Hotel room block issues

And I feel like I need to get this figured out sooner rather than later. Any suggestions?

Have you talked to the hotel and explain your situation. Maybe they might allow early check in on your room blocks.

I work in the hotel industry and most times hotels already have rooms clean before the actual check in time. Tell your guest to call the hotel right before they arrive so they can be blocked into a room but if they all show up at once I will advise you to speak with your event manager about possibly requesting an early check in for the group.

I put the hotel information on my website and also a link to Airbnb. More people used airbnb than the block.

If they can't manage early check in (which is often out of their control if departing guests don't leave on time), see if you can rent a hospitality room. It's just a room where those guests arriving at the hotel can freshen up before the wedding. The hotel can always store their luggage until they are able to check in after the ceremony.

We tried to get early check in for our room block, but we couldn't, we were told our guest would have to request it. We went to a wedding out of state and flew in the morning of, requested early check in, and couldn't get into a room to get ready! We ended up getting ready with the groom. Most of my guests who stayed the night of the wedding, came dressed for the wedding and checked in at the end of the night, since they were with in an hour of the hotel. Our OOT guests that flew all came in the day before. If you think you need more rooms, I would do a block at the second hotel when you get closer to 6months. Most of my rooms weren't even booked until the two months before the wedding.

I spoke to the hotel and they said they will put a note on our account to have housekeeping clean our rooms first and to allow for early check in (if the rooms are ready) but it is not a guarantee. Otherwise they will hold the luggage. I am just concerned that people will show up thinking they can check in, get ready etc, and be temporarily stranded. Is it just me or is 4:00 kind of a late check in? It's why I didn't notice before. @muriel, I will look into a hospitality room, thanks for the suggestion!

Other than one hotel I stayed at in New Orleans I've always been able to check in early. Even the hotel I stayed at in Salem (probably not the same one though). You should be able to call and ask the hotel if early check in should be possible

@stacey can you put a note in your invites/website to let people know about the check in time being tight with the actual ceremony? atleast then people will plan to arrive ready to go versus assuming they can get ready in the hotel.

I wouldn't worry about it too much. There is always a bathroom in a hotel lobby they can change and freshen up there and hotels will always store bags. I do this all the time arriving earlier than checkin time.