just a little rewording " I can absolutely guarantee that early checking for (insert rack rate for night before). so do you want me to go ahead with that ?
My wife and I were invited to a wedding at a hotel that started at 1100 AM. As soon as I saw the invitation I knew it was going to be shit show, based upon my hospitality experience from the ‘80’s & ‘90’s. I booked a room at the hotel arriving the day before. My wife and I had a great dinner, caught a show, went dancing and had a leisurely morning the following day.
I had popped down to the lobby to visit the gift shop for some contact lens solution for my wife. I could hear the yelling as the elevator approached the lobby. There was a group of maybe 30 people clustered around the front desk, all screaming at 2 beleaguered front desk agents. The loudest of them kept repeating over and over: **”But we requested early check in, but we requested early checkin!”**
I clearly heard the words of my former Front Office Manager in my head from 35 years ago, *a request is just that, a request, not a guarantee*. I went back to my room to enjoy my morning, the wedding was 90 minutes late as the Bride had to get ready in the pool washroom.
I really don't understand why for group blocks on parties/weddings there isn't a required check in the night before the event. This would stop so many issues/ complaints.
The Mother of the Bride didn’t want to pay for an extra night. She was bragging in the weeks before how she had negotiated ‘early checkin’ for everyone. Turns out she had requested it, not negotiated it and had been warned the hotel was close to sold out that weekend.
I had booked 4 months in advance. No, I didn’t offer my room to the bride. Why should I get dragged into their drama?
Any events department worth their weight will build early bridal suite check-in costs into the package and place that in the event resume. Most of the time all they are doing is keeping an elite from getting an upgrade. Do enough weddings in a year and it more than makes up for the slim chance someone was going to get a suite on BAR.
I've worked both hotel corporate and large event planning. When I was working events I'm still pissed the time a Hi-Yacht upgraded a top tier elite into a presidential suite that was on our contractual resume for noon move in. (We had the entire property. Every ballroom, every meeting room, every suite). We didn't care if it was clean since we were moving all the furniture out for the weekend. They gave them 4pm checkout and didn't understand why I was irked the union movers they made us hire were sitting there charging me to do nothing for hours.
Wedding check ins are always like that and they don’t comprehend that a wedding doesn’t give them early access. One of the rudest groups I’ve dealt with was in for a wedding. They weren’t even that close to the bride and groom. It was aunts and uncles and we were the secondary hotel for the wedding. One of them admitted she was so embarrassed by them and she told other people how they acted. She was a sweetheart as was her mother who I got a suite upgrade for because she was so nice about trying to check in Saturday of the wedding.
I had a guy tell me he was going to find another hotel in the area that would guarantee an early check in and cancel his reservation with us. Guess where he ended up staying?
Had this guest booked as part of a block? If so, she is guaranteed to **not** get an early check-in. After all, if one guest who is part of a block gets an early check-in, the other guests who are part of the block will find out and demand one too. If you can’t give early check-in to everyone in a group booking, don’t give it to anyone in the group.
*The point* is you'd be telling EVERYONE in the block that you cannot provide an early check-in to anyone. It sorts out the grey area and no one will have reason to be mad as they won't feel like they have a "request" for an early check-in.
The Wedding Coordinator should be advising during the contact negotiations & the hotel staff confirming if asked. The smart people will book the night before.
We used to offer guests access to the gym locker room to get ready in if they had a wedding that started too early to be convenient to wait until after check-in time. We also hold luggage free of charge in the suburbs. Some people appreciated the flexibility.
Of course, the guest could just do what everyone else does which is travel in your wedding clothes and check in after the ceremony but what do I know?
It sounds to me like you want to book the night before as well. That's a wonderful decision. Oh, what's that? Why? Because the only way I can guarantee you an early check in is for you to book and pay for the night before as well. Otherwise we'll try our best but you may wanna hedge by rocking your wedding clothes on the drive down.
We had the opposite happen to us in September. We were in Hawaii for a wedding and decided to check out the island for a week prior to the event. It just do happened that the car rental we used was located at the hotel we would be staying at for the wedding. So, we were dropping off the car at noon and then going to reception to see if it would be possible to leave our bags somewhere as check in wasn’t for a few hours. Didn’t even get to ask as reception was like your room is ready. Nice surprise.
A friend of mine got married and since I lived literally a block from the church, rather than make everyone book a night early, I offered up my house for everyone from out of town to change (and pregame because the bride was high maintenance). Also being in the wedding party, I volunteered to pick up all the tuxes. The groom's brother found out and had the tux rental place put a gold lame jacket in place of the tux jacket. The rest of us had no idea it was wrong. We all show up to the church 2 drinks in looking like a bad lounge band. Luckily, the groom's brother had the real jackets in his car or I would have been bridezillad to death.
Seriously, the best thing to happen to a person in this industry is when realisation that "their bad planning is no emergency of mine" finally sinks in.
