How to remind guests to book their room

[Jennypert]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrooDIVA 

Reading this thread has me nervous. My wedding isn't until 2015, but I know how my family operates. LOL I'm on the fence about reserving a block of rooms b/c I don't want to get stuck with paying. It has been a struggle getting some of my family to apply for their passports. I'm praying this will not be a nightmare. We have two guests lists. One is for those that we are sure will be on the ball and the other is for those who just may get a wedding announcement instead of an invitation. Sounds horrible, but I don't know what else to do. Any suggestions?

Sounds like a good plan to me.  My wedding is in June 2014 and I sent Save The Dates in May 2013.  I only reserved rooms for those we were pretty sure would come.  I've split my guest list into 3 parts, A, B and C - the ones I know will come, the ones who may come and the ones I know won't come but will want an invitation anyway. Almost everyone on the A list booked within the 30 days per my contract.  A couple of the B list have also booked.  Of course, some of the people who have put down deposits don't have their passports yet.  I'll send them reminders with the formal invitations I plan to send in January.  Plus, I'll send another reminder in mid-March since payment in full and a final count is due April 4th.  I decided to only send out invitations and skip the announcements to save money.  My family operates like yours.  LOL!!

[TrooDIVA]

Sounds like a good plan to me.  My wedding is in June 2014 and I sent Save The Dates in May 2013.  I only reserved rooms for those we were pretty sure would come.  I've split my guest list into 3 parts, A, B and C - the ones I know will come, the ones who may come and the ones I know won't come but will want an invitation anyway. Almost everyone on the A list booked within the 30 days per my contract.  A couple of the B list have also booked.  Of course, some of the people who have put down deposits don't have their passports yet.  I'll send them reminders with the formal invitations I plan to send in January.  Plus, I'll send another reminder in mid-March since payment in full and a final count is due April 4th.  I decided to only send out invitations and skip the announcements to save money.  My family operates like yours.  LOL!!

Hmmmm...a "c" list. We may need to add that. I would send an invitation to those who just want one, but I know a few family members who would invite others to come along. Uh no! This is our wedding not a bring your ratchet friends and make it all about you trip. LOL Did you give your guests a cutoff date? I don't want someone to decide at the last minute that they want to come.

[Jennypert]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrooDIVA 


Hmmmm...a "c" list. We may need to add that. I would send an invitation to those who just want one, but I know a few family members who would invite others to come along. Uh no! This is our wedding not a bring your ratchet friends and make it all about you trip. LOL Did you give your guests a cutoff date? I don't want someone to decide at the last minute that they want to come.

I had 30 days from the day we signed the contract to get commitments/deposits for 15 rooms.  Otherwise, we would have to pay $200/room to keep our contracted rates.  I called and emailed after sending the Save the Dates.  We had 13 rooms booked by the deadline and so far, we have 17 rooms with 43 people.  I had at least 3 people who asked to bring friends and I said OK.  It helped me get the rooms booked and I know most of them anyway.  We still have at least 2-3 couples who have said they want to come but have not made their reservations.  But, I got an email from my TA yesterday telling me the resort has sold out already for several days in April and May 2014.  She warns that if people don't book by Nov/Dec. they may not be able to get a room in June.  So I sent another email today.  We'll see!!

 

I'm trying to be patient but it would help to have a final count so I can start buying stuff for the OOT bags.

[TrooDIVA]

I had 30 days from the day we signed the contract to get commitments/deposits for 15 rooms.  Otherwise, we would have to pay $200/room to keep our contracted rates.  I called and emailed after sending the Save the Dates.  We had 13 rooms booked by the deadline and so far, we have 17 rooms with 43 people.  I had at least 3 people who asked to bring friends and I said OK.  It helped me get the rooms booked and I know most of them anyway.  We still have at least 2-3 couples who have said they want to come but have not made their reservations.  But, I got an email from my TA yesterday telling me the resort has sold out already for several days in April and May 2014.  She warns that if people don't book by Nov/Dec. they may not be able to get a room in June.  So I sent another email today.  We'll see!! I'm trying to be patient but it would help to have a final count so I can start buying stuff for the OOT bags.:girl_werewolf:

LOL...I feel your pain. Wow, the resort is booked already? Did you offer room options for another resort?

[VanessaBB]

I personally think the more people you invite the better and have told everyone to treat it like their own vacation as long as they participate on the wedding day. We sent out aprox 100 save the dates and invites, even to people we knew wouldnt come cuz guess what the people who can't come will buy you gifts if you have a registry or send you money! Vs the people who come to your wedding will probably not give you anything since they are already paying to attend! I allowed my family to bring friends if they wanted because after I hit 30 guests my fiancé and I only had to pay our taxes on our trip and the rest is all free we also qualified for the free wedding at the resort after 15 rooms book. As for your OOT bag my wedding is 40 days away and I have now finished ordering everything if anyone ( like my aunt who's been acting like she is coming) decides to come well sucks to he her for OOT and gifts the payment deadline was in September guests who book after that should hopefully understand they will not be getting all the same gifts as the other guests! Keep positive ladies !

[Jennypert]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrooDIVA 


LOL...I feel your pain. Wow, the resort is booked already? Did you offer room options for another resort?

Azul Sensatori in Riviera Maya, Mexico is very popular for weddings and not very large. I want them to stay at AS since we'll get extra discounts for more rooms.  There are only 3 people I really want to book who haven't yet. The Best Man (my FI's nephew) who says he's going to book 'soon' plus a very good friend and her husband.  My friend and her husband had some family troubles recently so I haven't bothered them about the wedding.  Oh well!  I need to remember - Que Sera Sera!!!

[Jennypert]

Quote:

Originally Posted by VanessaBB 

I personally think the more people you invite the better and have told everyone to treat it like their own vacation as long as they participate on the wedding day.

We sent out aprox 100 save the dates and invites, even to people we knew wouldnt come cuz guess what the people who can't come will buy you gifts if you have a registry or send you money! Vs the people who come to your wedding will probably not give you anything since they are already paying to attend!

I allowed my family to bring friends if they wanted because after I hit 30 guests my fiancé and I only had to pay our taxes on our trip and the rest is all free we also qualified for the free wedding at the resort after 15 rooms book.

As for your OOT bag my wedding is 40 days away and I have now finished ordering everything if anyone ( like my aunt who's been acting like she is coming) decides to come well sucks to he her for OOT and gifts the payment deadline was in September guests who book after that should hopefully understand they will not be getting all the same gifts as the other guests!

Keep positive ladies !

 

 

You are so very right!!!  Thanks for keeping it real! 

[Wedding2014]

You are so very right!!!  Thanks for keeping it real!  :humble:

I plan on Doing the same thing!

[WesnKris]

Is it rude that I refuse to block out rooms? When we first began telling people about the wedding they had 26months! We are still a little ways away but it is still a worry that I am going to get stuck paying something I should not have to.

[GingerJ228]

I got engaged in September, booked my resort in October and sent out my save the date's in November.  I left a $2,000 deposit for a 20 room block, my block rate is good until the end of February and we can increase or decrease the amount of rooms we are holding.  I didn't think it was a big deal to block these rooms b/c as each room is being booked the $100 p/room goes towards our wedding package - which means less money that we have to lay out when we check out of the resort.  BUT…. this leo helps out my guests b/c they only need to leave a $50 deposit when they book and their room balance doesn't have to be paid until X days (I forgot how many) before the wedding.  Instead of them having to lay out $150 to hold their own rooms.