tipping your maitre d... and dj, photographer..

please help!!! how much do you tip all these people...

thanks!!
tami

Re: tipping your maitre d... and dj, photographer..

As for the maitre d, this is entirely up to you and how you feel the service was, but a good recommendation I got was between $1 and $2 per guest.

Re: tipping your maitre d... and dj, photographer..

Do you tip your catering manager, in addition to the maitre d? I never heard of this but thats what our catering manager said....

Tami - we have the same date! I sent you a forum mail

Re: tipping your maitre d... and dj, photographer..

hmm, well, the catering is also being done by the place we are getting married at, so I don't have a separate catering manager and maitre d. I'm not sure. I would say just tip the person that handles your event the most and caters to you.

Re:KIM!! tipping your maitre d... and dj, photographer..

thanks!! i sent you a forum mail too!!!

GOOD LUCK to you!!! don't worry, everything will be great.. i keep telling myself that too!!!!

Re: tipping your maitre d... and dj, photographer..

Are you suppose to tip the banquet manager and the maitre d?

Re: tipping your maitre d... and dj, photographer..

i went to watermill last night and they suggested 2-3 dollars for matre d, 1 dollar pp for table captain ( whoever that is!) and 100 for the bridal attendant. money is just flying out of my bank account

Re: tipping your maitre d... and dj, photographer..

I am tipping my catering manager and maidre D several hundred dollars each ($300/400 for manager, $200/300 for maidre D). Complete and total extortion since Im spending so much already in 'service charge' but whatever.

I will tip my photographers several hundred each.

I may tip my band - it will depend on their performance.

Re: tipping your maitre d... and dj, photographer..

The maitre'd gets the tip $2 or more pp. As far as the video/photo and DJ, many of them inlcude their tips in their prices, look at your contract, they usually charge their fee then on top of that they add an additional 17-19% of their fee as gratuity.

Or are you telling me that on top of that 19% I am still supposed to tip, let me know?

Re: tipping your maitre d... and dj, photographer..

Wow, there are alot of people to tip. The place that I am getting married told us that they take care of their staff (there is no tipping table captains or whoever) and that the maitre d only get $1 to $2 per person. According to everyone else, this seems low. But that's what they told us and they are getting enough money from us as is, so I am definitely not tipping any more.

Re: tipping your maitre d... and dj, photographer..

Where I am getting married (ceremony+cocktail hour+dinner reception) to the total price, the 8.5% tax is added, and also an 18% gratuity ... that is already a lot of money ... do I still have to tip them? Please, give me some ideas about it!

Elena

Re: tipping your maitre d... and dj, photographer..

Yes, you do. The 18% gratuity that is included is not for the maitre d, it is for the wait-staff, bartenders, etc. Since the maitre d handles your entire event to make sure everything is perfect from before you even walk in the door, it is customary to tip them. I am NOT saying I agree with this custom. I, too, feel I am paying to much money to have to shell out more to everyone from the maitre d to the band to the photographer. I still haven't decided who I am giving how much.

Re: tipping your maitre d... and dj, photographer..

On my contract it states that 'service charge may be used for the compensation of its emplyees, including service and non service personnel and for such purposes as Harrison House believes to be appropriate' however 'service charge is not a gratuity and therefore must be taxed'

I'm paying about $5000 for this so called service charge.
Even if I had 1 waitperson per table that would still leave about $3600 leftover if everyone was 'compensated $100. Throw in $100 each for the valet guys, 2 bartenders and coat check. That leaves $3200.

So where does it all go?
I'm assuming the maitre'd and the catering manager get some of that and unless I LOVE their service, I'm certainly not tipping anymore to either.

I will tip the band members and the photographer and assistant (probably $100-$200 each)

Re: tipping your maitre d... and dj, photographer..

Our hall requires a Maitre d' tip of $1-$2 pp, and my Bridal Attendant is a $50 tip.

Re: tipping your maitre d... and dj, photographer..

Girls we all know the 18% gratuade does not go to the employees.I never heard tipping the mgr. you have to say where does it stop with the catering halls and the darn tips.I like the halls that tell you what to tip someone i feel we should tip what we feel they deserve and what we can afford.I am planning on tipping the matre d and the captain.As for the vendors yes i will tipp them all but according to what kind of job they do.I feel thats very fair.Good luck girls

Re: tipping your maitre d... and dj, photographer..

wait, so even with the 18.5% added in tip, I need to tip on top of that to my manager?
Could someone please clarify?
THANKS

Re: tipping your maitre d... and dj, photographer..

That's correct. At the CB the 18 percent gratuity pays for all staff but did not include my Maitre d or my two bridal attendants. I was very appauled when I found out but on the day of my wedding I truely understood why.

My two bridal attendants followed me around and attended to every little thing, bathroom trips, food, drink, lipstick tuch ups, you name it.

My maitre d handled EVERYTHING. He is you, your husband and your entire wedding's best friend and at times you don't even know he is there.

When your day comes everything will click.

I paid much more money than we had originally put in the tip envelope to everyone.

Good Luck and Happy Planning.

Re: tipping your maitre d... and dj, photographer..

judy, did you meet with your MD prior to the wedding??

Thanks for all of your insight!!

Re: tipping your maitre d... and dj, photographer..

CarrieAnn

Because we had our ceremony at CB and had no chance of having a rehearsal. The CB graciously let us have a rehearsal on site the Thursday before our wedding. I first saw Justin then, just by chance. He walked us through everything and we all 'bonded' then. Everybody loved him and John and I knew that we were going to end up forking over more money to him.

I hope you have the same luck we did (minus the money bit )

Re: tipping your maitre d... and dj, photographer..

we tipped maitre d $400 (for 150 people)
bridal assist $200
dj $120 for 3 (one owner)
photog $100 for 2 (one owner)

also limo - an extra $10 to their 20% (but inlaws tipped $100 for their limo...b/c they are big tippers, the guy went into over time and they are big tippers)

ceremony/cocktail music $20 each for 2 hours