Your Virginia wedding day is one of the most important times of your entire life — for you and your friends and family. And planning for loved ones to have a place to stay so they can attend your wedding ceremony and reception is essential. That’s where wedding hotel room blocks come in! Therefore, here’s what you need to know while wedding planning.
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7 Commonly Asked Questions About Wedding Accommodations
1. Why learn how to book blocks of hotel rooms for weddings?
A necessary part of planning your special day is ensuring that your guests can find a place to rest their eyes after your wedding reception. This is a crucial step if you have guests traveling from far away or if you will be serving alcohol at your event.
One option is to play travel agent and recommend accommodations and Airbnbs for your guests. However, securing hotel room blocks is just easier and less stressful.
2. What are hotel room blocks?
A hotel room block is a set of rooms at a hotel of your choice set aside for a group at an agreed-upon rate. Usually, you can get a discount or special deal for booking a block with the hotel. However, this isn’t always a guarantee.
Hotel companies, chains, and management will have different rules about how many rooms you need for a room block. Additionally, you can discuss these parameters with accommodations close to your Virginia weddings venue.
3. How to book hotel room blocks for weddings?
If you want your guests to have a room block option, you will first need to call the hotel and request a block of rooms for your specific wedding date. Although you may not need an exact number, you will need to know approximately how many rooms you’ll need.
Many hotels charge for unused rooms. Therefore, ensure you have a number in mind before you call and secure accommodations. We recommend calling a few hotels in the area to find the best rates and the ones with the most available for your event.
4. How do hotel room blocks work for weddings?
Before you secure your booking and give out any information, ensure you know what your block looks like at a particular hotel.
Typically, you can do two main kinds of blocks at a hotel: courtesy and room block. A courtesy block is when the hotel holds a set number of rooms for you at no additional charge. You aren’t financially liable for the unused rooms. However, after a certain date, those rooms are released for other travelers to book.
The other type is a room block. If you want to reserve a particular number of rooms, the hotel will likely have you sign off and give you an attrition rate. When this happens, you will be financially responsible for any rooms that don’t fill in your block or a percentage of them.
5. Are hotel blocks necessary for guests to use?
Once you have your wedding hotel room block secured, make sure that you tell all your guests. Remind them to take advantage of these accommodations.
Add the information to your wedding website so guests can know ahead of time where they can book and how to get them. Include this information in your wedding invitations and include them in the details section of your invitation.
Your guests do not have to use this room block, especially if your last-minute “yes” guests might not take advantage of them. Remember this when securing your rooms, and realize that not everyone will want them.
Also, try to secure accommodations at a nice location without making it cost-prohibitive. If the rooms are $400 per night, you may have difficulty filling the block.
6. Should I get a hotel room block for a destination wedding?
If you’re getting married in a location where folks will have to travel and get a room, be sure to get a block of rooms. Not only is it convenient for your attendees, but it can also keep everyone together in one place. Being close to family and friends that only get together every once in a while is a big plus!
7. Why block hotel rooms for weddings?
Wondering is it necessary to block hotel rooms for a wedding? If you’re on the fence, here are some reasons to do so:
- Blocking rooms makes finding accommodations easier for guests.
- Securing accommodations often garner a discount, making a motel room cheaper for attendees, such as bridesmaids and groomsmen.
- Folks who don’t see each other often can be close together, enhancing the wedding experience.
- If there’s alcohol at your event, having a shuttle to the hotel ensures everyone’s safety.
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Linda (LD Holland)I had no idea about wedding hotel blocks but it makes a lot of sense to set the rates and ensure there is room for out-of-town guests. A good idea for weddings or other big events. But good to know the rules before you commit to the rooms.
LisaI wish I knew this before we got married! We didn’t need hotel rooms for our guests, but this will be super helpful for those who do need it. Making the rooms cost effective would definitely be number one.
Adele GeeDefinitely a great idea to block hotel rooms for an event especially a wedding. A lot of good tips here in this blog post. I negotiated for special rates for my out of town guests at the Hotel while also getting a suite included in the package for myself as the bride which I was completely happy about for just simply resting in between events. I will pass this useful info along to friends!
Ambica GulatiThat’s a really useful guide. Indian weddings have so many functions and guests that people normally end up booking floors. But I guess, checking the special facilities for weddings would be an added advantage. It would be more affordable as well.
AgnesI’m not planning a wedding, but my sister is, so I learned some exciting things about planning this venture. Great tips on how to book a hotel block for a wedding. And great advice on how to notify guests of such a possibility. Indeed, the price matters here, so it is worth choosing a hotel that will suit most guests, and when booking more rooms, you can get a great discount.
AntoineThis is so helpful, Jennifer! Wedding accommodation can be complicated and by planning ahead it won’t add stress to the wedding and the guests (especially convenient for relatives and bridesmaids). Thanks for the tips, I’ll definitely need to book multiple accommodations someday for that very purpose.
Maria VelosoTo ensure that out-of-town guests are accommodated, hotel room blocks are necessary for weddings. This makes it very practical and gives you the chance to enjoy spending time with those you only occasionally see. Those who are getting married soon should read this article immediately.
BhushaThis is interesting. We do this in India too. Blocking hotel rooms for wedding guests coming from out of town is kinda expected. True, it is best to call a few hotels to find the best pricing in the locality. Good to know about the room block style where you’re not financially responsible for the rooms. That makes more sense nowadays that the wedding costs are so high.