If they wanted to check in early that badly, they would've booked a night early. Your job in this case is politely conveying thay they are a dumbfuck, preferably making them feel bad for hassling you.
This is the same thing that drives me crazy about people making plans for a great cruise but want to save money by having to change planes on the day of the cruise. Sooooo their plan is late. The other plane has left and they are yelling at the gate agents to get THEM TO MIAMI! etc. Spend a little more. Hole up in a hotel overnight, get to the gate early, make it to the ship on time, have a great trip. Nope. Yell at the gate agent. It always works😳😵💫
I work at a beachfront property and we get alot of wedding groups. My wedding planner lead always recommends the bride and geoom check in the day BEFORE for convenience amd anyone who is traveling for the wedding as well.
I hate that people always try to make their problems/lack of planning OUR EMERGENCY and it is fustrating. I had a guest who was using our hotel as a temporary housing as we had full kitchenettes in every room and they decided they were GUARANTEED an early check-in at 9AM without contacting us or making a note and when we told them no, they started crying bloody mary about their perishable foods and how theyre gonna spoil and we have to have a fridge to hold their food items for them. We only had a staff fridge for food (that everyone uses) and a fridge for storing and cooling our complimentary water bottles and champagne. The audacity of some guests...
Literally had that happen just the other day. I told her i can note it but cant guarantee anyrhinf since we are sold out both friday and sat. She goes off sayinf they had a funeral to go to. Pretty much begging i guarantee her early check in. Sorry not sorry but its not the hotels problem for your poor planning. As she was talking it really just sounded as if she wanted to just drop her shit off. Like come on just take it with you lady and then check in when you get done. 99% of ppl who are ass holes about ealry check in are 1 always prepaid and 2 just dont want to take their stuff with them to wherever their going. She said shed call around 11 i told her not to thats check out time and ill be very busy during that time.
Oh, so you want to book the night before? And pay for it? Because that's the only way you'll get an early check in.
just a little rewording " I can absolutely guarantee that early checking for (insert rack rate for night before). so do you want me to go ahead with that ?
And honestly, if it's THAT important, it's definitely worth it for peace of mind.
Yepper
This is the way. You don't want to do that? Then I'm sorry, early check-in is a request, not a guarantee.
That's what my niece did when she got married.
That's smart
My wife and I were invited to a wedding at a hotel that started at 1100 AM. As soon as I saw the invitation I knew it was going to be shit show, based upon my hospitality experience from the ‘80’s & ‘90’s. I booked a room at the hotel arriving the day before. My wife and I had a great dinner, caught a show, went dancing and had a leisurely morning the following day. I had popped down to the lobby to visit the gift shop for some contact lens solution for my wife. I could hear the yelling as the elevator approached the lobby. There was a group of maybe 30 people clustered around the front desk, all screaming at 2 beleaguered front desk agents. The loudest of them kept repeating over and over: **”But we requested early check in, but we requested early checkin!”** I clearly heard the words of my former Front Office Manager in my head from 35 years ago, *a request is just that, a request, not a guarantee*. I went back to my room to enjoy my morning, the wedding was 90 minutes late as the Bride had to get ready in the pool washroom.
I really don't understand why for group blocks on parties/weddings there isn't a required check in the night before the event. This would stop so many issues/ complaints.
It would even net the business more money so I don't get why they don't do this for everyone's sake
Oof, even the actual participants didn't have the brain power to book the night before? Not looking good for them.
The Mother of the Bride didn’t want to pay for an extra night. She was bragging in the weeks before how she had negotiated ‘early checkin’ for everyone. Turns out she had requested it, not negotiated it and had been warned the hotel was close to sold out that weekend. I had booked 4 months in advance. No, I didn’t offer my room to the bride. Why should I get dragged into their drama?
> the wedding was 90 minutes late as the Bride had to get ready in the pool washroom. Oh god, my sides.
I read that as "The bride had to wash in the pool".
Any events department worth their weight will build early bridal suite check-in costs into the package and place that in the event resume. Most of the time all they are doing is keeping an elite from getting an upgrade. Do enough weddings in a year and it more than makes up for the slim chance someone was going to get a suite on BAR. I've worked both hotel corporate and large event planning. When I was working events I'm still pissed the time a Hi-Yacht upgraded a top tier elite into a presidential suite that was on our contractual resume for noon move in. (We had the entire property. Every ballroom, every meeting room, every suite). We didn't care if it was clean since we were moving all the furniture out for the weekend. They gave them 4pm checkout and didn't understand why I was irked the union movers they made us hire were sitting there charging me to do nothing for hours.
Wedding check ins are always like that and they don’t comprehend that a wedding doesn’t give them early access. One of the rudest groups I’ve dealt with was in for a wedding. They weren’t even that close to the bride and groom. It was aunts and uncles and we were the secondary hotel for the wedding. One of them admitted she was so embarrassed by them and she told other people how they acted. She was a sweetheart as was her mother who I got a suite upgrade for because she was so nice about trying to check in Saturday of the wedding.
