I think that is a great idea to have a pre wedding get together. I too want to do the same thing at the hotel. I thought of it as a great way to have a quick rehearsal as well. Pizza and subs are a good Idea. You may want to look at a local restaurant to see if they will cater something, it may be less expensive than pizza. I think you should definitely shoot for an evening get together. Some hotels will pass out your OOT bags for you when your guests check in to the hotel. You may want to check what the hotels will do for you as a perk for blocking the rooms, that may also help determine which hotel to pick.