How Do Wedding Room Blocks Work? A Guide for Couples

A wedding room block is a set of hotel rooms held for your guests at an agreed group rate until a cut-off date. Your guests book and pay for their own rooms. With a courtesy block, rooms nobody books are released at the cut-off at no cost to you. With a contracted block, you agree to fill a share of the rooms and pay for any shortfall.

Key takeaways

A room block holds rooms for your guests at a group rate until a cut-off date, and guests pay for their own rooms.
A courtesy block carries no financial risk for you; a contracted block makes you liable for rooms your guests don't book.
Set up the block before your save the dates go out, so guests can book as soon as they hear the date.
Base the number of rooms on guests who need to stay overnight, not on the full guest list.
For a destination wedding, check minimum stays, payment terms and cancellation rules before you sign anything.
Wedded Concierge can set up and manage your room block, at home or abroad.

What a Wedding Room Block Is

A room block is an arrangement between you and a hotel. The hotel sets aside a number of rooms for your wedding dates, usually at a lower rate than its public price, and keeps them for your guests until a cut-off date. Guests book with a link or a group code and pay for their own stay.

Hotel corridor lined with guest room doors

The block saves your guests from searching for somewhere to stay near a venue they may not know. It also keeps everyone in one place, which makes transport, welcome bags and a farewell brunch easier to plan.

Courtesy Blocks vs Contracted Blocks

There are two kinds of block, and the difference is who carries the risk.

Courtesy block: The hotel holds the rooms without asking you to guarantee them. Rooms your guests haven't booked by the cut-off date go back on sale, and you owe nothing. Hotels usually offer smaller courtesy blocks, and the discount can be modest.

Contracted block: Also called an attrition block, this is an agreement to fill a set share of the rooms. If guests book fewer, you pay the difference. In return, hotels tend to hold more rooms and may offer a better rate or extras.

If you're not sure how many guests will travel, ask for a courtesy block first. Accept a contract only when you're confident of the numbers.

Bouquet of red and white roses on a hotel bed

What a Room Block Costs and What to Check

A courtesy block usually costs you nothing. A contracted block can cost you a deposit up front, plus payment for unbooked rooms if your guests fall short. Read these terms in the contract before you sign:

Group rate: the nightly price your guests pay, and whether it holds for the nights before and after the wedding.
Cut-off date: the date unbooked rooms are released. Hotels set this differently, so get it in writing.
Attrition or minimum pick-up: the share of rooms you must fill before penalties apply.
Deposit: how much you pay to secure the block, and whether you get it back.
Cancellation policy: what happens if guests cancel, or if you need to reduce the block.
Resell or mitigation clause: whether the hotel will try to sell unbooked rooms before charging you for them.

How to Book a Room Block, Step by Step

Lock in your date and venue first. The hotel can't quote without them.
Count who needs a room. Start with guests travelling in, then add local guests who would rather not drive home.
Shortlist hotels near the venue. Choose properties close to each other as well as to the venue, so one shuttle can collect everyone.
Request quotes from a few hotels. Give each one your dates, room numbers and any requests, and ask for a courtesy block.
Compare and negotiate. Ask about the rate, the cut-off date, upgrades for the wedding party and any perks for filling the block.
Sign and share. Once the terms are agreed, add the booking link or group code to your wedding website.
Check in with the hotel. Ask how many rooms have been booked as the cut-off date approaches, and add or release rooms in time.

If you'd rather not run this yourself, Wedded Concierge can request the quotes, negotiate the terms and manage the block for you.

How Many Rooms Should You Block?

Start from the guests who will need to stay overnight, not your full guest list. Most guests travel as couples or families, so you'll need fewer rooms than people. Add a small buffer for late RSVPs.

Hotel room with two single beds made up with white linen

For a local wedding, many guests will go home after the reception, so one hotel is often enough. When a large share of guests is travelling in, offer two hotels at different price points so every guest has an option that suits them.

If you're unsure, hold fewer rooms in a courtesy block and ask the hotel to add rooms if it fills. That is safer than paying for empty rooms in a contract.

Couple smiling at a laptop together at a table by the window

Room Blocks for a Destination Wedding

At a destination wedding, almost every guest needs a room. The block also works differently from one at home.

One resort, often for several nights: If guests will stay together at one resort or a group of villas for the whole trip, ask whether the resort requires a minimum number of nights.
Earlier deadlines: Guests flying in need time to plan, take leave and book flights. Secure the block before your save the dates go out.
Different payment terms: Some international resorts ask for deposits or full payment earlier than a local hotel would. Confirm when guests pay and what they lose if they cancel.
Exclusive use: For larger weddings, some resorts offer exclusive use of the property instead of a block. Ask what it includes and whether it changes the rate.
Travel and transfers: Factor in airport transfers, and whether the resort can group them for arriving guests.

When the hotel is in another country and time zone, a travel adviser who knows the destination can compare resorts, negotiate the group terms and take the bookings off your hands.

Aerial view of beachfront resort villas beside a turquoise lagoon in Mauritius

How to Tell Guests About Your Room Block

Put the full details on your wedding website, and a short note on your save the dates or invitation details card pointing guests there. Include the hotel name and address, the booking link or group code, the name to reference when booking by phone, and the cut-off date.

Towel swans shaped into a heart on a white hotel bed

A simple version you can adapt:

We have reserved a block of rooms at [hotel name] for our wedding guests. Book through [link] or call [phone number] and mention the [surname] wedding. Please book by [cut-off date] to receive the group rate.

With Wonderland Studio, you can build a free wedding website with a dedicated travel section and keep your guest list in the same place, so you can see who has booked.

Wedded Concierge

Let us handle the room block

Wedded Concierge negotiates with resorts, manages your room block and arranges guest travel, at home or anywhere in the world.

Join Wedded Concierge →

Planning Where Your Guests Stay

A room block is one of the first things guests look for once they know your date, so set it up early and keep the terms simple. Explore more planning ideas on Wedded Wonderland, and for a wedding away from home, start with our destination wedding packages or travel planning, and see how to plan a wedding weekend for your guests, from the welcome drinks to the farewell brunch.

FAQs

Who pays for rooms in a wedding room block?

Guests usually pay for their own rooms in a room block. The block secures the rooms and a group rate; it doesn't mean the couple covers the cost. If you want to cover rooms for the wedding party or close family, arrange that directly with the hotel when you set up the block.

When should you set up a wedding room block?

Set up your room block once you have confirmed your date and venue, and before your save the dates go out. Guests start booking travel as soon as they hear the date, and early blocks give you the widest choice of hotels and rates. Destination weddings need the earliest start.

Is a courtesy block or a contracted block better?

A courtesy block is safer if you're unsure how many guests will travel, because unbooked rooms are released at no cost to you. A contracted block can secure more rooms or a better rate, but you pay for rooms your guests don't book. Choose a contract only when your numbers are reliable.

Can you hold room blocks at two hotels?

Yes. Two hotels at different price points give every guest an option that suits their budget. Keep the hotels close to each other and to the venue so transport stays simple, and use courtesy blocks at both if your numbers are uncertain. A travel adviser can manage several blocks for you.