01. TIPS ON TIPPING
Navigating tips and service fees around weddings at The Kester Homestead — who do you tip & how much? Keep in mind that tipping is almost always a nice surprise for above and beyond service. It is a good idea to designate a close friend or family member to pass out tips so you don’t have to worry about it — or pass them off to our Coordinator during your Hand Off Meeting (along with any outstanding vendor payments)
For your event there will be:
Event Coordinator - Your event coordinators responsibilities and duties are throughly discussed during your planning meeting. Their role will limited leading up to your event (available for calls/email, 1 hour first pass meeting, 1.5 hr planning meeting). The week of your event our team is fully focused your event and our coordinator leads the team and Run of Show to execute your vision and the timeline. From years past, an average tip for this role is $100-$250 per coordinator.
Assistant Coordinator- If you event has more logistics, we will staff an assistant event coordinator to help execute vision and timeline. From years past, an average tip for this role is $$75-$200 per assistant coordinator.
Closing Manager - Your closing manager will arrive before the ceremony start time and act as a coordinator during ceremony and will lead closing - ensuring your decor is boxed up and you are supported after the Event Coordinator leaves for the evening (after the last timeline cue). From years past, an average tip for this role is $40-$75 for a closing manager.
Stylists - will be working hand in hand with your coordinator to bring all of the visuals and set-up of the day together. ($30-$60 per Stylist)
Evening Event Staff - this is a short evening shift to wrap up the decor and visual pieces of the evening. Your personal decor is packed up neatly for you and everything is buttoned up before the end of the night. ($20-$40 per Event Staff)
Floral Stylists - (if The Kester Homestead is hired for florals) there will always be at least two assistants from our floral team to execute your florals. The Kester Homestead Floral Team will work in the days leading up to your event and for installation the day of your wedding. ($40-$80 per Flower Stylist
Tips for other vendors vary, but here is what we see:
DJ - 15-20% of total bill
Photographers - varies widely - $100 is average
Hair/Makeup - 15-20% of total bill
Catering - varies widely (we recommend checking with caterer directly) but we’ve seen $50-100 per server