My fourth Budget Bride post is for weddings planned for late 2021 and later years, because we'll need herd immunity before we start smashing a bunch of people from all over the land into tiny overnight accommodations. Even in normal times, this style of hospitality works best with non-parent, sturdy-bodied people in their young adulthood. You don't want to do this to anyone with back pain or sleep apnea or young children. However, if your guest list includes people in the 18-34 age demographic who are all accustomed to dorm life or camping or big-city apartment living, packing them tightly together can generate a youthful party atmosphere rather than claustrophobia. And boy does it save a lot of money!
Treat your wedding guests to the finest in scruffy home hospitality!
Most weddings include some guests from out of town who will need accommodations for the night or weekend. To remove the obstacle of expense for your guests and avoid footing a hefty hotel bill yourself, just call your local family and friends to see how many people they can host in their homes.
When my husband and I got married, we reserved one hotel room--for just the two of us, near our apartment. Some of our family members stayed with my parents or other relatives. Our entertainer slept on the maid of honor's couch, and the groom and I offered up our own apartment to a set of college buddies, including the bridesmaids, and checked ourselves into a nearby hotel.
Our little apartment became an all-weekend party reminiscent of homecoming week in college.
We were able to provide our guests with lots of ready-to-eat food and snacks, places to sleep, and bedding (a couch, an air mattress, a pile of feather duvets, etc.). We gave out a few spare keys, the WiFi password, and a brief tour of the neighborhood.
Fortunately for many young adults on a budget, child-free 20-somethings are the easiest of all to accommodate. You can generally wedge a bunch of them into a small space, and the tighter the fit, the more fun will be had. They'll certainly keep each other entertained.