Hotel Blocks: What I've Learned

There comes a time in every bride's life when she must take the inevitable step of booking hotel blocks for out of town guests. How glamorous? But the ugly truth is that your choice in hotel actually does matter. I know I once went to a wedding where the hotel smelled like smoke, and my resulting headache ruined my night. I've also been to weddings where the hotel prices were so unbelievably sky high, I had to develop little mantras to make myself feel better about spending the money ("he's been a good friend, he's been a good friend, he's been a good friend...").

So yes, they do matter. But I learned something in these recessionista-bargain-hunting times. If you are willing to roll up your sleeves and work for it, hotels will work with you in return! For example, sometimes it makes more sense to have lots of rooms at one hotel, rather than planning smaller blocks at multiple hotels, because the larger your group, the more likely economies of scale are to kick in. Our hotel, the Pearl River Hilton (pictured above) threw in complimentary shuttle service to and from our reception for our guests, with a minimum booking. It literally saved us thousands! Another hotel I spoke with was willing to set up a complimentary day-after brunch for our guests at no additional cost (breakfast was included anyways, so they were willing to set up our own breakfast in a private room).

Ultimately, determining which resources, amenities, and price points will work best for you comes down to "knowing your audience." For example, a hotel that offers a substantial military discount (mine does!) can be a great resource for some. For others, the free breakfast will be the right choice hands down.

No matter what you decide, there is one piece of advice I know will serve you well (one that was given to me early in the process): don't procrastinate! Get this done early so you can move on to better wedding times!

What have you learned in booking your hotel blocks?