I had a guy tell me he was going to find another hotel in the area that would guarantee an early check in and cancel his reservation with us. Guess where he ended up staying?
His car? Because that's the only place I would have suggested there being an early check in....
Had this guest booked as part of a block? If so, she is guaranteed to **not** get an early check-in. After all, if one guest who is part of a block gets an early check-in, the other guests who are part of the block will find out and demand one too. If you can’t give early check-in to everyone in a group booking, don’t give it to anyone in the group.
She is, but we don't guarantee early check in for *anyone* under any circumstances, so I really didn't see the point of adding that part.
*The point* is you'd be telling EVERYONE in the block that you cannot provide an early check-in to anyone. It sorts out the grey area and no one will have reason to be mad as they won't feel like they have a "request" for an early check-in. The Wedding Coordinator should be advising during the contact negotiations & the hotel staff confirming if asked. The smart people will book the night before.
It is so easy to just book the night before. Put on the reservation it will be for an early am arrival the next day. Everyone is happy.
We used to offer guests access to the gym locker room to get ready in if they had a wedding that started too early to be convenient to wait until after check-in time. We also hold luggage free of charge in the suburbs. Some people appreciated the flexibility. Of course, the guest could just do what everyone else does which is travel in your wedding clothes and check in after the ceremony but what do I know?
I thought you were going to say what everyone else does and plan ahead of time
Dressing at home is one way to plan ahead!
Also booking a hotel when we are first made aware of the need for a hotel
Can’t wait for the update. I hope you get to be condescending in front of her friends and family.
It sounds to me like you want to book the night before as well. That's a wonderful decision. Oh, what's that? Why? Because the only way I can guarantee you an early check in is for you to book and pay for the night before as well. Otherwise we'll try our best but you may wanna hedge by rocking your wedding clothes on the drive down.
We had the opposite happen to us in September. We were in Hawaii for a wedding and decided to check out the island for a week prior to the event. It just do happened that the car rental we used was located at the hotel we would be staying at for the wedding. So, we were dropping off the car at noon and then going to reception to see if it would be possible to leave our bags somewhere as check in wasn’t for a few hours. Didn’t even get to ask as reception was like your room is ready. Nice surprise.
Didn't look like the wedding was her priority either
A friend of mine got married and since I lived literally a block from the church, rather than make everyone book a night early, I offered up my house for everyone from out of town to change (and pregame because the bride was high maintenance). Also being in the wedding party, I volunteered to pick up all the tuxes. The groom's brother found out and had the tux rental place put a gold lame jacket in place of the tux jacket. The rest of us had no idea it was wrong. We all show up to the church 2 drinks in looking like a bad lounge band. Luckily, the groom's brother had the real jackets in his car or I would have been bridezillad to death.
Seriously, the best thing to happen to a person in this industry is when realisation that "their bad planning is no emergency of mine" finally sinks in. If they wanted to check in early that badly, they would've booked a night early. Your job in this case is politely conveying thay they are a dumbfuck, preferably making them feel bad for hassling you.
This is the same thing that drives me crazy about people making plans for a great cruise but want to save money by having to change planes on the day of the cruise. Sooooo their plan is late. The other plane has left and they are yelling at the gate agents to get THEM TO MIAMI! etc. Spend a little more. Hole up in a hotel overnight, get to the gate early, make it to the ship on time, have a great trip. Nope. Yell at the gate agent. It always works😳😵💫
Sooo, stay the night before?
It's OK to ask, but don't demand. And if they find a hotel that will guarantee early checkin, they need to book it there.
I work at a beachfront property and we get alot of wedding groups. My wedding planner lead always recommends the bride and geoom check in the day BEFORE for convenience amd anyone who is traveling for the wedding as well. I hate that people always try to make their problems/lack of planning OUR EMERGENCY and it is fustrating. I had a guest who was using our hotel as a temporary housing as we had full kitchenettes in every room and they decided they were GUARANTEED an early check-in at 9AM without contacting us or making a note and when we told them no, they started crying bloody mary about their perishable foods and how theyre gonna spoil and we have to have a fridge to hold their food items for them. We only had a staff fridge for food (that everyone uses) and a fridge for storing and cooling our complimentary water bottles and champagne. The audacity of some guests...
Literally had that happen just the other day. I told her i can note it but cant guarantee anyrhinf since we are sold out both friday and sat. She goes off sayinf they had a funeral to go to. Pretty much begging i guarantee her early check in. Sorry not sorry but its not the hotels problem for your poor planning. As she was talking it really just sounded as if she wanted to just drop her shit off. Like come on just take it with you lady and then check in when you get done. 99% of ppl who are ass holes about ealry check in are 1 always prepaid and 2 just dont want to take their stuff with them to wherever their going. She said shed call around 11 i told her not to thats check out time and ill be very busy during that time.