Despite being a business, one thing that our band hates talking about, especially with clients, is the subject of money.  We started doing this because we wanted to offer something different to the area and enjoy the creative process behind it.  We love what we do and are grateful that we get to have this very fun, very rewarding part-time job.  This is why we price ourselves below the industry average and are comfortable with our pricing structure, despite knowing what we are probably leaving on the table.  That said, something we are offered a tip and sometimes we are asked if we are expecting a tip.  To put it simply, there is no right or wrong answer, and certainly no industry standard or expectation (but there are plenty of places to find good advice on it).

I don’t tip because society says I have to. Alright, I mean I’ll tip if somebody really deserves a tip. If they put forth the effort, I’ll give them something extra. But I mean, this tipping automatically, it’s for the birds. As far as I’m concerned they’re just doing their job. – Mr. Pink, Reservoir Dogs

What Tipping Means

From our personal experience, it feels great to be appreciated with a tip, regardless of the amount.  It’s a show of consideration that recognizes the work and dedication that we put into your event.  Even a card or a heartfelt “thank you” means just as much to us, as it shows that the client really understood that we gave it 110% for their guests.  However, the way we know that we exceeded expectations is if you and your guests danced yourselves to exhaustion and everyone had a good time.  Without being cheesy, the best feeling for the members of Fun DMC is a smile and hearing from the couple after the event about how people are still talking about how much fun they had at the reception.

How Much To Tip

Again, there are no expectations.   We understand that many clients generally do not have tips budgeted in when they’re planning, or feel that it is necessary to spend in addition to the contracted price.  We believe that tipping is fully at the client’s discretion and we will be equally appreciative regardless of the amount.  We don’t work for tips (and do not put out a “tip jar” as many bands do) and understand that when our clients pay us our asking rate, they expect the full Fun DMC experience from that.

Alternatively, if you do want to show your appreciation, an extremely valuable “tip” for us can also be given in the form of a referral to a bride or event planner or perhaps a written testimonial that we can include on our website and printed materials.  These go a long way for securing future dates for us.