You've crossed off the major to-do's on your wedding planning checklist and you're almost there! But there could be one important to-do you may have overlooked... reserving a block of hotel rooms for your guests! Whether they are traveling from out of town, looking to be safe after the reception or part of your bridal party, you want to make sure you have a place to accommodate your wedding guests.

1. Have a general idea of how many rooms you will need to block before actually getting the room block.
2. Having a more accurate number will be better for you in the long run. Many times hotels will charge "attrition" if at least 80% (or at least 10 rooms) of the rooms are not booked. And when that's the case, it'll negate the low room rate for the rest of the group.
3. Check Google or the hotel's events calendar to see what else is going on the weekend of your big day. When the season is slower and the hotels are emptier, hotels will be able to accommodate your needs better and sometimes they will even be able to give you a much better rate on your rooms! They may also be able to better serve your needs such as booking rooms on a certain floor or having them all close together. So make sure you do your research to see what other events are going on during that weekend, and if it doesn't seem to be a popular weekend, use that to your advantage when negotiating.
4. If allowed, ask to add in "shoulder days". If your wedding is on a Saturday, most of your guests will probably check in on Friday and leave on Sunday. But some of your guests may need to check in a day earlier and leave a day later. Ask to see if you can add a few rooms for Thursday and Sunday nights.
5. Know your cut-off date and make sure all your guests know it too! For the rooms you've blocked, they will have a cut-off date for booking so be sure to send out a friendly reminder email to your guests so they know when the last day to book the rooms at the special rate is. Otherwise, they may not be guaranteed a room at that rate, or in the worst case, a room at all.
6. Ask about a comp room! Many hotels will extend an offer for a complimentary room if you book enough rooms or even for holding your wedding at their hotel. As my mom always told me, it never hurts to ask!
7. Consider including a breakfast and/or hotel shuttle. Not all hotels provide complimentary breakfasts and if your hotel is secluded or doesn't have many restaurant options nearby, it might be worth looking into adding for your guests. Shuttle service to and from the event isn't expected but it is a nice gesture to offer your guests so they don't have to worry about the transportation, being late, or missing out on any part of your wedding! If you plan on providing a shuttle service, it's recommended that you include a memo when sending out your invitations so your guests can plan accordingly.
8. Be mindful of the check-in times. Make sure the check-in time is before your wedding start time. The last thing you want is for your guests to check-in to the hotel and have 10 minutes to get ready, or even worse for their check-in time to be after your wedding starts! Just keep these things in mind.
9. Have your guests request an early check-in if needed. This can give the hotel time to prepare for your guests' early arrival and they will also have more time to get ready. Again, it doesn't hurt to ask!
10. Last but not least, don't forget to thank your hotel staff! They are the ones taking care of your loved ones, so don't forget to include thank you notes to show your appreciation!

Now you're that much closer to having everything prepared for your big day! If everyone has a place to sleep (at a good rate), consider it mission accomplished. Now it's time to go enjoy your wedding and celebrate with your guests!

Photo: Ethan Yang Photography

Photo: The Youngrens