Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Hotel Room Blocks - Consider Your Guests

Recently, I was having a conversation with a bridesmaid, who was flying to a different country for the actual wedding. She's already purchased a BLHDN dress ($250), a plane ticket ($800+), had to purchase bridal shower and wedding presents ($150+), and we won't even go into all the expenses associated with staying in a foreign city for 5 days. Furthermore, when she told me about the available hotel room blocks, my jaw dropped. The couple reserved 3 hotels - all 5 star, high-end hotels, with the cheapest option of $250/night. Let's do the math - 5 days at $250 and we're looking at another $1250 worth of expenses for someone else's wedding. Where does that put us...$2450. Yikes! And let's not even mention that this is probably 1 of at least 4 weddings this year this person is attending.

As a host of any party, it is your job to make everyone feel comfortable and enjoy their time. Part of that is provide your guests with Hotel Room Blocks fitted for any pocket.

ASSESS YOUR GUESTLIST: You know who's attending your wedding, so plan accordingly. Consider the amount of out-of-town guests and make sure you book enough room blocks to accommodate majority, if not all guests. Keep in mind that hotel room blocks are not endless - most hotels limit the amount of rooms one can reserve and some hotels might have a booking minimum.
*as with any contract, read the fine print.

RESEARCH CONVENIENT HOTELS: Whether or not you're providing transportation for all guests, research what's around your venue. The last thing you want is a lengthy ride back after the reception.

PROVIDE VARIETY: Not only should you provide variety in terms of budgets, but also in terms of hotel groups. People love loyalty programs, and Uncle Fred might want to stay at a Marriott, while Uncle Chris has rewards points at a Hilton.

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