Wedding Surprise - Lodging for the Event

[Disneybuckeye]

DH has a sister whose son is getting married next spring. It is a destination wedding in Vero Beach, Florida.

We received the info from the MOG yesterday about the accommodations they have set up for the event guests. There were two options provided. The one that was stressed, and had lots of pictures and verbiage in the email, had the least expensive room at $389+tax per night with a two night minimum. The other option was noted " if these are too expensive there are a few rooms available at the Holiday Inn for about $100 less per night also with a two night minimum."

I was very surprised at these costs. Is this standard for destination weddings? Neither hotel is close to where the wedding and reception are being held. They are a 20 minute drive away and there is no supplied transportation either way.

DH and I are staying in a condo in Orlando for the whole week after the wedding as vacation. If the rooms would have been walking distance to the reception we would have paid $ for one night, but not two. We currently have a DVC room booked for one night at Vero Beach using our points, but are seriously considering just cancelling as we might as well drive an hour if we are already driving 20 minutes.

Am I the only one bothered that they did not offer any lodging to guests for under $200 per night?

 

[cabanafrau]

That seems a lot to expect IMO.

Any idea how large a wedding this is supposed to be? Is it likely the bulk of the guest list is at an economic level where this type of pricing is expected? Seems quite a bit to ask of people IMO.

 

[pryncess527]

As a bride who had a DW a very long time ago before they became so popular, I would not have made that choice. We made choices about the wedding specifically to ensure our guests really only paid for travel to and from the wedding city.

Given how I've watched DWs evolve over the last decade, I can't say I'm surprised by that price, and it seems to have become normal. Many people seem to think that "since you are getting a vacation" that the cost doesn't need to be minimized -- ignoring the fact that it may not be the vacation you would have chosen. I don't think normal = okay.

 

[cabanafrau]

As a bride who had a DW a very long time ago before they became so popular, I would not have made that choice. We made choices about the wedding specifically to ensure our guests really only paid for travel to and from the wedding city.

Given how I've watched DWs evolve over the last decade, I can't say I'm surprised by that price, and it seems to have become normal. Many people seem to think that "since you are getting a vacation" that the cost doesn't need to be minimized -- ignoring the fact that it may not be the vacation you would have chosen. I don't think normal = okay.

I agree. We also had a destination wedding before the term was coined. Immediate family only. So presumptuous to suggest to your guests it's a vacation and think it entitles a bride and groom to disregard budgetary concerns.

 

[mnrose]

This is my problem with destination weddings. Expensive is not my taste. If I went, I'd factor that expense into the wedding gift I gave (I know that may not be popular, but I don't think it's fair to ask me to shell out nearly $1000 for accommodations, extra for travel expenses, and then still give me a big league gift.

ETA: I'd also check around and see if there are less expensive hotel options. I'll bet there are. Since the hotel is not "adjacent" to the event, who cares.

 

[gwynne]

This is why we don't do destination weddings. We send a nice gift and call it a day. We don't have unlimited vacation time or unlimited funds.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Have you researched accommodations closer to the wedding and reception venue?
I am not familiar, but I wonder if, since this is a beach destination, these are some of the lower cost options???

I am like the one poster above. While I do not find this surprising, given how these things seem to be these days, I would also not be especially inclined to book at these hotels and spend so much money and vacation time to attend such an event.

Since you plan on being an hour away, which puts this event together with your vacation, I would def. consider driving an hour to attend the wedding, and maybe part of the reception. The room with your points for one night would make it easy to attend the reception a bit longer into the evening.

I am with those who say it is an invitation, not a summons!!!!

 

[Disney Dynamite]

I see that you've booked using DVC points, but have you searched for other one-night accommodations that might be a better price and/or closer to the wedding and ceremony? I'd have to really like someone to shell out $389/night + tax to attend their wedding. That seems a little pricey, especially considering the hotel is 20 minutes away from big event.

 

[nkereina]

I just got married over the weekend in a destination wedding. It was immediate family only and the hotel was adjacent to the wedding so it was walking distance. We arranged a room block in advance with the hotel, and they gave us a special group rate. For the destination weddings I have attended, there is almost always a room block with a group rate. The last one I attended also had a shuttle to the venue as well. If the $389/2 night minimum is the group rate they negotiated, then it must just be high season in a busy area which is unfortunate and frankly poor planning on the couple's part.

