Five Tips for Booking Hotel Venues

Looking for a property for a wedding can be difficult. If you’ve decided that you want to have your ceremony and/or reception at a hotel- you’re in luck! Most hotels are ready to accommodate weddings and large ceremonies, and in fact are one of the better venue options for weddings. There are, however, so many options and it’s very easy to get overwhelmed. We have a few tips to help guide you through it all, exclusively here on Bridal Hot List.

Define Before you Find

‘Hotel’ is a blanket term, and that covers a whole lot of different types of properties. This can include resorts, beach front properties, historic buildings, and boutiques. A wedding venue should reflect the couple, so narrow your options based on your couple personality. If you’re big readers or trivia buffs, look for a historic property in your nearest downtown area. If you’re laid back and like to relax together, a nice beach-y hotel near the water would make for a beautiful back drop. It can be easy to get wrapped up in going to whatever property is trendy, newest, or even closest, but in the long run you will want to find a place you are proud to tie the knot.

Have a Headcount

Have a ballpark number (within 15 people, max) of how many people will be attending. The more accurate you are with your numbers, the more accurate will be with their numbers. You may want to book the grand ballroom, but you may not be able to fill it. If that’s the case, there’s no point in spending extra money on it. You should also have an idea of how many out of town guests you have coming in who will need a hotel room. Some hotels will be able to work with you to factor in hotel room nights in addition to your wedding area. In dealing with hotels, I’ve found more often than not, bundling hotel rooms in with a meeting space can save you a bit of money.

Follow Up

If you start with looking online, shoot an e-mail to the sales manager saying you’re interested. If you’re going to properties to look around, ask for a business card. It’s smart to start building relationships with hotels as soon as possible to be able to get great rates. Hotel people tend to be loyal to clients they have histories with. If you’ve seen a property before or had a great time, mention it and they will absolutely appreciate a return customer! Plus, having a friend in the hotel business can definitely be beneficial to you. You can ask them for recommendations later on for trips and fun destinations.

Do a Test Run

If you’re in the finalizing process, it could be helpful to ask if you can do a walk-through of the property at the time of your wedding. If the lighting at night is awful, it will probably sway your mind. If the mornings are loud due to commutes or trains or anything else, you’ll want to know before you sign a check. If you can afford to, stay the night and make sure you absolutely love it. You may even be able to get a great discount if you explain that you are strongly considering having a ceremony there!

Negotiate

Rates are not always black and white. If you’re getting ready to draft contracts, work with the salesperson to get your rates as close to your budget as possible. Work with them on bundling to save costs, like having a few friends staying at the same hotel or even booking both the ceremony and reception in the same place. Work with their catering department and see if the property can lump all your expenses together. Little things you can help save you venue money overall. You can even ask for other discounts, such as AAA, student, or anything else you can come up with. Being creative can result in some surprising savings!

Weddings at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua

Today we decided to slip off mainland USA and travel to the quintessential destination wedding location our side of the Pacific: the Hawaiian Islands.  A true tropical paradise, Hawaii is a tantalizing place to say, “I do.” Situated amongst the beautiful beaches and celestial waters of Maui, the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua provides the perfect romantic setting for your dream destination wedding.  The resort offers five truly breathtaking ceremony venues plus three additional reception venues.  There really is something for every couple at the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua.

Just one of the many perks of having your wedding at the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua is the existence of a Wedding Concierge specifically designed to make your special day memorable and as stress-free as possible.  The wedding concierge is available for every event of your wedding to take care of the details you may not have the time or ability to see to yourself.  “Many of our brides tell us that they are more relaxed than they expected with the wedding concierge doing all of the rushing around for them.”  said Mark A. Malone, CMM, CMP, Director of Meetings and Special Events.  Any special requests or additions you’d like to make to your special day, the wedding concierge is there by your side.  The hotel also offers an array of wedding packages suitable for all types of ceremonies.  More information on specific wedding packages can be found on the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua website.

The ceremony venues at the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua are all truly spectacular. With one indoor and four outdoor locations,  there is something to satisfy every bride.  If you desire an indoor ceremony, the Ritz offers the Honolua Chapel.  Once the local church for the community, this plantation style church is perfect for a small ceremony of up to 60 people.  Moving to the outdoor venues, The Gazebo is a sweet, romantic option where the bride, groom and up to 100 guests can celebrate surrounded by palm trees swaying in the gentle island breeze.

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Slightly larger parties might consider the Napili Lawn where your guests, up to 200, can enjoy views of the cliffs while you can exchange your vows against the Honolua Bay backdrop.

If you imagine a large, fantastic wedding with up to 500 guests, the Beach house Lawn is ideal for you with its scenic ocean views great for hosting a  traditional Hawaiian Luau.

The final venue, Lava Point is perfect for the most intimate of couples.  Situated on a cliff top overlooking the crashing waves on the rocks below, Lava Point is designed for intimate and romantic ceremonies of 2 to 4 people.  Say “I do” as the sun is setting over the ocean and share the most intimate of moments with the one you love.

A once in a lifetime celebration on an island paradise is what couples can expect at the Ritz Kapalua.  Embrace the warm Hawaiian culture and add the flare of the island your wedding.  No matter the venue you chose, your wedding will be an event to remember at the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua.

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About the Ritz Carlton Kapalua….

The AAA Five-Diamond Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua showcases a stunning, fully-renovated destination resort offering 463 guestrooms, including 107 residential suites, boasting warm-hued wood floors, rich travertine bathrooms, flat-screen LCD televisions and Hawaiian-inspired artwork.  The Waihua Spa at The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua beckons with treatment rooms framed by private garden showers, volcanic stone grottos, steam, sauna and whirlpool therapies, outdoor couple’s hale (cabanas) and a fitness center and movement studio with spectacular ocean views.  Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ambassadors of the Environment program offers all interest levels an array of outdoor activities from land to sea, led by trained naturalists.  The breathtaking island resort also features six dining experiences, enhanced indoor/outdoor meeting space, an inviting children’s pool and luxury cabanas.  The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua is nestled on 54 acres and enveloped by the 23,000 acre Kapalua Resort, renowned for two championship golf courses, award-winning restaurants and an historic pineapple plantation.

The HAWAIIAN Way. The emotion that has become synonymous with the hawaiian islands is “aloha” or love…love for the land, love for family, and especially love for each other. It is in this spirit that we invite you to marry or renew your vows at one of our wedding locations on the beautiful grounds of The Ritz-carlton®, Kapalua.

 

Tony & Tina at The Ritz Carlton Kapalua

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Tony & Tina Photography by Sasha Gulish