The reason I'm in the wedding industry is because of my background as a corporate event planner. I can spew out the dimensions of a banquet round table and tell you how much coffee to order.
But what many people don't know about events is the work that happens behind the scenes - the contracting.
Deciding where to hold your event is a big decision. As you find out searching for wedding venues, every venue can offer you different things. And when all the right things come together (budget, size, vendor requirements) then you are set to book.
Well I'm here to remind you to take that same care when you find your hotels.
When to book the hotel block?
You can book a hotel block one year before your wedding date. In many cases you should book right away.
How many hotels are needed?
Go through your guest list and estimate how many people will stay the night to help determine the number of rooms in your block. If 50% of your guests are going to stay it is best to book 2 hotels at different rates to accommodate everybody.
What can you ask for?
This is my favorite part - negotiations! Hotels are used to booking groups and they want your business. If you are asking for a large block you should get some reward out of it. Here are a few ideas of what to ask for:
- A free room on your wedding night
- A free upgrade to a suite
- Free shuttle service for the night
- A meeting room space for hair and make-up the morning of
The larger your group the more you can ask for. Take a chance with what you need for your wedding, the worst that they can say is no.
Good luck booking your wedding hotel block!