 

[Disneybuckeye]

To answer some of the questions:

No idea how many people were invited to the wedding

It will be a stretch financially for many members of DH's family. No idea about the bride's family or the other half of the groom's family.

I did not search for a cheaper room closer to the venue. We will either stay DVC and spend most of the next day at the beach, or just drive back to Orlando Saturday night to our condo. We have Disney APs so it would give us more park time. I always wanted to check out the Vero Beach DVC, so this would be a good opportunity.

The rooms given were room blocks with group prices. The wedding is during prime spring break season. We would have saved hundreds on plane tickets if the wedding was two weeks earlier.

I was surprised the accommodations were not walking distance to the venue or a shuttle was provided. I thought that was one of the big pluses to destination weddings that no one had to worry about driving.

It will be interesting to see what the rest of DH's family does. I only booked us in a one bedroom condo and a studio. No room for any more people with us.

 

[holden]

Parts of Vero Beach are very spread out, so I'm not surprised the hotel is 20min away. I am surprised they aren't providing transportation.

If I was invited, I wouldn't go. That's a lot to ask guests to spend... air, renting a car (since Vero isn't close to an airport), hotel for 2 night, gift, etc.

 

[princesspiglet]

DH and I went to a destination wedding for his niece last June. It was in Sanibel Island, Fl. The bride and groom gave everyone a list of local hotels and we were free to stay wherever we wanted. The prices ranged from $150 (cheapest) to $450 (most expensive). I think that was very reasonable. You could also stay on the mainland and drive in if you really wanted to go cheap. They also had transportation options available and had a party bus drive from hotel to hotel picking guests up. I can't imagine paying $375 a night for a wedding. I would have to politely decline.

 

[King Schultz]

DH has a sister whose son is getting married next spring. It is a destination wedding in Vero Beach, Florida.

We received the info from the MOG yesterday about the accommodations they have set up for the event guests. There were two options provided. The one that was stressed, and had lots of pictures and verbiage in the email, had the least expensive room at $389+tax per night with a two night minimum. The other option was noted " if these are too expensive there are a few rooms available at the Holiday Inn for about $100 less per night also with a two night minimum."

I was very surprised at these costs. Is this standard for destination weddings? Neither hotel is close to where the wedding and reception are being held. They are a 20 minute drive away and there is no supplied transportation either way.

DH and I are staying in a condo in Orlando for the whole week after the wedding as vacation. If the rooms would have been walking distance to the reception we would have paid $ for one night, but not two. We currently have a DVC room booked for one night at Vero Beach using our points, but are seriously considering just cancelling as we might as well drive an hour if we are already driving 20 minutes.

Am I the only one bothered that they did not offer any lodging to guests for under $200 per night?

This would bother me too.

 

[mummabear]

The rooms given were room blocks with group prices.

The reason they have pushed this one so hard is because if they get enough guests they will stay for free

 

[usnuzuloose]

How is there a two night min at the HolidayInn?

 

[gwynne]

How is there a two night min at the HolidayInn?

If it's during an extremely popular season or event they sometimes raise the rates and up the minimum. It happens at lots of hotels, including Holiday Inn.

 

[King Schultz]

How is there a two night min at the HolidayInn?

It's during Spring Break. . . pretty normal for beach towns.

 

[Dawnlight]

They are probably getting some sort of deal with the two options provided depending on how many guests choose to stay.

I'd just ignore those two options and seek out a less expensive one that suited my needs better.

I do think that a transportation shuttle should be provided by the hosts if it's not within walking distance; that's just crap.

 

[usnuzuloose]

If it's during an extremely popular season or event they sometimes raise the rates and up the minimum. It happens at lots of hotels, including Holiday Inn.

Oh geez, how nice you have to bend to them. Poor traveling people.

 

[King Schultz]

Oh geez, how nice you have to bend to them. Poor traveling people.

That's why I wouldn't go near a beach destination during Spring Break, I just detest the crowds and the inflated prices.