Accommodation for Wedding Guests: Room Blocks, Shuttles and Who Pays What
As soon as the wedding does not take place where most guests live, overnight accommodation becomes a topic. A bit of groundwork from you saves guests a lot of searching and makes it more likely they will accept.
The room block
Many hotels offer a block for weddings: a certain number of rooms is reserved for your guests, often at a slightly better price. The guests book and pay themselves under a reference keyword. Whatever is not booked by a certain date goes back to the hotel.
Read the terms carefully. Some blocks can be released free of charge, with others you are liable for rooms that go unbooked.
The deadline is often four to eight weeks before the wedding. Put it in the invitation so guests book in time.
When to reserve?
As soon as the date and venue are settled. In popular regions or during trade fairs and festivals in the city, rooms are otherwise gone months ahead. With the save-the-date you can already point to the accommodation.
Who pays?
In Germany guests usually pay for their own overnight stay. Many couples make exceptions for grandparents, witnesses or guests on a tight budget. That is a kind gesture, but not an obligation.
Shuttle and the way home
If the venue is out of town, organize a shuttle to the hotel or the train station. Two trips are often enough: one around midnight for everyone who leaves earlier, one at the end. That way nobody who has been drinking has to drive.
Hotel with keyword and deadline, directions, parking, shuttle times and a phone number for questions. As a link or an insert with the invitation.
An example
You are celebrating at an estate 40 kilometers from the nearest city, 80 guests are invited, and about half travel from farther away. With the save-the-date you ask who wants to stay overnight. 22 households respond. You reserve a block of 18 rooms at the hotel in town with a free release date six weeks before the wedding. Anyone who would rather take a holiday apartment gets a short list of addresses nearby.
On top of that comes a shuttle with two trips back to the city, at 12:30 am and at 2:30 am. The morning after there is a shared breakfast at the hotel for everyone still there. That is not a must, but for many guests it is the loveliest end to the weekend.
What to ask the hotel
- Is the block free of charge, or are you liable for rooms that go unbooked?
- Until when can guests book under your keyword?
- Is there a late check-out on Sunday?
- Is the reception reachable at 3 am, or is there a key code?
Keeping track on the evening
Give the witnesses a list of who stays where and who takes the shuttle. If someone doesn't know at 2 am how to get to the hotel, help is quick.
Guests without a hotel
Holiday apartments, guesthouses or friends who live nearby are alternatives. With many young guests, a shared holiday apartment is often more popular than a hotel.
How many rooms to block?
How many rooms you block depends on who wants to stay overnight. Ask roughly beforehand, for example with the save-the-date. It is better to plan a few fewer and expand if it gets tight. The invitation should then at least mention the block and until when people can book.
Overnight stays in the guest list
Who stays overnight, who needs the shuttle: create custom fields and filter.