Why do I need a room block? Do I even need an agent?
You DO need an agent! Resorts won't block directly with clients... you have to have a travel agent to get you contracted. The nice thing is that we don't charge anything for that service - the hotel pays us to manage it. Here's what's up with room blocks:
- You get locked in rates (that even have price matches in case the rate comes down!). This means when occupancy goes up and rates go up as we get closer - your rates stay the same.
- You get huge bonuses at the end - free nights on a rooming contract translates to direct cash refunds.
- Your block will get you free upgrades as well (these vary hotel to hotel).
We're different. Here's why...
Our services are different. We are a small firm with real people answering the phone. You, and your guests, talk directly to our team, and get direct email replies to their questions... No big call centers, no hold music. No language barriers. Just people who love travel, helping people to experience the magic of a destination wedding that brings everyone together. Here's the process:
- First, we find the right resort for you. This is not only for the wedding package, but also room block pricing and contracting. Will it match your wedding budget and vision, and will it match the budget per night for your guests?
- Next, we reach out to the resorts for you and get contracts. NEVER book a wedding package without getting room quotes! The two departments in hotels that book rooms for groups and book packages that hold wedding spaces and catering... do NOT talk to each other! Let us do that for you!
- The resort will send over rates for us, and then we work with you to decide how many of what type of room you'd like to block. We'll use info about your guest list to help you decide this!
- Next, we build you a custom wedding website that your guests can go to for all their questions, and to begin to book travel. It has everything from RSVP pages where the guests can choose meals to schedules and info, and traveler forms that they fill out for us to book their rooms.
- We book each room for each guest individually. They choose room categories, and whether they'd like travel insurance, and we get them booked in your block.
- We collect travel info for each guest, as we'll need that for their airport to hotel transportation.
- While traveling, your group will be able to text us with questions.
I keep hearing that it doesn't cost anything... How?
That's true! It doesn't cost anything to have us work as your concierge travel agents. No charge to you, OR to your guests. How is that possible!? Well, the hotel pays us to manage your block, handle the guests, and deal with all the complications. That's it. No catches. We help you find the right property, handle your contracting, manage your room block and guests... with no fees to you, or your guests.
Are there any charges at all?
Here's how the finances work.
- You'll need a wedding website. We can do that for you for a hosting/domain fee, or you can do it yourself. We don't recommend the knot, or zola... as those domains are harder for guests to deal with. We recommend a simple domain such as www.sallyandjoe.com if at all possible.
- Room blocks typically have two deposit styles (typically depending on the size of the block!). Your deposit will either be $100 per room, or 10% of the block total (above 40 rooms or so, depending on the resort's policies). This deposit is held until your guests start paying in their deposits, and then you can use it towards your rooms, mom's rooms, or have it refunded.
- Your guests will pay a deposit to book their rooms (usually 50% of the room cost). Their balance will be due usually 70 days before the wedding.
- They will be offered travel insurance. This typically runs $125-175 depending on the value of the room reservation. The insurance allows them to cancel up until the time of the flight and receive a full refund (except the insurance, of course).
- If you want help with wedding planning, you'll have the choice of having us plan with you ahead of time, or full planning and then we come with you, manage all of the details during your trip, and for the events. The fees for planning vary, but they start as low as $1500. Again - these are completely optional services - go see details at - Sweetly Paired