Lauren Kay
speaker
103 appearances
2 recordings
2 series
first heard Nov 2024
last heard May 2025
Lauren Kay’s voice in public audio — every appearance, attributed to the second.
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Appearances
Oh, so glad to be here. I'm hoping I have answers to all your questions.
So yeah, I think it is definitely a common thing we see. It's just competitive in terms of time of year. People want to get married. Certain venues are more popular than others. And the same goes for pros. A lot of couples will say, no, I have to have this photographer. I have to have this venue. And so then you're really kind of
playing this game against dates and timing and just do all the stars align to pull off this dream wedding. So it definitely is something we hear more often. I think people are really deliberate with their choices. They are looking to give their guests great experience. And so every reservation, every choice, every guest on the list requires just a lot of thought and input.
And it is a little bit of that stars aligning for that perfect day.
Okay, so this is such a common question. And I love that you asked it, Colleen, because I feel like... I don't know about you guys, but you can't go anywhere anymore without being requested for a tip. Someone gives you a cup of coffee, you know, you get in a taxi, it's everywhere. And I think our tipping culture has changed a lot over the years. You aren't wrong, you know, in terms of
tipping, ultimately they're at the discretion of you and your partner. So it's a great way to recognize the hard work that your vendors are putting in. It's a service industry job, right? A lot of people are accustomed to tips. Traditionally, business owners of larger companies don't get tipped. So how you were raised and what you learn is still the case.
However, you know, a lot of these vendors who are bringing your day together aren't really large companies. They're smaller companies. There might be an owner and a two or three person team. Additionally, sometimes the service will really exceed your expectations.
Maybe not the Costco cake, but maybe your photographer is going to be juggling four cameras all night and just capturing all those details you have been planning for the last year. And you'll want to Really honor their work by showing some gratuity. Also, a good thing to keep in mind, Colleen, is to check your contract.
Sometimes vendors include tips as part of the contract, kind of like when you go to a restaurant and they say gratuity is included for parties of eight or more. Sometimes a caterer, for example, will have a tip in their contract. So you just want to make sure you read that closely. Another great way to show your appreciation if you don't want to tip monetarily is to write a thank you note.
I think that we are in such a unique age of technology and text messages and whatnot, nothing like a handwritten note just to really show your gratitude. And furthermore, So many of these pros really rely on you as their best advertising.
So going on to a website like that and going into the marketplace to write a review of your wedding pro is just a great way to honor the service they gave you and to help promote their business. We have an entire vendor tip sheet on our website. So you can get the breakdown of like, what's the typical percentage for a hairstylist? How much should you tip a photographer?
What is the going rate for a musician or a delivery person? So that will help you break down. But again, it's really about what you and your partner feel comfortable with and about the service you receive and how you want to show that gratuity. The other thing I would say is, you know, think about people who might get a little overlooked, like maybe your bartenders.
And again, I would just double check that venue contract because it does include catering. There might be a gratuity already built in for the servers and people like that. Also musicians. I don't know if you have anybody there, if any parking attendants or I always like to think about the people who might get overlooked because they often are working the hardest.
And that's a really nice way just to show your gratitude to them as well. That is a great point. Yeah.
Yes, I think anywhere from 15 to 25% of the total fee is pretty normal for people like that.
This is a great question, Colleen, and I love the way you're thinking about it. So the short answer is I don't think you do. I don't think you need to provide a ride from the hotel to the church given the proximity. I hear you on the heat. I hear you on the heels. But there are other alternatives.
So if you wanted to do something thoughtful and kind for people who might need extra help getting to the church, you could always try and do a transportation discount code through a ride share service like an Uber or a Lyft. which could allow people to take advantage of that if it's available in the area, or let people know if there's transportation.
Check with your hotel too, the recommended hotels. They might have a shuttle that usually takes people within a mile distance of the hotel. I think the most important thing to consider is the transportation to the reception and the way home. You know, you want everyone to get home safely if they're drinking.
And I think that's the key thing when planning a wedding and a reception is that transportation piece on the back half. So we always say if your locations are more than 30 minutes apart, it's worth considering providing transportation for all wedding guests. This means they won't be inconvenienced with ride chairs or a long wait or a long drive. Everyone will arrive on time.
But it always comes down to your personal preference. So I think what you've outlined makes a lot of sense for your budget. And I think it's still very thoughtful and making sure that your guests are getting that ride to the reception and a safe ride home. And I think they can find their way to the church.
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