Wedding hotel overbooked - could I have handled this better?

[LifeOnPluto]

I read it as the groom was mad at the hotel for asking, not at his guests for saying yes.  but I could be wrong

I read it as the groom was annoyed at the OP for "giving in" even though she's happy with the free room.  Hopefully the OP can clear up this confusion.

That's how I took it as well

Me too.

I see nothing wrong with the OP "giving in". It was her choice to make. Not the Groom's.

[msulinski]

Unless the groom is actually paying for the hotel room, he has no say in where you spend the night. As long as you attend all of the various functions without issue, I don't see what the problem is.

[WillyNilly]

I'm guessing the groom was just angry, period.  And at first in the heat of the moment it came out like he was annoyed with OP for moving, but in reality its not that, that was just the initial angry-not-thinking-it-through reaction because that was the full action he knew happened (OP was asked & OP agreed to moved).  Once he separated it into the two actions it actually was, I bet his anger was really at the hotel.

[whiskeytangofoxtrot]

I don't see anything wrong except the groom's behavior. The hotel made a request which you could've refused if you wished. They offered you a great deal in return, and it was only a few minutes away. Looks like a win, to me!

Just out of curiosity, this location sounds familiar. Would they happen to have a sheltie for a mascot?

[Captain Hastings]

Unless the groom is actually paying for the hotel room, he has no say in where you spend the night. As long as you attend all of the various functions without issue, I don't see what the problem is.

I agree, but even if the groom did pay for the room, well, the new room was free! Who doesn't love getting a discount?! As the ceremony and subsequent events weren't interrupted in any way, I'm wondering why on earth he cared at all. Maybe he's just stressed?

[cattlekid]

Right species, wrong breed 

I don't see anything wrong except the groom's behavior. The hotel made a request which you could've refused if you wished. They offered you a great deal in return, and it was only a few minutes away. Looks like a win, to me!

Just out of curiosity, this location sounds familiar. Would they happen to have a sheltie for a mascot?

[GeauxTigers]

Is it possible that by being walked, the OP's non-occupancy of the block room reduced or negated any block rate/discount previously offered to the groom or whoever booked the hotel?

ETA: OP, you did nothing wrong. A free room is a free room.

[bah12]

I'm with those that say the hotel was in the wrong...but not the OP.

I don't blame the groom for being angry.  If I blocked rooms for guests, I'd expect that all my guests, who reserved the rooms within the time allotted, would be protected from being asked to move.  For the hotel to call several guests of the wedding and asking them to move seems like poor management.  It makes more sense to ask the "single" party rooms to move first. 

But, there's nothing wrong with the OP accepting the offer for a free room somewhere else.  I don't think she was obligated to refuse, especially considering that there were no activities planned that necessitated staying at the same hotel.  I also wouldn't have chosen to alert the BP as they have enough going on and don't need to make a decision that I am capable of making for myself.

[TootsNYC]

I also wouldn't alert the bride & groom, etc., because I would expect the hotel to notify them of what was going on.

[PastryGoddess]

Is it possible that by being walked, the OP's non-occupancy of the block room reduced or negated any block rate/discount previously offered to the groom or whoever booked the hotel?

ETA: OP, you did nothing wrong. A free room is a free room.

No being walked does not negate any discount especially if it is a courtesy block with no contract signed. 

However, for contracted clients, their occupancy level is directly tied whether or not they have to pay any penalties to the hotel.  So even 1 or 2 people being walked and not being counted can drop occupancy levels below an acceptable amount.

[kudeebee]

You were fine to accept the move.  It was to a hotel close by and, it was for free!  Who wouldn't accept that offer?

You didn't need to notify anyone about what happened.  I think the groom overreacted, probably was stressed, who knows.  He wasn't paying for the room and you were only 5 minutes away, close enough to be involved in any festivities.

[amylouky]

I think a lot depends on what kind of wedding reception it was going to be. At the weddings in my family, we've tended to reserve a block of hotel rooms (even though we mostly live in town), and continue the party at the hotel after the reception. I did that for our wedding. Our reception was over at 11 PM, but we all stayed up and just hung out together until the wee hours of the morning.

