Wedding deposits at resorts

[MikkiStreak]

For those of you who were married at a resort and only used the resort's coordinator: How did the deposits / pmts work? If you went through a travel agent, did you have to pay everything up front or did you make payments? Once the reservation was made at the hotel, did you have to do a deposit on the wedding expenses at the resort, or pay in full when you got there?

 

I'm really trying to figure out if we need to wait until May / June to start booking our trip and wedding stuff when we have more money, or whether payment arrangements are made for all this....

[adeybaby]

I'm probably getting married at the Westin, but I'm going with an outside WC. However, I do know the following:

- To reserve the date you have to put money down as soon as possible to hold the date ($1000 for the Westin).

- They have 3 options for your guests to hold rooms:

1. Your guest can book direct from our web site or through our reservation department. (This way I think you get the best deals and these are often refundable. The earlier you book the better the rates. The WC explained that the closer you get to the date the fewer the available rooms and, of course, the more expensive the rooms.

2. We can do an agreement in which it is basically a document where is

a rate confirm from the moment you sign the document until 3 weeks before the wedding and your guest will call to the reservation department and give the code for your wedding and they will get the rate that is in the agreement. Rate is locked in.

3. We can do a group contract, here you have to confirm a specific

number of rooms and you have to sign the document and we need a 2,000 us non refundable, and all rooms must be prepaid before their arrival. Probably get the best deal, but you are out 2000 if your guest do not book in time

 

Alternatively, you can just use online sites like Orbitz and stuff.

 

I haven't gotten far enough to know when you have to make the other payments (such as wedding fees, food/bev deposits), but you will probably have to pay at least a 25% deposit to hold the date for the photographer.

 

Hope this helps!

[loretuke]

I am having a wedding at Excellence Riviera Cancun and they have not asked for any deposit in advance but i am already working with resort's WC. I am assuming I will just have to pay when I get there. I probably should confirm that.

[TammyWright]

regarding adey's comment...

 

most room blocks do require a deposit BUT that deposit goes towards your travel costs...i have not seen a room block contract yet where you lose your deposit for not booking all the rooms....in fact most have dates that you can release the rooms with no penalty. if you keep the rooms beyond the "no penalty" date and still don't book the rooms, there may be a 1 or 2 night penalty but that is it.