Estimating room blocks - as an OOT guest, what would you prefer?

OjitosVerdes

Thanks again, all!  @Gisellerina - hello fellow Arizona bride!  Did you have any trouble filling your block? 

Gisellerina

@OjitosVerdes - right now we've filled half of our block.  Hopefully, I'll get my invitations out Monday (got them yesterday!) and we'll get the rest filled up before the deadline.  We're definitely nervous as we've moved our date up from October 2014 to June 2013 due to a family member's ill health.  Who wants to come to Phoenix in the end of June?!?!  Much less on only a couple months notice? But, I keep telling myself at least we're 2/3 of the way to to our guarantee.  (Half of our guest list is OOT and half is local).

OjitosVerdes

@Gisellerina - I'm sorry to hear about your sick family member.  I'm sure moving your date up that much was really stressful, but I hope planning has still be fun. If half your block is already full, I'm sure you will be fine!

I'm a Pacific Northwest girl at heart, and this heat KILLS me, but AC will be a lifesaver. 

Best of luck with everything! 

Gisellerina

@OjitosVerdes - in some ways having to rush everything is making the planning less stressful! I don't have the time to worry if I'm picking the "perfect" flowers, cake, etc. - it's just a matter of do we like it ? Yes - decision made!" 

Yeah, it seems to be a sickly year around here - both my step-dad and my cat aren't doing very well.

Friends keep telling me a lot of people wait to reserve their rooms until right before the block deadline expires - hopefully they're right!

Pacific Northwest?  I was born in Oregon!  (Grew up elsewhere though). 

OjitosVerdes

@Gisellerina - I am so sorry about your stepdad and kitty. I'll keep my fingers crossed for everybody.  

While we didn't have to rush for family reasons, we found that so much was booked (we had about 9 months to plan) that we had to make snap decisions too - our venue for example - there were several inquiries about our same date, so we looked at each other and said "where do we sign" - before we had looked at anything else! I agree that it makes it way less stressful though not having so much time to obsess about things. 

I think your friends are probably right. I'm a super procrastinator and always make my reservation the day of or before the blocks expire. Now that I'm the bride, I'll probably avoid doing that in the future knowing that it can cause some stress! 

I'm an Oregon girl, too! I didn't live there my whole life, but graduated from high school and went to college there.

JoanE2012

OjitosVerdes said:

Hey all - we are reserving rooms at two hotels - a block at the resort where we are getting married, and another block at a hotel about 15 minutes away. Both are in the middle of nowhere, and there aren't really many other choices 

The rooms at our venue are expensive for our area - they range in price between $165 and $255.  

The rooms at the other hotel, which is still very nice, range in price from $89 to $189. 

We are having a hard time guessing where people will want to stay - at the venue where they won't have to drive, but will have to pay more, or at the place a little farther away that is cheaper.  15 minutes isn't an awful drive, but there is an immigration checkpoint that everyone will have to go through who leaves the venue. While no one should be drinking and driving, I think this could still be a little off-putting to some. We're giving everyone a head's up about the checkpoint via our wedding website. 

The other factor that is complicating things is that our venue requires that we guarantee 80% of the rooms we block - meaning that if 80% of the rooms aren't reserved, even if we release them a couple months in advance, FI and I are still financially responsible. If this weren't the case, we'd probably split the blocks evenly between the two hotels and just increase or decrease the block closer to the wedding. But decreasing it at the venue isn't an option, and we're worried about getting stuck with the bill. 

So my question for you as we try to estimate this is - as a guest, would you rather pay more to stay at the venue, or drive to save money? 

If I could get a standard room at your venue for $165, I'd stay there.  If only the $255 room was available, I'd drive the 15 min to the other hotel.

[Deleted User]

I'd definitely drive and save the money right now in my life. Think about your guests. Are they in a place to spend a lot of money? Or are there a lot of young people just starting out in life or just lacking money in general? 15 minutes isn't bad at all. At least to me--I grew up/still am in the suburbs. I have a friend who lives in St. Louis city, 30 minutes from me--I drive to her all the time, no big deal, but one time trying to get to my house (she doesn't have a car; someone drove her), and she thinks I live in the middle of nowhere.

A shuttle is a nice touch, especially for those that want to drink, but in my budget, I wouldn't do it. My fiance and I are not big drinkers, and I'd rather my family NOT drink so freely as to NEED the shuttle! I *might* do it if I had an unlimited budget, but that would be one of my last concerns.

Loopyseven

OjitosVerdes said:

Second question - as a bride, if it were in your budget, would you arrange a shuttle to pick up and return your guests to the more distant hotel so driving isn't a problem? 

I would do this.

mepetroz

We just attended a friend's wedding.  They provided a shuttle from the hotel to the reception venue (about 15 minutes away, but reception had a small parking lot).  They rented a 15 passenger van from Alamo and just had someone designated to drive and set times that the van would leave.

Nightingalejules

I'm all the way up in Vancouver, Canada, but I think I've been through that checkpoint! Anyway, I think I'd probably opt to stay at least the night of the wedding at the more expensive hotel, but probably only the one night - if I was staying in the area I'd get a cheaper hotel for the rest of my stay.

MuppetFan

As a guest I would want a cheaper room that is further away.
If the $165-250 range hotel was on the info card, I would definitely be searching for a cheaper hotel on my own.

As you, I would not be willing to guarantee 80% of rooms I'm not positive will be filled. I would book a reserve a portion of the rooms there, and the balance at the other place. This will allow people a choice at least.

southernbelle0915

Usually hotels will have a "courtesy block" of 10 rooms or so and then as more people book, they add to your block (at the negotiated rate). Could you do a courtesy block at both hotels and have it cover your guest list? That way, people can have their choice and you're not on the hook for anything later.