Guest Expenses Guilt

As guests to family weddings, we have had to pay for the discounted rates offered by the hotel blocks set by them. The prices varies based on the hotels the couples have chosen for the guests stay which have been $100+ before tax. Our pre events including the wedding/reception are about 4 in total and spend 4 to 5 days at the hotel.

As a couple, you just know you have to set the room block to allow the guests to make their arrangements with the venue at their convenience or at another location if they can't afford the price provided.

We are getting married in Cochrane and the rooms at the Ramada for our hotel block are 150 dollars. But I don’t think you should feel bad I feel like people will have their own judgment if they can afford it or not ! I know you would love to have all your guests there and pay a reasonable price but there’s other options for people who can’t afford it like my fiancés family member is getting a small Airbnb instead of a hotel for 90 bucks a night!
So I feel like there’s options for people and they can make their own judgment that doesn’t fall on you!

The hotel we had blocked off was $200+ a night depending on the room options. That's part of being an out of town guest for a wedding honestly. There were motels in the area but no one chose to stay there. To provide options, I'd suggest looking into shuttles from an area with other types of accommodations as someone suggested.

How far away from Calgary will you be? I've been to weddings in small towns/remote locations where a shuttle service was provided.

The most recent one was my SIL's 4 years ago. The venue was 35 minutes out of the city and the local Lions/Rotary Club (can't remember which they used) provided volunteers to drive vans back and forth at the end of the night. They had two running spaced out to make the wait shorter.

On another note, my cousin's (now) wife is from a small town 45 minutes from the city so their ceremony was in the city and reception in her town. Every guess drove themselves, whether it was her family into the city or the city people out to the town and back.

If people are wanting to attend, they will find a solution that works for them. Hope that helps

Thanks for your responses! We are not looking to get married in the city, so the option of other budget spots is not always available. Most places we have loved and reached out to are remote locations in the mountains that serve as a two-day experience. I just didn't anticipate the price tag for the guests and was hoping I could get feedback on prices that other couples have considered "normal" when booking a hotel for their events.

Agree with others, you can almost always find a cheaper hotel within a 5-15 minute drive that guests can choose instead. On our wedding website I am adding a few hotels I think our guests would be interested in. One closest to our venue, one budget friendly and the one we are staying in. (Our venue is not a hotel).

If it's super important that all your guests stay at the same hotel that your reception is being held in, have you reached out to any of the venues regarding discounts for booking a large amount of rooms? I think that is a thing.

I'd definitely look for a budget hotel within a 5-10 min drive and you can give guests the option of which hotel. Some guests won't mind spending $300/night on a hotel but having a budget friendly option near by would be a nice gesture and show guests you don't feel they have to spend so much on the hotel

Do your guests have to stay at the hotel where your reception is? You're in Calgary, a major city with plenty of accommodation options for all budgets. Even if they have to go off-site for their stay, it won't be that far.