When hotels offer their facilities for weddings, many of them promise to go above and beyond in meeting a couple’s expectations.
Yet what, exactly, should a couple expect? A mandate for good planning is to ask the hotel about the extras, and then challenge them to provide things you’ve probably never imagined.
When it comes to a bells and whistles wedding, Ben Osgood has thought of everything. The director of sales for Hampton Inn & Suites Windsor-Sonoma Wine Country throws in so many bonuses, that it’s like having a personal wedding planner, plus a best friend, your own loving mom, and a personal concierge tucked all into one.
Here, he says, are the many hats he wears in his day-to-day job:
The wedding planner: The Hampton’s special treatment starts even before the cake is chosen. The first order of business is creating a customized web page for the wedding couple, helping to keeps guests informed of the big day, serve as a convenient gift registry, and scrapbook all the excitement from the wedding announcement to the honeymoon send-off. Each web page is unique to each customer, designed with photos, color schemes, maps and more, plus links to the hotel for guests to easily book rooms.
The best friend: Wedding packages include complimentary champagne for the bride and groom. “It’s our way of toasting your new life together,” says Osgood. “Letting you know that we love having you here.”
The mom: Weddings are hungry work. To refuel the couple, the Hampton offers “Free On the House Hot Breakfast,” featuring fresh baked waffles, cereals, yogurt, fruit, and more.
Personal concierge: With all the complexities of the wedding day, a couple needs to stay connected. Hampton provides free high-speed Internet access in-rooms and in all public areas for checking last minute details, retrieving congratulatory e-mails, posting wedding pictures, searching local attractions, or for guests who need to keep in touch with the office.
Then, there’s the hotel itself, where Osgood promises he puts it all on the line. “Friendly service, clean rooms, comfortable surroundings, every time,” he says. “If you’re not satisfied, we don’t expect you to pay. That’s our commitment and your guarantee. That’s 100 percent Hampton.”
And what will your hotel venue do for you?
Details: Hampton Inn & Suites Windsor-Sonoma Wine Country, 8937 Brooks Road South, Windsor, 707-837-9355, hamptoninn3.hilton.com