A few questions...

PumpkinWV · February 2013

Im sure I could find the answers if I searched this site enough but Id like to see what everyone else is doing since were all in the same month.

When do I need to reserve a block of rooms? ASAP? A few months ahead of time?

When are save the dates suppose to be sent out and are they even necessary?

Thanks!

aimkin · February 2013

Save the Dates aren't necessary, but if you're going to send them, now would be the time to do it. (usually 6-9 months out) For the hotel, I think it all depends on the area you're in. I booked my block at 11 months out because that hotel fills up fast and is closest to our venue so I wanted to make sure it was available.

Xandy417 · February 2013

I booked my block of rooms when I reserved the venue for my ceremony and reception since they are at a hotel. The hotel gave us a discount rate on the rooms so I will probably not reserve another block at a different hotel.

hardlyhannah · February 2013

The Sunday after our wedding there is a Lakefront Marathon that starts in the city where we are having our reception. I didn't want to take the chance of the runners booking up the rooms so I already have my room blocks set at the only two hotels in the area.

I'm not doing save the dates.

shannie11 · February 2013

When do I need to reserve a block of rooms? ASAP? A few months ahead of time?

I already tried to book mine but there are only two hotels in my area and about 6 wedding venues. it is also a holiday weekend. The hotel told us we could not reserve rooms but if any of our guests were to call and say "we are staying for the Smith wedding" they would get our discounted rate. I would book your own suite at the hotel you want to stay at that night as soon as possible.

When are save the dates suppose to be sent out and are they even necessary?

You don't HAVE to send out save the dates. I find it is more of a newer tradition (within the last five years). However, if your wedding is on the holiday like mine I would suggest you do it. October can be a popular month depending where you live. A person might already commit to a person that sent out a save the date, if you send yours later or don't send them at all they may not go to yours. I am sending mine out the first week in March.

Stina51286 · February 2013

We tried blocking rooms already and we were only successful at one hotel. We are getting married 10 mins from Lambeau Field. None of the other hotels will let us block until the packer schedule comes out. If it is a home game, we are screwed, its 2 night minimum and about $300 a night.

libby18bell · February 2013

We sent out Save the Dates already. Since ours is a holiday weekend, we wanted to give our guests as much notice, especialy for OOT so they can start making travel arrangements. We also blocked our hotels before this since we gave a link to the hotels on our website that we included on a piece of paper with the Save the Date. I would definitely reserve the block ASAP, since when I called for ours two months ago, one of the hotels didn't even have enough rooms left to even block, fortunately the town has three other hotels I was able to block at. It doesn't cost you anything to block rooms, and the block releases the same time no matter what, a few weeks before the wedding at least from my experience that's how it works. We gave our guests notice that the blocks are held until September 10, an extra cushion day just in case. Also I'm even more grateful since our wedding reception place has a wedding on the Friday before ours and the Sunday after so it's a busy weekend.

kerrimur · February 2013

Start calling around to hotels to make sure they have rooms available for a room block and which offers the best deal and terms. It doesn't cost anything to set up a room block so you might as well get it checked off your list.

STDs are not required. Like PP I sent them because we are getting married on the the holiday weekend. I believe most "checklists' say to send them out 6-8 months in advance.

We are having our reception in a hotel ballroom so our room block was made in June when we paid the deposit for the room. I didn't tell anyone about it unless people asked. Our STDs went out in January which I think was kinda early only bc of CD weekend. Figured it gave people more than enough time to plan for the weekend. The wedding website with the hotel block was on the STD.

ironmom5 · March 2013

Unless it's a holiday/big event weekend, or you're set on a small boutique hotel with few rooms, six months out is standard for a room block.

Also, when estimating your room block, underestimate (again, unless there is a big event/holiday in town). Most people will shop around for their own rooms, or stick with the brands they are used to. A lot of OOTers will also choose to crash with families.

For the 4 hotels my staff sells for, 2 in suburban areas, 2 in urban, only about 25-40% of the rooms blocked for a wedding will actualize. The more rooms you ask for, the earlier the cutoff/release date will need to be so that the hotels can recoup their revenue on rooms that don't book. The best approach is to ask if you can start with a block of 10, and ask if those rooms fill up if they would be willing to extend the discount to additional rooms up to x number. It puts the revenue department more at ease, which means less yelling at the sales department, and a better relationship with you (aka, more likely to get upgrades and freebies). My sales managers. including myself, get a very small base salary and work on commission for rooms that are sold, stayed, and paid. Meaning, if I hold 30 rooms for a bride with a 2-week out cutoff date, and only 5 rooms are sold, I only have 2 weeks to sell 25 rooms or I have to move my son to Miss Lala's Inner-City Fun Time Basement Daycare. Which also means, I now hate that bride and she's getting a hanicap room next to the elevator.

Not really, but I'm not sending her wine.

PumpkinWV · March 2013

Thanks so much everyone! That really helped me out. Time to knock a few more things off the list!

PumpkinWV · March 2013

I just ordered 100 STDs from staples for around $25. It would have just been $10 but I went ahead and added envelopes bc I didn know if I would need them or not. I feel like this is a fantastic deal!

SwimGuppy · March 2013

Go PACK!!!

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_october-2013-weddings_a-few-questions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20Club%20BoardsForum:1925524f-fa8b-432f-a7b5-be486ce756efDiscussion:64b55d3d-46c4-404b-9c70-d045cf4cbe93Post:337956da-9d2e-40b1-a53e-9b8201803d97">Re: A few questions...</a>:
[QUOTE]We tried blocking rooms already and we were only successful at one hotel. We are getting married 10 mins from Lambeau Field. None of the other hotels will let us block until the packer schedule comes out. If it is a home game, we are screwed, its 2 night minimum and about $300 a night.
Posted by Stina51286[/QUOTE]

A few questions...

Re: A few questions...

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