We got a wedding

[Tom]

Our first (and so far only) this summer is this weekend. It has been a wet month and mowing has just barely been completed. We limit wedding party to 40 persons so they can all scurry inside if it rains ...

 

[Morticia]

OK, I am now getting calls that 'something has come up' and I need to cancel. The bridesmaids are cancelling? I'm going to have to get in touch with the organizer to let her know we cannot do the special breakfast if she does not take all the rooms..

They don't want to spend the money to stay there when they can stay elsewhere for cheaper, but my thoughts are they will be there for the special breakfast, etc…...
.

No. We don't serve breakfast to non guests.
.

No. We don't serve breakfast to non guests.

You know that....and I know that....but do the cheap-o bridesmaids know that?
.

No. We don't serve breakfast to non guests.

You know that....and I know that....but do the cheap-o bridesmaids know that?

They do now.

 

[Morticia]

Shoot me now.
Just did the final deposit. Immediately got a call to cancel. Explained the cancellation. No refund. Last day to cancel was last week (i gave them extra time because they were flighty). Um ok.
Ten minutes later, after room has been put back online, we get an email from same guest deciding to keep the room they don't want.
Never again. No more in season group bookings.

 

[Morticia]

And, unknown to us, another wedding group just informed me that the hair and makeup people will be here at 10 am tomorrow morning.
Because who really cares, right? That's 4 rooms I didn't know were together.

 

[Generic]

Shoot me now.
Just did the final deposit. Immediately got a call to cancel. Explained the cancellation. No refund. Last day to cancel was last week (i gave them extra time because they were flighty). Um ok.
Ten minutes later, after room has been put back online, we get an email from same guest deciding to keep the room they don't want.
Never again. No more in season group bookings..

You cancelled. The room is back online. That's a new reservation....

 

[Morticia]

Shoot me now.
Just did the final deposit. Immediately got a call to cancel. Explained the cancellation. No refund. Last day to cancel was last week (i gave them extra time because they were flighty). Um ok.
Ten minutes later, after room has been put back online, we get an email from same guest deciding to keep the room they don't want.
Never again. No more in season group bookings..

You cancelled. The room is back online. That's a new reservation....
.

You cancelled. The room is back online. That's a new reservation....

You know, I'm just going with the cancellation never happened. That way it's still the 30 day cancellation period and not 7 days. And I'm not keeping her deposit and charging her again.

 

[Silverspoon]

We don't do weddings. We don't take bridal parties. We don't take brides. The terms are such that most won't commit to them.
We got a wedding party. They all booked online overnight. 6 rooms.
They're so happy! They'll be contacting me to work out the details! What fun!

There was a reason you don't do weddings. Make it your mantra, no weddings, no weddings, no weddings.

 

[Morticia]

2 weekends running we've had wedding groups in the house. Today the entire house is off to a wedding. 3 different weddings. Of course we need early check in (MOG) to dress for wedding. And it's dang near impossible to keep track of who is in and who is out and what rooms are done and what rooms are not.
One room is not leaving until they go to the wedding. At 3. It's a gorgeous day outside! Why sit in the house? At least sit on the porch.
And a room with one guest now has two. I saw a complete stranger going upstairs with suitcase in hand with one of our guests. It's not a problem as they are all leaving at 8 AM without eating. But I'd like to know who's here.

 

[Breakfast Diva]

2 weekends running we've had wedding groups in the house. Today the entire house is off to a wedding. 3 different weddings. Of course we need early check in (MOG) to dress for wedding. And it's dang near impossible to keep track of who is in and who is out and what rooms are done and what rooms are not.
One room is not leaving until they go to the wedding. At 3. It's a gorgeous day outside! Why sit in the house? At least sit on the porch.
And a room with one guest now has two. I saw a complete stranger going upstairs with suitcase in hand with one of our guests. It's not a problem as they are all leaving at 8 AM without eating. But I'd like to know who's here..

Now that we're doing our own wedding packages some of which include the whole house rental, I have to just go into my alter-ego innkeeper mode. She's the one that doesn't care as much and doesn't have to protect other guests. Most of the guests for weddings have never been to a b&b. And after they leave, they still haven't been to a b&b. They create a whole different vibe. They have hotel/motel expectations. And that's ok. I no longer jump up every time someone drives into the driveway. If a room was supposed to have only 1 guest and then there's suddenly two, all I want to know is their name and if they'll be there for breakfast.
As long as they are not being destructive and you're not mingling wedding & non wedding guests just lower your expectations of yourself. It will still be MUCH higher service than what they're used to.

 

[Morticia]

Very organized maid of honor. Haven't met her yet but she's emailed several times to verify everything. Every member of the bridal party received an itinerary of where to be and at what time. (I saw it.)
Email two days ago asking if bride can check in at one to get ready for rehearsal dinner. We said 2pm. Bride showed up at 1:15 'in a big rush, no time, will just use room of friend who got here last night'.
Bride still here. No big rush. And I can't let you into another guest's room.

 

[TheBeachHouse]

Very organized maid of honor. Haven't met her yet but she's emailed several times to verify everything. Every member of the bridal party received an itinerary of where to be and at what time. (I saw it.)
Email two days ago asking if bride can check in at one to get ready for rehearsal dinner. We said 2pm. Bride showed up at 1:15 'in a big rush, no time, will just use room of friend who got here last night'.
Bride still here. No big rush. And I can't let you into another guest's room..

Not sure about this bride, but it takes me 15 minutes to get ready for most parties. I understand the wedding might take longer with hair and all, but the rehearsal?

 

[GoodScout]

As you know, we do wedding here. We also end up hosting a lot of wedding guests for weddings at other venues in the area. Here's some key learning after 3 years:
> Two night minimums. Don't let them come in the day of the wedding. Which leads to my second hard rule:
> NO EARLY CHECK-INS. It's at 3pm. You want to be here at noon to get ready? Buy the night before. You have to anyway, right?
> Get names of every guest to use room at booking. We have several 2-bedroom suites. We ask for *every* guest's name (because we charge $20 more for the third and fourth guests). As a result, we know who's there. If we see more than 4 people going in that we don't know, BANG, that's $20 extra per person per night - whether they stay the night or not. And we let them know this ahead of time. Paying $200 to have 5 extra people change in your room, shower, etc. suddenly makes it not worth it.