Should We Tip The DJ At A Wedding?

The bride and groom may have many questions when planning a wedding. One of the more common questions is ” should you tip the wedding DJ?”. There are a few factors to consider when deciding if to tip the wedding DJ.

You should first check your contract to see if a gratuity is already included. Most wedding DJs don’t include gratuity as part of their contract. They leave it up to the couple to decide how much to tip the wedding DJ. The amount of the tip reflects your satisfaction with a DJ’s service. If you don’t tip at all, it means that you are not satisfied or that the DJ didn’t do a great job.

Was Your DJ Professional, Attentive, and Supportive?

If you are satisfied with the DJ you hired, then the question becomes not whether you should tip him at the wedding but how much. Before deciding on how much to tip, consider the entire experience you had with the DJ. Was the DJ prompt in returning your emails, texts and phone calls and answering all of your queries? A DJ who is professional and a good DJ will work well with your planner to understand the wedding schedule. Did the DJ show up on time with the equipment promised in the contract at your wedding venue? If so, the tip for that DJ should be increased.

What did the DJ do to your wedding reception?

Think about the performance of your DJ at your wedding. Was the DJ an excellent Master of Ceremonies at your wedding? He or she announced important events like the entrance of bride and groom at the reception, toasts and special dances like newlyweds first dances and dances with parents. The DJ was able to make the guests eager to watch the cake-cutting and compete to grab the bouquet or garter of the bride?

Was your party exciting? Did you have guests dancing the whole night or did they sit down all evening? A great DJ will choose a mixture of songs to get your guests up on the dance floor and have the time of their life. The DJ should work with you to determine what songs, genres or artists are essential for your wedding, and which ones you don’t want played, no matter how many guests request them.

Expectations and Appreciation

You and your spouse should definitely tip the DJ at the wedding after the event if the DJ met your expectations. The range of wedding DJ tips usually falls between 10-20%. Consider tipping your DJ closer to the 20 percent range if your DJ did an excellent job at your wedding as a MC and DJ. It will show you appreciate their help in making the wedding day fun, happy, and full of memories that will last for a lifetime.