Hi there!
So you’ve decided to reserve hotel rooms for your wedding guests! Before you
cringe at the thought of having to contact a bunch of hotels - rest assured, I’m
here to help!
I created a quick guide and an email template for you to help you save time,
stay organized, and remain calm :)
Your goal is to save you time and stress – so in this guide you’ll find:
• A word-for-word email template that you can use to jump-start your search!
• The differences between the two types of room blocks
• Three things to consider as you choose the right hotel for your guests
• Sample wording to include on your wedding website
Let’s dive right in!
Happy planning,
About me
I teach busy people how to save time, money, and stress as they plan
their big day. I share only actionable advice that you can actually use
(no BS, no fluff) - much like this super helpful download ;)
For more time-saving wedding resources, check out Planning with Poise.
By the way, if you like this guide, you'll LOVE my bundle of five
additional email templates to help you shop for other wedding
vendors (like venues, caterers, etc.) ... download 'em for FREE!
[TYPE THE SENDER COM
PANY NAME]
[Type the s end er company address]
[ Typ e t he s end er pho ne numb er]
[Ty pe t he s en der
e-mai l address]
Planning with Poise
The Email Template
First, get in touch with the group sales manager - be sure to get the manager’s
phone number and email address. You can get this information online or by
calling the hotel’s front desk.
I highly recommend using email to reach out to sales managers. This way, you
can email the manager at your convenience, you’ll avoid playing phone tag,
and you have all of the information at your fingertips in your email inbox. (In
fact, I recommend using email to contact all of your wedding vendors - it saves
so much time!)
That said, here’s your ready-to-use email template! Just fill in the blanks:
SUBJECT: Room Block Inquiry - hotel name
Hi name of group sales manager,
I am emailing to request more information about reserving a block of
rooms for my wedding guests. The wedding will be on date. Guests will
likely be checking in on date and checking out on date, and we’re
estimating that we’ll need about number rooms.
We hope you’re able to provide some insights on the following questions:
• Do you offer a courtesy block or a guaranteed block?
• What is the group rate including all taxes and fees?
• Do you require a minimum night stay to reserve a block?
• What time is check-in?
• What is the parking fee? Does it include in and out privileges?
• What’s the rate for a honeymoon suite on the night of the wedding?
• Our event ends at time, if you have an on-site bar/restaurant will it
still be open for a post-wedding event?
We hope to hear from you soon! Please let us know if you need any
additional information from us to get this process started.
Thank you!
your name
[TYPE THE SENDER COM
PANY NAME]
[Type the s end er company address]
[ Typ e t he s end er pho ne numb er]
[Ty pe t he s en der e
-mai l a ddress]
Planning with Poise
There are two types of room blocks
1. Courtesy blocks (sometimes called “open” blocks). The benefit of a courtesy block
is that you’re not financially responsible for unbooked rooms within your block. On
the downside, guests have a strict deadline to book their rooms to get the group rate.
Generally the deadline to book is at least a month before the wedding - so this
requires guests to think and plan ahead!
2. Guaranteed blocks (sometimes called “closed” blocks). A guaranteed block
requires you to pay a deposit to block off the rooms - and if any rooms ar not booked,
you’re stuck with the bill for those rooms. If you’re not 100% certain that your guests
will book all of the rooms, then I recommend avoid guaranteed blocks - because you
don’t need any extra stress - and you definitely don’t need any extra bills to pay!
How to Choose the Right Hotel for Your Guests: Three Key Criteria
• Location, location, location! Reserve rooms at a hotel near your wedding location
(within 10 miles), to allow you and your guests a quick and easy drive to your
wedding. If you can, consider the hotel’s proximity to airports, restaurants, bars,
attractions - this is nice if you have out-of-town guests who are flying in and will be
vacationing for a few days before or after your wedding.
• Room rates. If possible, be mindful of your guests’ budgets. Think about whether
your guests would prefer to stay in a luxury hotel or a more budget-friendly hotel. If
you have tons of hotel options in the area and your guests’ budgets vary widely, then
you might consider reserving rooms at two hotels with different price points.
• Check-in time. Most hotels have a check-in time of 3pm, so if you have a ceremony
in the late afternoon or early evening - this shouldn’t be too much of a concern. But
if check-in time conflicts with your ceremony, ask the hotel if they can grant an
earlier check-in for your guests - there are no guarantees, but it never hurts to ask!
Tell Your Guests!
After you’ve signed a contract to reserve a room block, the last step is to announce it to
your guests! Include the following information on your website, just fill in the blanks:
We have reserved a block of rooms at the hotel name for the nights of check-in date
through check-out date. Please visit website or call phone number to reserve your
room and mention code. The last day to book rooms using the discounted rate of
$amount is date.
