How Destination Wedding Room Blocks Work at All-Inclusive Resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean
- Jodi Schlichting
- Dec 22, 2025
- 10 min read
Updated: 6 days ago
If you’re planning a destination wedding at an all-inclusive resort, you may have come across the term “room block.”
It’s important to note right away that a room block at a resort in Mexico or the Caribbean is NOT the same as a courtesy hold room block at a hotel in the U.S. These two have very different rules.
In most cases, a destination wedding room block includes a signed group contract, a deposit, specific deadlines, and potential penalties.
Hi, I’m Jodi! I’m a destination wedding travel specialist who works exclusively with couples getting married at all-inclusive resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean (no cruises, no Disney, no “a little bit of everything”—just weddings).
I help couples find the resort that matches their vision, walk them through the fine print of the group contract for their wedding room block, and coordinate guest travel so the planning process feels a whole lot more manageable.
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What is a Destination Wedding Room Block?
A destination wedding room block is a group contract (an agreement with specific terms and conditions) that holds a set number of rooms at your resort for your wedding guests and locks in your group rate.
An important clarification:
A room block is not a specific section of the resort. It’s simply a certain number of rooms being held for your group. You can request that guests be placed near each other, but room location is not guaranteed in advance because final room assignments are typically based on availability at check-in.
Room blocks and policies vary by resort brand and by group size, but the basic order is:
contract → deposit → rooms held → guests book → final payment → travel.
Benefits of a Destination Wedding Room Block
Here are the top five reasons why I recommend a room block for destination wedding groups (especially at popular all-inclusive resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean).
1) You’re holding rooms for your guests
A room block helps prevent guests from running into availability issues where:
the resort completely sells out, or
the room categories they want are gone
2) The group rate is locked in so it won't increase with time
Some guests will be ready to book right away once you share your destination wedding details. Others will wait until they’ve saved up, secured time off, figured out childcare, etc. With a locked-in group rate, guests aren't penalized for booking later (as long as they book by your deadlines).
NOTE: If resort rates go down after the initial room block is set up, a price match can be requested, but it’s not guaranteed. Examples of when a resort may not match pricing:
it’s a one-time flash sale for a limited number of rooms
the public rate has different terms and conditions than group bookings
group rates include added group concessions that aren’t included with individual bookings
the resort has a no–price match policy for group rates
3) You receive group concessions (perks)
Your room block contract spells out what the resort is offering your group—often called group concessions (aka perks).
NOTE: Only rooms booked inside the room block count toward your perks and any minimum requirements.
Examples of group concessions (these vary by resort and group size):
Free room credits (usually calculated after travel and typically refunded back to the original form of payment used for the room block deposit and/or wedding couple’s room reservation)
Complimentary room upgrades (based on availability at check-in and often a small step up from the room category most commonly booked in your group)
Spa discounts (on services and/or products)
Private check-in experience (when the majority of the group arrives at the same time)
A complimentary cocktail hour (for a set number of guests, may only include drinks)
Complimentary private events (based on group size)
Expert Tip: I always encourage my wedding couples to book the room type they really want so they know they’ll get it, rather than hoping for an upgrade at check-in.
4) Guests get a more manageable payment structure
Most room blocks allow guests to put down an initial deposit to book their room and then pay the balance later—rather than having to pay in full immediately. This flexibility makes it easier for guests to commit early and budget for the trip over time.
5) Shared round-trip airport transfers are often included
For most of the wedding room blocks I set up, shared round-trip airport transfers are included in the group rate (transportation between the airport and the resort). That’s a big “hidden value” perk that guests don’t always think about up front.
Destination Wedding Room Block Process
Remember that a room block isn’t just “holding rooms.” It’s a contract with deadlines, rules, and potential penalties if those deadlines aren’t met.
Step 1: Estimate how many rooms to hold
You basically make your best guess based on your guest list and who you truly expect will attend. As a rough guideline, most couples see about 40%-60% of invited guests attend, but this can swing higher or lower depending on things like: how easily accessible the destination is, how affordable the resort is, time of year, how much notice you give them, etc.
Here’s a simple formula my couples find really helpful for estimating how many rooms to hold:
Group A: “Definitely coming”
Close family and friends that are definitely planning to attend. Count 100% of these rooms.
Group B: “Might come”
Family and friends that might attend, but you’re not sure yet. Count about 50% of these rooms.
Group C: “Probably not coming, but a few might surprise us”
Family and friends that you’re pretty sure won’t attend, but a few might end up deciding to come. Add 3–5 rooms as a cushion.
Also—don’t forget to factor in the following when setting up your room block:
accessible room needs
families of 5+ who may need larger or connecting rooms
Expert Tip: You don’t need to know every guest’s exact room category preference right away. I typically recommend holding a mix (example: garden view + ocean view + a couple of upgraded categories like swim-out and Club level) so guests have options.
Step 2: Review the group contract before you sign
Once a contract is signed, you're agreeing to the deposit, cancellation, and reduction terms, so it's worth slowing down here. The group contract will spell out things like:
the number of rooms you’re holding by category and dates
your group rates and whether there are any nightly rate breaks
your group concessions (perks) and whether there are any blackout dates
deposit requirements and whether they’re refundable
cancellation policies
minimum room/room night requirements to keep your group rates and perks
whether you can add more rooms/room nights later and whether added space is at the same group rate or the current/prevailing rate
minimum night stay rules
any restrictions on single occupancy rooms
whether airport transfers are included
reduction/attrition terms for dropping unused rooms and room nights
final payment deadlines
NOTE: For most wedding room blocks, I work with a trusted travel partner like Funjet Vacations rather than contracting directly with the resort. This gives guests 24/7 support while traveling and in destination, and it also gives me stronger negotiating leverage as well as escalation channels if anything needs to be resolved with the resort.
