Franklin Dean
Planning a wedding is a complex task, and one of the many considerations is the accommodation for your guests. Booking a hotel room block is a great way to ensure your guests have a comfortable stay and streamline their experience. It's a common courtesy, especially for out-of-town guests, and it can make wedding planning and transportation easier for everyone involved. This introduction will explore the ins and outs of reserving hotel room blocks for weddings, including the benefits, the process, and some helpful tips to make it a smooth and stress-free experience.
Reserving a hotel block for a wedding
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| When to reserve | As soon as the hotel(s) allow, typically 12 months before the wedding date |
| Number of rooms | Depends on the guest list, usually 50% of the guests will need a room |
| Number of hotels | 2-3 hotels to give guests a choice and secure enough rooms |
| Hotel type | Hotels with different price ranges and amenities like free parking, airport shuttle, complimentary WiFi, etc. |
| Room rates | Negotiate a discounted rate for the group |
| Room allocation | Reserve a bigger suite for the wedding party to get ready in |
| Communication | Share hotel details, location, group rate, booking link/code, and deadlines on the wedding website, save-the-date, RSVP cards, or invitations |
| Rewards | Join the hotel's reward program to earn bonus points for blocking rooms |
| Attrition rate | If you reserve more rooms than the hotel's allotted block size, you may have to sign off on an attrition rate and pay for unfilled rooms |
| Courtesy block | No financial obligation to fill the rooms, but limited rooms and discounts |
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What You'll Learn
Courtesy vs. contracted room blocks
Courtesy room blocks and contracted room blocks are two types of wedding hotel room blocks. Hotel room blocks are a designated group of 10+ rooms at a hotel, reserved specifically for wedding guests at a pre-negotiated discounted rate.
Courtesy Room Blocks
Courtesy room blocks mean the hotel holds rooms for your guests until an agreed-upon release date, at no charge. You are not financially responsible for unbooked rooms. This type of block offers the flexibility of booking at multiple hotels to provide a range of budget options for guests. A courtesy block doesn't require any money upfront. The hotel reserves a certain number of rooms for your guests, which are typically released to the general public about a month before your event. If all the courtesy-booked rooms are booked, you can make another courtesy block but it will be at the rate that they're booking at that time, so it may not be as cheap as the original block. Courtesy blocks typically do not require a hard contract, but a hotel may opt for a contract or take down your payment information if an attrition rate is involved.
Contracted Room Blocks
A contracted room block requires you to sign a contract with the hotel that includes minimum booking requirements. You will be charged if 80%-90% of the minimum room quantity is not sold by the agreed-upon room release date. This type of block is used for a guaranteed number of rooms. Your group will be required to pick up a percentage of rooms, also known as a hotel attrition rate (typically 70% to 90%). For example, if you contracted 20 rooms for 2 nights, and the attrition rate is 80%, your group would be responsible for filling 32 room nights by the cut-off date. If those 32 rooms aren't filled, you can be charged for the unbooked rooms. Contracted blocks usually require the couple to put some money down if there are unsold rooms.
There is no one way to go about booking hotel blocks for a wedding. For a local wedding, you'll want to reserve a room block at a nearby hotel with easy access to your venue. If you're hosting a destination wedding, most—if not all—of your guests will be visiting, so the number of people who need a room is more predictable. Many couples who need 20 to 30 rooms reserve spaces at two to three hotels to offer guests a choice of location and room rate.
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How to reserve a room block
Booking a room block for your wedding guests is a great way to help direct guests who will be coming from out of town. It gives guests their own space, allows them to stay in the same accommodation as other guests and makes wedding planning and transportation easier.
- Decide on the number of rooms: This depends on your guest list. Figure out how many people are travelling from out of town and will need a room. If 50% of your guest list is travelling, try to match that percentage. As most guests travel in couples or bunk up with friends, you’ll want about half the number of rooms for the total number of guests who will need one, plus a little buffer.
- Choose the hotel(s): Reserve rooms at two to three hotels to give your guests a choice of location and room rate. If you're having a destination wedding, most or all of your guests will be visiting, so the number of rooms needed is more predictable. For a local wedding, you'll want to reserve a room block at a nearby hotel with easy access to your venue. If you're getting married at a hotel, you could negotiate a room block as part of your event.
- Contact the hotels: Contact the hotels directly to find out their terms and conditions, and to ask about room rates and any possible discounts for early reservations.
- Reserve the room block: Reserve the room block as soon as the hotel(s) will allow, which is typically 12 months or less before your wedding date.
- Provide booking information to guests: Most hotels will give you a direct link or code that guests need to use to be counted under your room block. Include this link or code on your wedding website, save-the-date cards, and/or invitations.
- Stay in contact with the hotel: Your contact at the hotel can provide periodic updates on the number of people who have booked under your booking link or code.
- Remind your guests: Don't be afraid to send a gentle reminder to out-of-town guests who have RSVP'd but may have forgotten to book their accommodation.
