Valet Parking Question

Pink7781

Hi ladies! Our venue offers complimentary parking for our wedding guests in the parking garage under the hotel or valet parking at $8 a car. My fiancee and I are thinking that we would like to offer to pay for the valet parking for people that so choose to do this so no one has to pay for parking but I'm unsure how to go about this. Do we need to mention anything to our guests or can we just tell the hotel to ask those people who valet park their car if they are there for the wedding and then the hotel can give us a bill the next day? TIA!

danieliza1127

I wouldn't mention it to the guests probably, but I would talk to the hotel and see if they can have the valet drivers ask those people who valet their car if they are there for the wedding.  I'm sure the hotel will want to give you a bill that night though, not the next day, unless you're staying at that hotel and they can put the charge on your room.  Anyway, no harm in asking the hotel's coordinator about it.  I'm sure you aren't the first to ask.

slbriz34

Are you sure your guests would use it?  Sounds silly, but when we were venue shopping and this was discussed, my FI and I went through our list to find out if it would be worth it.  FI, knowing his family better than I do, says his family doesn't like to use valet.  Few of my friends would be driving, so in the end we decided it wasn't worth it. If folks are driving, we'll give them options of where to park and it's just a cost that they take up for driving.  Plus, look at it this way, paying $8-10 for parking to be at an event like a wedding isn't too much to ask.  But that's just mho.    GL.

ac_in_dc

Yeah, I'd check with the venue coordinator and see if they can just keep track of ppl who valet with your wedding. You should indicate to your guests that if they use the valet parking, mention they're with the "Pink7781 wedding" and then the parking is complimentary. Include this with your directions/logistics information.  

buttaflai

We actually included 'valet' tickets in the invitations so that they knew it was paid for - in case they didn't ask or in case a hotel guest not attending the wedding tried to park on our dime. It worked out really well. The hotel counted the tickets. Some guests forgot their tickets, but it was clear that they were wedding guests so the hotel honored it.

danieliza1127

Good points ac and butterflai.  As a guest I'd be more likely to use it if I knew it was free.  So ignore my first line that you don't need to tell guests, but follow the rest of the advice about asking the venue. 

Pink7781

See I knew this was the right place to post! You guys are great, thanks so much!

TurtlesAllTheWayDown

I'm most likely renting a shuttle for the oot guests staying at the hotel down the street. I will mention that in the STD, probably, (and invitation insert card) so people know they don't need to rent a car if they don't want to.  I'll also put a line about it on the response card so I know who's using the shuttle. I think I'll mention "Complimentary valet parking at the reception site is also available" on the invitation insert as well. If you do that, they'll know it's free. Maybe put, "Mention you are with the Smith/Jones wedding to the valet."