Wedding Room Blocks-
How does it all work?
As a wedding planner who specializes in destination weddings, I am constantly being asked by my couples about room blocks. With all of the excitement and creativity that goes into fantasizing about your special day, room blocks are definitely not at the top of anyone’s “fun list”. Room blocks can be confusing, and sometimes feel a bit overwhelming. As someone who worked in luxury hotels and resorts managing events and room inventory for so many years, I am going to do my best to break it all down for you here and make it a little less scary.
What is a Room Block?
A room block is hotel verbiage for basically saying they agree to give you “X” amount of rooms per night, at “X” dollars. These rooms will be discounted for you, to be able to in turn offer to your guests to be able to book when attending your wedding. Although every venue differs, generally this discount comes with a minimum of 10 rooms booked per night in order to qualify for this special rate. Room blocks are especially important when planning a destination wedding.
Types of Room Blocks
When you are discussing your destination wedding with your venue, chances are that room blocks will come up in conversation. Some venues require that you book a room block with them. Others offer it as an optional add on. Either way, there are typically two types of room blocks that you are able to contract. The first type is called a “Courtesy Block”. A courtesy block is basically just that. The hotel is offering as a courtesy to you, a set discount on a certain number of rooms. The hotel will hold these rooms aside for your group to book, and they will provide you with what is called a “Cut Off Date”, which is a date that is typically anywhere from 21 to 45 days prior to your wedding. On this date, the hotel will take back any rooms that have not been booked and they will attempt to then sell them to other guests. With a courtesy block, you are not held financially responsible for the rooms being booked or not. Typically, with a courtesy block, the discount is somewhere between 10%-20% off the regular rate. The second type of room block that is often the scarier of the two, is the “Contracted Block”. The contracted block will offer steeper discounts to you and your guests, however you will need to guarantee the hotel a specific number of rooms – and if the rooms do not get booked by your guests, you will be held financially responsible for paying for the deficit. The question I get asked all of the time is, “How am I supposed to know who will want to stay at this specific hotel so far in advance, and how do I know how many rooms to contract?” This is especially true when there are several hotel options near your venue for your guests to choose from. The challenge is, most couples want to ensure they secure the best discount for their guests and block enough rooms- but also don’t want to be stuck paying for unused rooms if they don’t get booked.
So What Do I Do?
While there is not a specific answer or formula into figuring out exactly how many rooms you should contract for your guests, I always say to be “cautiously realistic”. You know your friends and family pretty well- after all, you are asking them to join you for one of the most important days of your life! Take a good look at your guest list and take a count of which guests you know 100% will stay at your host hotel. By this time, you will know the rate being offered to you by the hotel and you will have had a chance to talk to your closest family members and have a sense of their plans. After you make a mental note of how many rooms you are fairly certain will book, my recommendation is to take the rest of the guests that you believe will attend your wedding, divide by two (typically guests will stay two to a room) and then cut that number in half again to get to the magic number. Now, keep in mind this is by no means fool proof. There are a ton of variables that you should consider, such as:
Is this a destination wedding where everyone will need a room?
Is there more than one hotel option in the close vicinity for guests to choose from?
Is the rate of the hotel room reasonable enough for most of your guests to pay?
There is a lot to consider!
Things to Ask
There are a few important questions to ask the hotel where you are considering your room block. You will want to ask the hotel if the room block is required. Some hotels have a certain percentage of rooms that you must book in order to host a wedding with them, this is good to find out up front. Something you will also want to ask is what is the policy on adding more rooms if you need to- assuming your block fills up. If you are hosting a destination wedding, many times your guests will want to extend their stay a couple of days and make a mini-vacation out of it. Ask the hotel is they can offer your guests the special discounted rate a few days before and a few days after your wedding, should any of your guests wish to extend. Last but certainly not least, ask the hotel about any special concessions or upgrades they can offer you. A lot of times if you are booking a group of rooms with them, they will be willing to upgrade the couple to a suite, and sometimes even offer the parents an upgrade. It never hurts to ask!
In Conclusion
Room blocks can be confusing and there is a lot to consider when making a decision as to how you will approach it. Working with an experienced destination wedding planner can definitely ease some of that stress as they can guide you step by step in the process. Balancing what is best for your guests, and also best for you can be challenging. While a courtesy room block offers the most flexibility and least amount of commitment on your end, a traditional contracted room block will give you and your guests the best discounts. Think about what you are trying to accomplish and what makes the most sense for you and your guests. Remember, there is no “one size fits all” when it comes to making these decisions.
Here at Rachel Leigh Events and Destinations, we believe that every couple deserves their perfect wedding. Are you looking for a Florida wedding planner or a Caribbean wedding planner? We’d love to work with you. Contact us today!
