Good Service Comes First
At Riverside Inn Bed and Breakfast, Wedding Venue & Events, five-star service is our standard. We never add mandatory service fees or forced gratuities. Tipping is entirely your choice, not a condition of being looked after well.
Still, couples often ask what to set aside if they want to thank their wedding-day team. The answer should help you plan, not create another obligation.
Optional Starting Points
The following are commonly suggested wedding tipping ranges. They are not universal industry standards, required amounts or an additional Riverside charge. Customs vary by provider, location and scope of service. Your budget and experience matter more than a chart.
- Catering servers: $20 to $40 per server.
- Lead chef or catering captain: $50 to $100 per person.
- Bartenders with a tip jar: $25 to $50 per bartender, if you want to add a host thank-you.
- Bartenders without a tip jar: $50 to $100 per bartender as an optional host thank-you. Choosing no tip jar never makes a cash tip mandatory.
- Planning and coordination: $100 to $200 for your coordinator.
- Setup and teardown crew: $20 to $50 per crew member.
- Professional officiant: $50 to $100 for your officiant.
- Sound tech and MC: $50 to $100 per person.
Check Before Preparing Envelopes
Review outside vendors' agreements first. Some already include gratuities. A service or administrative charge is not necessarily a tip paid to staff, so ask the provider rather than assuming.
Ask about the number of people working your event, too. A per-person suggestion can add up quickly with a larger team. If someone handles more than one role, there is no need to treat each task as a separate tipping obligation.
If you decide to give cash, labeled envelopes can make the end of the evening simpler. Ask who should receive them and whether a team tip will be shared. Choose a trusted person to hand them over so you can enjoy your celebration.
A Thank-You Does Not Have to Be Cash
A thoughtful card, a personal message or an honest review can mean a great deal to the people who helped your day run smoothly. Do not stretch your budget because a suggested range makes you feel pressured.
Our Wedding Investment Planner includes the same optional guidance at the bottom. Tips are not added to its totals, taxes or payment schedule. You can also review Wedding Pricing or ask us about your team before the day arrives.
Plan with clear numbers. Celebrate with confidence. Thank people in the way that feels right to you.