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Tipping a Justice of Peace or Reverend

by Christine on October 28th, 2007

Here’s a question about the etiquette on tipping a Justice of the Peace or Reverend from Event Ethos

QUESTION:

Hi,

I found your article via Google, and was hoping you might clarify something. We have an officiant who is both a reverend and a justice of the peace. As far as I know, he does not have his own church, so making a donation to the church is out.

Should we tip him? He’s conducting a short rehearsal for us, as well. And if so, what is the correct amount?

I’ve seen some sites that say you absolutely don’t tip a reverend, as it belittles their profession. Others say it should be no more than $75, and yet others say it should be $75-$100.

Thanks very much for your time.

Barbara C.

ANSWER:

Hi, Barbara~

This is a very good question, and to be honest, you actually had me stumped! So, I did some digging.

I’m going to address this based on the fact that your officiant is a Justice of the Peace. I know he is also a reverend, but since he does not have a home church, it’s much easier to pursue an answer assuming he is a Justice of the Peace.

Typically a Justice of the Peace will not charge you a set fee to perform your ceremony, but you should still “tip” them $50-75 without travel, and $75-100 with travel as their “fee”.

If they are charging you to perform the service, then it’s entirely up to you to decide if any additional tip is necessary. Did they do an amazing job officiating? Did they add a little something “extra” to the ceremony? If so, they probably deserve a small tip on to of their fee ($10-20, perhaps). Again, this will be up to you and your fiancée to decide in the end.

Call your local Justices of the Peace Association to find out what the norm is in your area. They can give you exact pricing (if applicable) and information relative to your locale.

Also, if you’re still feeling wary about whether or not to tip your officiant, feel free to ask him! It is not in bad taste to ask whether he accepts tips, but just make sure you do so well before the actual event.

Here is some additional information on the topic from other web sources:

A civil officiant (e.g., judge, Justice of the Peace, City Clerk, etc.) is not allowed to accept a tip or donation for a wedding ceremony performed during court /office hours. After hours, they may accept a “donation’ (gratuity) of up to $75. To make sure you are within the legal guidelines of your locale, check with your officiant for specifics.

http://www.hudsonvalleyweddings.com/guide/tipping.htm

Civil Ceremony Officials: (Judge, Justice of the Peace, City Clerk) In years gone by, it was considered improper to “ask” a set fee for services rendered. However, today, you may find a “suggested” donation for those in public service. In a recent survey, it was found the average gratuity was between $50 and $75. If travel is involved, an additional gratuity is expected.

http://ourmarriage.com/html/tipping.html

Today, you find a “state set fee” for most of those in public service. In a recent survey, it was found the average gratuity (which varies from state to state) was between $50 and $75. If driving is involved, an additional gratuity normally is $75 and $100. This can be put in with a thank you note and be given after the ceremony.
http://www.capecodjusticeofthepeace.com/formalities.html

I hope you find this information helpful, Barbara. Please let me know if I can help further and congratulations on your upcoming nuptials!

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