Also, as a pp said.. usually when a block of rooms is reserved, they're close together. For ours, we had one whole wing (about 10 rooms) of a really small hotel. It was really nice, because everyone in that wing was part of our wedding party so we didn't have to worry about noise too much, or encountering strangers in the hallway.. actually we mostly left our hotel room doors open and just wandered from room to room.

In our case, I would have been very angry at the hotel, but also irritated at the guest, for two reasons: One, they declined the "afterparty" just to save money on their room. That is their right, so I'd really be more hurt than angry at that one. Second, though, they allowed the hotel to give a room which I had specifically blocked for our wedding party, to a stranger. I don't think that would be their right, since I had arranged to block the rooms.

I'm going against the grain here, I do think that you should have checked with the HC before agreeing to give up your room.

[Sharnita]

I think a lot depends on what kind of wedding reception it was going to be. At the weddings in my family, we've tended to reserve a block of hotel rooms (even though we mostly live in town), and continue the party at the hotel after the reception. I did that for our wedding. Our reception was over at 11 PM, but we all stayed up and just hung out together until the wee hours of the morning.

Also, as a pp said.. usually when a block of rooms is reserved, they're close together. For ours, we had one whole wing (about 10 rooms) of a really small hotel. It was really nice, because everyone in that wing was part of our wedding party so we didn't have to worry about noise too much, or encountering strangers in the hallway.. actually we mostly left our hotel room doors open and just wandered from room to room.

In our case, I would have been very angry at the hotel, but also irritated at the guest, for two reasons: One, they declined the "afterparty" just to save money on their room. That is their right, so I'd really be more hurt than angry at that one. Second, though, they allowed the hotel to give a room which I had specifically blocked for our wedding party, to a stranger. I don't think that would be their right, since I had arranged to block the rooms.

I'm going against the grain here, I do think that you should have checked with the HC before agreeing to give up your room.

Even if the tradition was to take the party in rooms I think guests have the right to move their rooms where they want - some people might want to get some sleep at a certain point or be away from the party when they are in their own room.  I wouldn't think that requires permission of really even prior notification.

[amylouky]

I think a lot depends on what kind of wedding reception it was going to be. At the weddings in my family, we've tended to reserve a block of hotel rooms (even though we mostly live in town), and continue the party at the hotel after the reception. I did that for our wedding. Our reception was over at 11 PM, but we all stayed up and just hung out together until the wee hours of the morning.

Also, as a pp said.. usually when a block of rooms is reserved, they're close together. For ours, we had one whole wing (about 10 rooms) of a really small hotel. It was really nice, because everyone in that wing was part of our wedding party so we didn't have to worry about noise too much, or encountering strangers in the hallway.. actually we mostly left our hotel room doors open and just wandered from room to room.

In our case, I would have been very angry at the hotel, but also irritated at the guest, for two reasons: One, they declined the "afterparty" just to save money on their room. That is their right, so I'd really be more hurt than angry at that one. Second, though, they allowed the hotel to give a room which I had specifically blocked for our wedding party, to a stranger. I don't think that would be their right, since I had arranged to block the rooms.

I'm going against the grain here, I do think that you should have checked with the HC before agreeing to give up your room.

Even if the tradition was to take the party in rooms I think guests have the right to move their rooms where they want - some people might want to get some sleep at a certain point or be away from the party when they are in their own room.  I wouldn't think that requires permission of really even prior notification.

I agree.. which is why I'd be more hurt (but not say anything) for that reason. But possibly having strangers in the middle of our wedding block would bother me. If a guest wanted to stay somewhere away from the block of rooms for whatever reason, they should have booked their room separately from the block.

[WillyNilly]

Is it possible that by being walked, the OP's non-occupancy of the block room reduced or negated any block rate/discount previously offered to the groom or whoever booked the hotel?

ETA: OP, you did nothing wrong. A free room is a free room.

No being walked does not negate any discount especially if it is a courtesy block with no contract signed. 

However, for contracted clients, their occupancy level is directly tied whether or not they have to pay any penalties to the hotel.  So even 1 or 2 people being walked and not being counted can drop occupancy levels below an acceptable amount.

Not sure what the bolded means.  I negotiated a block of discounted rooms with a local Marriott for my wedding (normal rate $179 per night, for my guests $139) and while I didn't have to fulfill any guarantee or anything, I did have to sign a contract.