Travel7 min read
Planning a wedding hotel block: what to ask for
The short answer
Request proposals from hotel group-sales teams for the same dates and room count. Compare the rate, minimum pickup, release deadline, cancellation terms and extras. Ask about a courtesy block before accepting responsibility for unbooked rooms.
Start with group sales
Contact the hotel’s group-sales team with your dates, nights, room-count range and any related events. Ask for the full block proposal and the extras it can include.
Read the attrition clause closely
Read the minimum room-pickup obligation and calculate what you owe if fewer guests book. Ask for a courtesy block, a smaller commitment or a review date to release rooms. Base the block size on your guest plans and record all release and cancellation conditions.
Compare two or three hotels
Contact 2–3 properties near the venue and compare the rate, attrition, cutoff date and extras on one page. Ask about extras as well as the rate: a suite upgrade for the couple, welcome drinks, a shuttle to the venue, breakfast, parking or late checkout for the block. Then take the best package to the hotel you want most: “Another property is offering a suite upgrade and a shuttle. We would love to be with you. Can you offer a similar package?”
Timing and the contract
Agree on the booking cutoff, room-release process, minimum pickup and cancellation dates. Ask for a review point to adjust the block as guest plans become clearer. Include every agreed extra in the contract.
Tell us what you’re planning and what you’d love.
Businesses reply with offers built around you, including what they can add.
Start a requestQuestions people actually ask
- How do I judge a block rate?
- Compare proposals for the same dates, room mix and commitment. Judge the total package, including extras and any room-pickup liability, rather than the gap from the advertised rate.
- What is a courtesy block and should I take one?
- A courtesy block holds rooms under the hotel’s stated conditions without the same minimum-pickup commitment as a contracted block. Read the release date and any other obligations, then compare it with a guaranteed block’s price and risk.
- Can I change the block after signing?
- Ask group sales to price the change and identify any charge or deadline under your contract. Get an agreed amendment in writing before relying on different rooms, rates or inclusions.
- Should guests book inside the block or on their own?
- Compare the block with public offers and ask about a rate-review clause. Calculate any minimum room-pickup liability before encouraging guests to book outside the block.