Do you HAVE TO book hotels for guests?

Absolutely not!

Old fashioned etiquette used to say that the couple should pay for accommodation for out of town wedding party members, but I doubt that happens very often nowadays.

The coupe has never been responsible to provide accommodation for out of town guests.

You can book a courtesy block at a hotel- meaning they hold a certain number of rooms for your guests at a slightly discounted rate, but even that is not necessary if your wedding is not on a holiday weekend or any other time there is high demand for hotels in your area.

Do not book anything other than a courtesy block so you are not on the hook for unbooked rooms. An alternative is to simply list recommended hotels at different price points.

Absolutely not, that is the responsibility of the guest if they choose.

No! While I have seen, and am doing myself, couples blocking rooms. I've never been to a wedding where the couple actually pays for the room.

Where did you read such a thing? The bride and groom don't have to pay for their guests' hotel rooms. They block rooms. What that means is that they ask the hotel to reserve a certain number of rooms for their guests and then the GUESTS call and actually book the room and pay for it. There are two types of blocks: one where you're responsible for any room not booked by your guests (don't go with any hotel who makes you do this) and another kind in which they release all the rooms not booked by your guests to the general public and you are not responsible for them.

No. You do not need to pay for anyone's hotel.

A lot of people choose to set up a block of rooms at a local hotel for their guests. These are not rooms that are paid for by the bride and groom. The hotel agrees to set a certain number of rooms aside for wedding guests to reserve. The guests call and book their own rooms. Most hotels offer a small discount for the guests that book as part of the wedding group. Setting up the block of rooms just helps ensure the rooms won't be sold out before guests are able to book them.

Ask if they do a courtesy block. You have them set aside a certain amount of room, they give you a group rate usually. Then after a certain date any rooms not booked are released back for anyone to book.

I flat out refused to do a deposit block, it's not necessary.

A block is all that is necessary! I arranged it and posted it on our wedding website. Just make sure there is no fee to you if all the rooms reserved are not used.

Oh hell no! I would have been paying for 30 rooms if that was expected. There would have been no money left over for the wedding lol

You definitely aren't responsible for guest accommodations

Nope, we didn't. We suggested a few hotels on our wedding website. Also included a "details" card with the invitations; one section stating where we would be staying for anyone who was interested.

Nope. We live here in Hawaii and our guests that are flying in will be booking their own rooms. HOWEVER we're providing the name of a hotel chain that gives a discount for using a wedding promotional code if they so choose to book with them. And other hotel names in the area too.

My boss is having a 250+ wedding and will be paying for accommodations. She said is expected in her culture (Indian) my hairdresser said they also paid for their guest accommodations, also traditional (Bulgarian). So it may not be so strange to do this, but I think in general in the US it is not expected.

The couple does not need to pay for the rooms! You can get a room block at a hotel and they will usually offer a discounted rate for the guests and the guests call to book a room and pay for it.

I've never heard the bride and groom are to pay for the guests hotel. We are getting a hotel block and if they chose to book a room they can. We will not be paying for any of that.

No, you just need to have some room blocks. You don't usually have to pay for those.

I've only been to one wedding where the Bride and Groom didn't have hotel blocks, but I've never been to one where everyone's room was paid for. Just make a courtesy block and be sure you are not on the hook for any fees!

Absolutely not, you can simply give options. It's up to them to decide and book. I have been to 3 destination weddings, webooked our hotel ourselves, on one of them, we were asked if we're okay to book a room at this hotel, and we made a payment through the wedding planner.

No way! About 85% of our guests are out of town because our family and friends are spread all over the country. The hotel rooms would cost more than the wedding! We reserved 2 courtesy blocks at 2 hotels at different price points. One has 20 in the block and one has 10 and if they fill and the hotel still has room they will expand the block. But the guests will pay on their own

I'm only booking a courtesy hotel block because we're getting married in the height of tourist season in a very popular tourist area. Even though we're local, and 75% of our guests live within Uber distance, we want to provide everyone an affordable option if they'd like to take advantage of it. We won't be paying for anyone's room but our own. However, we are considering booking a 2nd room from my bridal suite for my FH to get ready in & then we can give the key to someone if they get too drunk at the reception to drive/make it home across town.

No, your guests pay for this.

I have been to at least a dozen weddings and not once has anyone paid for my room (or any other travel expenses).