Please explain hotel room blocks to me?

As for how many rooms are available at the hotel, talk to someone in charge of booking room blocks...

Once you reserve a block, share booking info via word of mouth, wedding website, and maybe add an accommodations insert to the invitations.

For starters, I would ask the venue if they get preferred pricing at certain hotels. They have a lower negotiated price. You can also speak with the hotel directly and ask whether they offer special rates for room blocks. They can give you more information regarding number of available rooms, etc. Either option should give you a rate lower than what you can get on your own. As far as ensuring most people are in the same hotel, list the chosen hotels on the wedding website and/or include it in the invitations. Two options should be sufficient unless you have a large number of out of town guests.

Call the hotel 🤷🏻‍♀️

There's usually a specific person within their special events team that handles courtesy room blocks. I would just call or email several of the hotels and pick out maybe 2 that are in a reasonable price range and are offering good services (mine includes a continental breakfast & a free shuttle to/from the wedding) The price is usually a lower/average estimated price for that weekend & your guests are locked into paying that price as a maximum as long as they book by whatever date. You don't want to agree to anything where you or your daughter are paying for anything up front, unless you are booking your own room at that time. The hotel simply "blocks out" however many rooms you think you'll need until the agreed upon date, usually 2ish weeks before the event. You provide the guests with an event/booking code that they can use when they book to guarantee the block pricing. However, they might be able to find cheaper pricing via alternative websites, which is their prerogative. The block is just to guarantee everyone has a room should they want it. I'm putting a details card in my invite suite directing to my website, and then on my wedding website a page about the room block and that the reservation includes breakfast/shuttle.

I recently did this. There is a manager at most hotels that is in charge of setting up hotel blocks, reserving conference rooms. We set up a time to tour the hotels, rooms and see their amenities. We wanted a hotel that would provide a complimentary shuttle as well. During the tour, we were told what they charge per room if you set up a block of rooms, it is usually less than their advertised rates. You then let them know how many rooms you require. Then you sign an agreement saying they will hold those rooms until a specific date, usually 2 weeks before the wedding. We were given a link with the information, where they could book directly. You can put the link on her wedding website, if she has one or send the link in an email to family and friends.

It's these types of questions where it would be easier and faster to call the hotel than to wait around for answers, none of which will likely be helpful for your specific hotel

I saw on some websites that if the rooms aren't booked, the person who reserved the block is responsible for a percentage of the unbooked rooms! I don't know if this is common or insane but I'd ask about it.

And if anyone else has experience, please weigh in on this. It's making me nervous to block out hotel rooms even though I have plenty of expected out of town guests.

You really need to call the hotel to tell. There are always off ways go do room blocks. Some complimentary for <20 or 10 rooms but if you know you are going to need more, they may make you purchase some to guarantee the rooms,but you will all be together.

Talk directly to the hotel about how many rooms they will hold and make sure you find out if they charge a % for any of those rooms that go unbooked.

We are currently trying to get our hotel block in order and have run into some issues. Since we are providing transportation, we want everyone to be at one hotel. We have noticed hotels are only willing to hold 10 rooms with no charge to us yet we have over 60 people needing a hotel for the night.

Also make sure everyone books in advance. We were told the hotel block will close 30 days before our wedding. At that point, people will still be able to book it just will be based on what they have available and they may have to pay more.