Tipping Officiant

lmm0922 Posted: May 13, 2003 12:44 PM

Tipping Officiant

Help! I have no idea about how much we should to give to the priest who is marrying us. What's the usual range? My family, FI and I each have a different amount in mind!

Thanks again for your help!

littlecat Posted: May 13, 2003 12:50 PM

Re: Tipping Officiant

Are you getting married in a church. If so you usually make a donation and not give a tip. If you are not getting married in church, I still wouldn't tip. They are performing your service and you already paid them for it. You usually don't tip.

lmm0922 Posted: May 13, 2003 12:55 PM

Re: Tipping Officiant

Yes, we're having a full mass. So there's already a fee for the church. Also, I'm a little annoyed with my church because they quoted the wrong price for the organist and soloist and I only found this out last week. (Extra $100). So right now I'm not in a generous mood.

julybride444 Posted: May 13, 2003 01:17 PM

Re: Tipping Officiant

I'll ask FMIL, she's our officiant, so she'll know what's normal

p&a91203 Posted: May 13, 2003 01:18 PM

Re: Tipping Officiant

I've never heard of tipping a priest....I think the donation is more than enough- JMO!

littlecat Posted: May 13, 2003 01:20 PM

Re: Tipping Officiant

I don't think that you need to tip and extra $100. But that is just my opinion.

kelly6273 Posted: May 13, 2003 01:20 PM

Re: Tipping Officiant

I don't think that it's necessary to tip the priest if you already gave a donation to the church.

PS...I love how they call it a donation...like you have a choice!

julybride444 Posted: May 13, 2003 01:32 PM

Re: Tipping Officiant

My FMIL agrees, and she's a minister, no extra tipping needed. In fact, if you offer they are not supposed to accept and are supposed to ask that if you'd like to give 'in addition' to the donation you've made to the church that you just make an additional donation-they shouldn't personally take your $$! The only time they take $$ personally is if they are a minister without a congregation (FMIL doesn't have a congregation, and therefore does accept a fee for services).

Thrilled Posted: May 13, 2003 01:34 PM

Re: Tipping Officiant

According to Emily Post, you are never, ever supposed to tip the officiant. Ever. Period.

lmm0922 Posted: May 13, 2003 01:36 PM

Re: Tipping Officiant

Thanks everyone!

Samanthas Mom Posted: May 13, 2003 02:35 PM

Re: Tipping Officiant

I know a lot of people do donations but if your paying a fee, mine was almost 300! I dont see the point in a tip too! Dont they get the entire 300

HeatherandNick Posted: May 13, 2003 02:53 PM

Re: Tipping Officiant

we got married at the recption hall and I did tip the priest.

harriedbride Posted: May 13, 2003 02:58 PM

Re: Tipping Officiant

This is a good question. My ceremony will take place
at my reception hall. I don't know if he is affiliated
with any church or not. He charged a fee of $400, do I still
need to tip him?

prentiss20 Posted: Jul 18, 2005 01:28 AM

Re: Tipping Officiant

Posted by harriedbride

This is a good question. My ceremony will take place
at my reception hall. I don't know if he is affiliated
with any church or not. He charged a fee of $400, do I still
need to tip him?

I have the exact same situation. My (potential) officiant charges $400 and she is not affiliated with any church... does all her work on her own (and has a Prada bag), so I believe all the $ will go directly to her...
I'm thinking no tip.

Jackie&Justin Posted: Jul 18, 2005 02:01 AM

Re: Tipping Officiant

My church fee was 500 dollars, they are crazy if they think iam tipping them!

lacey&mark Posted: Jul 18, 2005 06:01 AM

Re: Tipping Officiant

we are getting married at the hall and we hired an officiant to perform the ceromony. he charges $500 and we are planning on tipping at least $50. ~lacey