When you narrow your choices for a wedding reception site, there are several factors you should consider. One of the most important is whether you want all your activities held in a single, centralized location. If the answer is yes, you will find a hotel wedding an attractive prospect. The most important reason is convenience.
When you have a hotel wedding, the ceremony, reception and lodging for out-of-town guests is all in one location. This way you avoid the costly challenge of transporting people and things from one place to another on the busiest day of your life. Other advantages of having a hotel wedding include safety and peace of mind for guests unfamiliar with the area, the staff’s involvement and assistance, and the chance for family, friends and guests to socialize and intermingle. By holding your events in a single setting, you also let guests use their attendance as a chance for a little getaway.
We recommend you reserve accommodations for your hotel wedding and out-of-town guests between six and 12 months before your wedding. If the wedding is on or near a holiday, the sooner you contact your choice of hotels, the better. Tour the hotel with a representative of the hotel’s sales and catering team. Then discuss your planned activities, the number of guestrooms needed, what services the hotel can supply and their cost, and what limitations apply. Most hotels, for example, require use of their in-house caterers, while many have lists of preferred vendors, like musicians and florists.
Many hotels offer package discounts based on the number of rooms you need, your wedding’s size and how many wedding-related events you intend to hold there. You may even be presented a suite for your own use on your wedding night.
What’s nice about a hotel wedding is that the hotel usually offers many additional services. These can include passenger shuttles, health spas, beauty salons, concierge and maid services, recreational activities, and restaurants suitable for luncheons, rehearsal dinners and post-wedding brunches.
The hotel staff is usually experienced in handling large events and can provide you advice, event coordination and last-minute help. Some hotels have wedding-linked professionals available, including pastry chefs, florists, photographers and childcare. If a particular service isn’t available on-site, they often can provide referrals to area vendors.
Some benefits to a hotel wedding include well-orchestrated events, comfort for your guests and the support of professionals experienced in wedding-related events. These conveniences, all provided in a single setting, can ease wedding-day stress and assure happiness and excitement for both you and your guests.