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How many rooms to reserve
When it comes to reserving hotel rooms for your wedding guests, there are a few things to consider. Firstly, you'll want to think about the location of your wedding and the number of out-of-town guests who will need accommodation. If you're having a destination wedding or a local wedding with a large number of out-of-town guests, you can estimate that most, if not all, of your guests will need a hotel room.
A good rule of thumb is to divide the number of attending guests by two to estimate the number of households that will need accommodations. Then, you can estimate what percentage of your out-of-town guests will book a room. For example, for a local wedding, you can expect around 80% of guests to book a room, whereas for a destination wedding, this number increases to 100%.
Let's look at an example. Suppose you're having a local wedding and have invited 100 guests, with 50 expected to travel for the celebration. By dividing 50 by two, you get 25 households, and assuming 80% of these guests will book a room, you would need to reserve around 20 rooms.
It's also important to consider the local wedding guests who may not want to drive home after the festivities. This can be tricky to estimate, so it's recommended to hold off on reserving rooms on their behalf and offer leftover rooms closer to the wedding date to meet your booking commitment.
Additionally, you may want to reserve rooms at two to three hotels to give your guests a choice of location and room rate. This is especially useful if you want to offer different price points for your guests.
Remember, it's always better to overestimate and have a few extra rooms reserved than to underestimate and have guests struggling to find accommodation.
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Where to reserve rooms
There are several factors to consider when deciding where to reserve rooms for your wedding guests. Firstly, it is important to consider the location of the wedding. If you're having a destination wedding, it is common to reserve rooms at the resort or hotel where the wedding is taking place, as this can make planning and transportation easier. Many destination wedding packages include a courtesy room block, which means there is no financial obligation to fill the rooms.
If you're having a local wedding, it is recommended to reserve a room block at a nearby hotel with easy access to your venue. You can also consider reserving rooms at two to three hotels to offer guests a choice of location and room rate. This is especially useful if you have a large guest list, as it gives you the opportunity to offer different price points.
When deciding on the number of rooms to reserve, it is important to consider the number of out-of-town guests who will need accommodations. A good rule of thumb is to reserve half the number of rooms as the number of out-of-town guests. For example, if you have invited 100 guests and 50 are coming from out of town, you would look to reserve about 25 rooms.
It is also important to reserve your room blocks as early as possible, especially if your wedding date coincides with a seasonal holiday or local event, as rooms tend to fill up quickly during these times. It is recommended to reserve your room blocks at least 10 to 12 months in advance.
Finally, when deciding on a hotel, consider joining their reward program, as many hotels offer bonus points for booking a block of rooms. Additionally, be sure to ask about any concessions or perks that may be included, such as a free bridal suite or discounted group rates.
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Communicating room block details to guests
Communicating the details of your room block to your wedding guests is essential to ensure they can easily book their stay. Here are some tips to help you effectively share this information:
Wedding Website
Creating a wedding website is a great way to centralize all the information about your special day, including accommodation details. You can include the direct link or code provided by the hotel on your website, making it easy for guests to book their rooms. It is important to keep your website updated, especially if there are any changes or updates to the room block information. This will prevent guests from calling you with questions and ensure they have the most current details.
Save-the-Dates and Invitations
If you have the room block information before sending out your save-the-dates, it is a good idea to include it. You can also include the details on your wedding invitations, either directly or on a separate insert. This insert should match the motif of your invitations and be kept concise, providing essential information without unnecessary details. For example: "For your convenience, a block of rooms has been reserved at [name of hotel] in [city]. When calling to make your reservation, please mention the [your last names] wedding to receive a discounted rate."
Email and Direct Communication
For VIP guests, consider sending a personalized email with the room block details. This adds a special touch and ensures they have the information readily available. You can also provide gentle reminders to out-of-town guests who have RSVP'd but may have forgotten to book their accommodation.
Transportation Information
In addition to the room block details, it is helpful to provide guests with transportation tips, such as options for getting to and from the venue or airport. If your hotel offers a shuttle service, be sure to mention this.
Perks and Concessions
If you have negotiated any perks, such as pickup concessions or a certain number of free rooms, be sure to communicate this to your guests. This may encourage them to book within the block and take advantage of the benefits you have secured.
Remember, the key is to provide clear and timely communication to your guests, ensuring they have all the information they need to book their accommodation for your wedding.
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Frequently asked questions
A hotel room block is a designated group of 10+ rooms at a hotel, which are reserved specifically for your wedding guests at a pre-negotiated, discounted room rate.
It is not mandatory to reserve a hotel room block for your wedding, but it is a considerate gesture for your guests, especially if you are having a destination wedding or have a lot of out-of-town guests. It guarantees that there are enough rooms available for your guests and can make wedding planning and transportation easier.
The number of rooms you block depends on your guest list and the expected number of out-of-town guests. As most guests travel in couples or share rooms with friends, you will need about half the number of rooms as the total number of guests who will need accommodation, plus a few extra rooms as a buffer.
Consider choosing two to three hotels with different price ranges to accommodate different budgets. It is ideal to choose hotels that are located near your wedding venue to reduce transportation costs for your guests. You can also ask the venue manager about room rates and possible discounts for early reservations.
