Wedding How far in advance for room blocks?

[Keepingthefaith21]

Since I will be DYIing my Save the Date packages and over half of our guests will be OOT I want to have everything ready to go for a March mailing. It will take me a bit of time to gather everything together and I''d like to begin working on them whenever I have some down time. I need to have the hotel block info avalible for these and was wondering if I can call now for block information for my Oct. 2009 wedding or if I should hold off while longer?

Also, should I have blocks at two or more hotels within the area to give my guests more choice between what suits their budgets? I do plan to include a message about other area accomodations in case the hotel I''ve chosen for blocks is not what other guests are looking for.

Thanks!

 

[meresal]

Date: 10/17/2008 10:16:27 AM
Author:Keepingthefaith21
Since I will be DYIing my Save the Date packages and over half of our guests will be OOT I want to have everything ready to go for a March mailing. It will take me a bit of time to gather everything together and I'd like to begin working on them whenever I have some down time. I need to have the hotel block info avalible for these and was wondering if I can call now for block information for my Oct. 2009 wedding or if I should hold off while longer?

Also, should I have blocks at two or more hotels within the area to give my guests more choice between what suits their budgets? I do plan to include a message about other area accomodations in case the hotel I've chosen for blocks is not what other guests are looking for.

Thanks!

I'm not sure about how far in advance, but as far as having options, YES! They say that depending on the size of the wedding, you should have up to 3 different hotel options of varying rates. I'm having around 300 guests and we will have 2 different hotel options. One high end ($250+/night) and and one mid (around $150/night). Those will both be dowtown, and anyone that would like to stay somewhere else, we are going to provide a list of options that are near the freeway, but are not planning on blocking any rooms on the extra list... just like you.

 

[Nocturnius]

Working at a hotel that hosts weddings has given me experience in this.

First, talk it out with the sales department. Almost all hotels will drop their rates for a group block depending on how many rooms you block. My hotel, for example, has standard rates at $129. But group blocks can range from $89 to $109 depending on how many rooms are blocked (five room minimum).

Second, I don''t know about the two blocks. I''ve seen two weddings where this was done, and both ended up like this: about half the guests booked at the other hotel, but came to OUR hotel and had a screaming match in our lobby over the fact we didn''t have their reservations... then they took out their invitations to show me the hotel info card and realized they were at the wrong hotel and had just made a huge scene for no reason. Blocking is easier if you just do it at one hotel and then provide information on other hotels in the area and let your guests handle it themselves.

Third, you can book that early to guarantee your block, and October seems to be a surprisingly popular wedding month, so it''s advised you do. The number one thing you need to do, though, is give your guests a time limit to book rooms. This doesn''t have to involve the hotel, but give them a time when they need to have it done by to avoid disappointment - I just had a woman call this morning to try and book a room for a wedding next weekend, and we are sold out. The block has been in the computer since January, and the guest decided to call a week before and is now upset that she can''t get a room. Advise them to book, AT THE VERY LATEST, a month before to avoid disappointment. Also, ask if the hotel itself assigns a specific expiry date (some do; if the rooms aren''t booked, say, three weeks before, all unbooked rooms are released back into inventory) and if they do, make the guests aware of it.

 

[gtn]

Date: 10/17/2008 1:05:14 PM
Author: Nocturnius
Working at a hotel that hosts weddings has given me experience in this.


First, talk it out with the sales department. Almost all hotels will drop their rates for a group block depending on how many rooms you block. My hotel, for example, has standard rates at $129. But group blocks can range from $89 to $109 depending on how many rooms are blocked (five room minimum).


Second, I don''t know about the two blocks. I''ve seen two weddings where this was done, and both ended up like this: about half the guests booked at the other hotel, but came to OUR hotel and had a screaming match in our lobby over the fact we didn''t have their reservations... then they took out their invitations to show me the hotel info card and realized they were at the wrong hotel and had just made a huge scene for no reason. Blocking is easier if you just do it at one hotel and then provide information on other hotels in the area and let your guests handle it themselves.


Third, you can book that early to guarantee your block, and October seems to be a surprisingly popular wedding month, so it''s advised you do. The number one thing you need to do, though, is give your guests a time limit to book rooms. This doesn''t have to involve the hotel, but give them a time when they need to have it done by to avoid disappointment - I just had a woman call this morning to try and book a room for a wedding next weekend, and we are sold out. The block has been in the computer since January, and the guest decided to call a week before and is now upset that she can''t get a room. Advise them to book, AT THE VERY LATEST, a month before to avoid disappointment. Also, ask if the hotel itself assigns a specific expiry date (some do; if the rooms aren''t booked, say, three weeks before, all unbooked rooms are released back into inventory) and if they do, make the guests aware of it.

I agree, blocking one hotel and then giving them options for other hotels is a great option. I think it is nicer to see your guest at one hotel instead of spread out. I know that when I go to a wedding as an OOT guest, it is more fun to be at the same hotel as other guest.

 

[kittybean]

I have two blocks of rooms at different hotels for my June wedding. On my website, and in the information I will send with the invite, I am steering people toward one hotel (where we already know the bridal party and our families will be staying), but I blocked rooms at the other because it''s more family-friendly, and I wanted to make sure I gave people the option to stay at a more family-oriented, slightly less expensive place. I didn''t include the information directly with the Save the Dates, but I did direct people to the website where it''s available.

 

[Keepingthefaith21]

Meresal and Nocturnius - Thank you so much for your helpful response. I will get right on the ball with blocking off my rooms. The sooner I do that the sooner I can get the final parts of the STD packages done

I am going to block at one hotel and then I will include other area accomodations for my guests to give them variety.

Thank you! Thank you!

 

[kama_s]

You should defnitely book them now. I am in the process of booking mine for June, 2009 and already one hotel told me that I should have done this a few months ago

. The other two said that now was a good time. You have to keep in mind that the price you get would be dependant on how many rooms they have available at the moment. So if you book a year in advance, they still have most of the room avalable and the going rate for the room would be say, 200$, so they will give it to you for, say, 150$. But closer to the date, they''ve already sold more than 50% of the room, so now the average going rate is 250$, so they will give it to you at a discounted rate of 200$....which is now 50$ more than it would''ve been if you booked earlier. Hope that makes sense!!

Also, for myself, I booked three tiers of hotel based on price. A lower end one at around 80-90$, a middle tier at 180-190$ and an upper end at 275-300$. So people can decide whatever fits their budget and book accordingly.

Can I tell you I strated writing this post an HOUR ago. I''ve been interrupted a million times in the last hour!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

We did it at one hotel, a year in advance.

 

[Sparkalicious]

Keepingthefaith - I think that you are right on the ball. Right now sounds perfect.
Our wedding is in September of next year and we have just finished blocking 3 hotels for our guests - the reception venue hotel, a high end and one mid range.

Something you might find helpful ... I got a great tip about emailing someone at your city''s Convention & Visitor''s bureau ... they will take your info and send it out to all the hotels in your desired area and then the hotels will come to you and provide you with bids instead of you have to contact them. I was inundated with email but I found this really helpful!

Go for it! It will be one more thing that you can mark off of your list!!