Tips - How often?

Hi,

I'm wondering, from other wedding photogs, how often you've shot a wedding with no tip from the couple. The reason I ask is we've seem to have hit a "no tipper" streak from the past 4 weddings.

I normally shoot with a female assistant. I am the owner of the company, and have found out recently that it is normal protocol to NOT tip the owner, which I think is ridiculous. However, every time there has not been a tip, there was no tip for the assistant either. It's possible they mistake her for my wife, but they don't know that it's going to be a female until the day of the wedding (sometimes), and people usually prepare those things in advance.

So I guess I'm just trying to get a feel for, on average, the percentage of clients that tip.

Thanks!

Never been tipped and I have shot over a dozen weddings...

Been tipped once in about 100 weddings.

Apart from in restaurants tipping isn't really the norm here in the UK so I don't find it at all unusual that we don't get tipped.

jonwhite wrote in post #11444330
Been tipped once in about 100 weddings.

Apart from in restaurants tipping isn't really the norm here in the UK so I don't find it at all unusual that we don't get tipped.

I see you've been to the Ardencote a few times - that's my brother in law's hotel! (His family owns it and he runs it)

Apologies for the thread hijack!!

I'm not sure what you are charging, but I cant imagine tipping someone for a $1k gig or more. I've been tipped.

I've wondered this same thing.
if i've sold a disk only package and they've come back to order prints through me, i feel like that is a tip of sorts

Once i had a couple make me a set of business cards as a tip. I thought that was awfully nice.
they put my logo on the front, had them printed on thick card stock and "designed" the back.
the groom does graphic design type stuff like that.

i've never been handed a monetary tip for weddings though.

depends on how hot the assistant is

kidding, relax, douse the flamethrower.


Never heard of tipping and I'd never been tipped.

I've been a second shooter when the main has been tipped a few times, but not very often. When i have asked the question, it seems very few of them get tipped, and none normally. IMO you should be charging what you want, and not rely or count on a tip, or let your assistant expect it either. If you are relying on that $200 tip, charge $200 more per package.

I wouldn't expect a tip at all for that kind of work. It isn't really a service that warrants a tip. A waitress/waiter makes all there money off tips. A wedding photographer or any photographer for that matter makes his/her money off there business not waiting on other people

tfitz wrote in post #11444218
we've seem to have hit a "no tipper" streak from the past 4 weddings.

I've never had a tipper streak - unless you count 1 as a streak...

Let me make sure I understand your situation. You have a couple hire you for a job. I'm assuming there is a contract for this 'service for hire'. In the contract you have probably stated the fee you expect to receive for the service you plan to deliver. Then, once the job is over, if you are not tipped above and beyond the contracted fee, you think it's ridiculous? Did I miss anything?

If I hire someone to do a job and they tell me that job will be $1,000. Guess what they are going to get? $1,000. If you want more money, charge more. Tipping on a 'service for hire' job is not typical. Usually the service provider states the fee they want to receive.

Never heard of tipping for a photographer. People around here pay the price you set and would never think of giving more.

We've shot close to 100 weddings and have probably been tipped about 8-10 times. Sometimes $50... sometimes $200.
I've never expected a tip, though.

i find it funny that its so uncommon for wedding photographers to get tipped.
Now i agree that they shouldn't ever expect one, i'm just suprised that customers don't give tips when they think their photog has done them a great service.

incidentally i think the waitress/waiter system of expecting/requiring a gratuity is f'd up. their tip should be dependent upon satisfaction.. etc.
but that's really not relevant since they aren't in command of what their employer pays them.

And the limo drivers always expect tips, no matter what level of service they provide.

the groomsmen usually "tip" the entertainment at the bachelor party! haha

bigarchi wrote in post #11445966
i find it funny that its so uncommon for wedding photographers to get tipped.
Now i agree that they shouldn't ever expect one, i'm just suprised that customers don't give tips when they think their photog has done them a great service.

incidentally i think the waitress/waiter system of expecting/requiring a gratuity is f'd up. their tip should be dependent upon satisfaction.. etc.
but that's really not relevant since they aren't in command of what their employer pays them.

And the limo drivers always expect tips, no matter what level of service they provide.

the groomsmen usually "tip" the entertainment at the bachelor party! haha

That's funny you bring that up about tipping the wait staff because the term 'tip' actually means 'to insure promptness' and when it was originally started the 'tip' was giving at the beginning of the meal, not the end. People who tipped better would receive better service, those that would tip less would receive the appropriate amount of service. I'm not sure when it changed, but at some point people started tipping AFTER the meal. It became more of a 'you do your job and THEN I will tip you'. Except, not everyone tips the same, not everyone gets it. Just imagine, your a waiter and one of your tables gives you a $20 tip right when they sit down. The table next to them gives you $5. Who are you going to work harder for? There's no doubt that it was the cheap people that began this whole tipping after the meal thing.

I have actually played around with this just to see how it would work. Every time I would tip at the beginning of the meal, I got much better service. It's no surprise because I've already given them my expectations. I have never once pre-tipped and been disappointed, ever. I recommend everyone give this a try to see. Waiters don't make much from their employer, so if you want great service try letting them know your expectations upfront with a tip as it was originally designed to be.