Parking for guests dilemma

MaggieandJake

So, as of right now, I've narrowed down my venue choices to the Radisson Hotel on the East Bank in Dinkytown, and the Millenium Hotel in downtown Mpls.  My dilemma is the issue of parking for guests.  At the millenium it's $7 per car for the evening or $15/day for hotel guests...at the Radisson it's slightly cheaper, but still costs something.  My problem is I don't want to invite people to a function and then ask them to pay for parking...how do I deal with this? What did you do?

One thought I had was checking with the hotel a few week before hand to see who had reserved a room there and then just pay for their parking...but what do I do about guests not staying at the hotel?  HELP!

Katiemahler

I know when I've planned corporate functions, I've usually been able to work out a voucher system with the ramps. Then on the invites be sure to tell them that their parking will be validated.

Hope that helps,

Bimbi284

Our reception site/hotel is doing parking vouchers. It is part of the wedding package.

juliels53

I would check with the sites. Mine has a fee too, but if they're not staying they can get their ticket validated. If they're staying, they can usually charge you for their parking instead of it showing up on their room bill, so that's what we're going to do.

Steph0871

Are you debating between the Millenium/Radisson for your actual reception or are you talking about the hotel block you'll use? 

We're having our hotel block at the Radisson.  Yes, they will have to pay for parking for the weekend, but I was able to talk them down to only $99/night for the room, so really it's just like paying $112/night with parking included.  No big deal.

The venue we're actually having the event at is PEC, where parking is free, though.  If the venue had paid parking, we'd probably cover it since they're only paying the parking to come to our wedding.

On a side note- The Radisson is not in Dinkytown... it's right in the middle of campus, more like Stadium Village.  Just so you don't confuse your guests that might be familiar with the campus area.

KittE7

Sounds like a voucher system would work best... maybe have the usher or the guest book attendant hand them out as people enter?  Maybe the hotel guests just present the voucher to the hotel clerk when they check out.  Also, some in-town guests who aren't staying in a hotel might just take a cab...

We're hosting pkg at the CM (required) and arranging tranpo bet. the CM-RC sites for those staying at the RC hotel, but ~ omg, you are all going to hate or pooh-pooh me now ~ we're not including parking at the RC venue.  If our parents think that's socially unacceptable, they are welcome to come forward and offer to cover that expense.
*~*shielding the virtual daggers*~*

MaggieandJake

we are using the Radisson or Millenium Hotel just for our Reception (we're having the ceremony in Hopkins).  And yeah I realized that the Radisson is not exactly dinkytown...but was too lazy to correct it in my OP.  Thanks for all of the ideas...the vouchers sounds like a good idea-I'll probably end up doing that.  Right now I'm probably  leaning more towards the Radisson as the Millenium is a little more than we wanted to spend and the only thing really enticing me was the glass dome-and I found out at the open house on Sat that it's only used for the 1st dance really...not the whole reception space, so I don't feel as much like I HAVE to have it.