving my final counts and they suggested

we had a Maitre D' fee in our contract in addition to tax and something like 18-20% tip. i asked if anything additional was 'expected' and he said 'nope'.

the fee came out to ~$3.60 per person.