Step 3: Pay the initial room block deposit
Most resorts require an upfront deposit to set up the room block, which is usually paid by the wedding couple (or their parents). Your room block contract will state whether the initial deposit is refundable and how it’s applied (it is often applied toward the couple’s room at the time of final payment and if the deposit is refundable, any remaining balance is refunded).
The initial room block deposit is most commonly $100 per room. But once you hit certain room-count thresholds (e.g. 50+ rooms, sometimes as low as 31+ rooms), the deposit can jump significantly (e.g. 10%–20% of the total room block value), which can be a lot of money up front.
Step 4: Guests start booking into the block
As guests book through your wedding room block, they’re officially counted toward:
your room minimums
your perks / concessions
If you run out of a certain room category and/or need to add more nights, you can typically request to add more to the wedding room block, based on availability and the terms of your contract.
Step 5: You drop unused rooms and room nights by the “drop date”
Most contracts allow you to release any extra rooms/room nights you held that didn’t get booked by a certain deadline (commonly around 5–6 months prior to travel, but it depends).
That said, reduction and attrition policies vary. Some contracts only allow you to drop a small percentage of rooms/room nights without penalty (and some allow none), so this is one place where understanding the fine print in your contract really matters.
NOTE: Guests can often still book after the room drop deadline up until a certain date, but:
you’re no longer holding extra inventory so additional rooms are based on availability, and
the resort may not honor the same group rate
Step 6: Final payment
Your contract will have a final payment deadline for guests. Once guests are all paid in full, this is when the initial room block deposit can usually be applied toward the wedding couple's room reservation (depending on the contract).
Destination Wedding Room Block Terminology Defined
Room block contract (also referred to as a group contract)
The written agreement that outlines your room block’s rates, deadlines, deposit rules, and concessions.
Group concessions (perks)
The “extras” the resort offers your group based on the number of rooms/room nights booked through your room block.
Nightly Rate Break
When the nightly rate changes during the stay (example: nights 1–3 are one price, then nights 4–7 are a different price). Your total trip cost is based on the rate for each specific night.
Blackout dates
Dates when certain perks (like complimentary rooms, upgrades, or promotions) don’t apply. For example, many resorts have blackout dates for group concessions around holidays and peak travel weeks.
Attrition
Attrition outlines how much of your room block you can reduce without penalty, if any, and the deadlines for making those reductions.
Minimum room requirement
Most resorts require a minimum number of rooms to be booked to qualify for a contracted room block and group perks (often around 10-15 rooms, but it varies).
Minimum night stay requirement
Many resorts require guests to stay a minimum number of nights (commonly 3 nights, sometimes 4), and certain dates or room categories may have longer minimums.
Single-occupancy limit
Some contracts cap how many rooms can be booked as single occupancy (one adult in a room). For most resorts, they will allow you to book additional single occupancy rooms beyond the limit, however, those rooms will be priced based on double occupancy rates (two adults in a room).
Rate protection for added rooms
Some contracts allow more rooms to be added to the room block at the original group rate (up to a limit and within certain timelines), while others say those additional rooms will be priced based on current/prevailing rates.
Destination Wedding Room Block Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake # 1: Not understanding reduction/attrition terms
Many couples assume they can just “drop what doesn’t get booked.” But reduction policies vary a lot. Some contracts only allow you to reduce a small percentage of rooms/room nights without penalty (if any), and the deadlines can be strict.
Mistake # 2: Missing the minimum requirements to keep group rates and perks
Most contracts require you to maintain a minimum number of rooms (or room nights) to keep the contracted rates and concessions. If your group falls below the minimum, the contract can be canceled, repriced, and/or you may lose perks.
Mistake # 3: Assuming you can add more rooms later at the same group rate
In many cases, you can request additional rooms or nights (based on availability), but depending on the contract, added rooms may be priced at current/prevailing rates instead of the original group rate.
Mistake # 4: Guests booking outside the room block
This can create multiple issues: those bookings may not count toward your perks, guests may miss out on group inclusions, and some resorts may charge per-person event fees for guests who attend wedding events but didn’t book through the wedding room block.
Mistake # 5: Holding the wrong mix of room types
Entry-level rooms are usually the first to sell out at resorts, so it’s important to hold enough of them in the initial room block. And don’t forget to factor in accessible rooms and larger/connecting rooms that sleep 5+ for families since inventory for these categories is limited.
NOTE: Holding too many rooms can also push your group into higher deposits and stricter cancellation terms, so the goal is the right mix—not just “more rooms.”
Want help setting your room block up the right way?
Setting up a room block is one of the best things you can do to make the experience smooth and easy for your guests—but it also comes with a contract, deadlines, deposit rules, and details that are easy to misunderstand if you’ve never done this before.
As a destination wedding travel specialist, I have a lot of experience with room block contracts and I know what to look for in the fine print so you can feel confident when we're working together that everything is set up correctly from the start.
If you want the benefits of a room block without the stress of figuring out the contract details on your own, I’m here to help you:
choose a resort that’s actually a great fit for your wedding and your guests
clearly explain the fine print of your room block
track deadlines and manage contract details
coordinate guest bookings, questions, and travel logistics
Two ways to get started:
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