Wedding Minister Payment, Gratuity Suggestions for a Wedding Officiant
Many people are very shy when it comes to payment to a wedding professional, but they are generally more embarassed when dealing with their wedding clergy in regards to payment, and especially a gratuity.
Do I? How much? How? Why? Where? Everyone is a bit unsure of what's proper mostly because ministers have historically dealt with rituals and properness in situations and most people do not want to cross the line.
How do you pay and tip with class? It's not so difficult afterall.
Most officiants charge from $275 to $900 for a wedding ceremony. Most will ask for a deposit in advance and the remainder to be paid on the day of the wedding. We recommend that you send the officiant the deposit by check or by credit card so that you do have a hold on their time and also so that there is a paper trail.
When you pay the balance it is usually more embarassing for people since it is in person and there's no "right moment". But there is.
The best thing to do is to bring an envelope with each wedding vendor's name on it and put the remainder in cash in the envelope. Do make sure to pay by cash or your license may not be filed in time for the check to clear. Even worse, if you are traveling after your wedding and your check bounces, you may find that you are not married by the time you return from your honeymoon.
The best time to pay is at the signing of the marriage license. There is always a shuffling of papers from each person and when it's your turn to sign you can easily hand the envelope over with a "Thank you!"
And don't forget the minister gratuity. You can include that in the envelope as well. What is the proper tip for an officiant? $75 - $150 is the proper tip and if that seems to be too much to you, consider this: your wedding officiant is probably the least paid of most of the wedding professionals present at your wedding and yet you need that one person at your wedding ceremony more than anyone else there, or else. . . you wouldn't be married.
Maxwell Elliott is the owner and operator of the U.S. Officiants website and has been in the wedding business for many years.
