How to organize a wedding in a hotel: a step-by-step guide — from a glass of champagne to dancing until the morning
On your wedding day, you want everything to go perfectly: a beautiful ceremony, a cozy banquet, attentive staff, and a festive atmosphere. But behind the dream is painstaking preparation — wedding organization requires careful planning and attention to detail.
Why a hotel is the best choice for your wedding
In Russia, more and more couples are choosing weddings in hotels because they get everything they need in one place: a ceremony area, a banquet hall, guest rooms, catering, decor, and the help of coordinators. This allows you not to be torn between different contractors, but to quietly enjoy the preparations for the holiday.
In this guide you will find step-by-step instructions on how to organize a wedding at the hotel. We will tell you how to choose a venue, coordinate the menu, arrange a room, arrange guest accommodation and take into account all the nuances so that your holiday will be remembered for a long time.
Step-by-step guide to organization
Step 1. Determine the budget and format of your wedding
Before choosing a venue and starting preparations, determine what your wedding will be: a grand one or a chamber one for those closest to you. Answer some important questions:
- How many guests are you planning to invite?
- Which services do you want to include: just a banquet or an on-site ceremony?
- Do I need to book guest rooms?
- Would you like to add additional activities, such as music, a show program, or a photo shoot?
To understand how much money is required, please contact the hotel. Many venues have prepared wedding packages in advance, which already take into account the rental of the hall, the banquet, the basic decor and the services of the coordinator. This is convenient — you can immediately see the total cost.
Accor hotels in Russia offer flexible options for weddings of various sizes and budgets. For example, in Novotel Moscow City you can choose a room of any capacity, even for 200 guests or more, and the hotel team will help you adapt the offer to your wishes and capabilities.
A life hack. Specify exactly what is included in the package. For example, in Accor hotels, cleaning of the hall, serving and basic decoration are often already included. Sometimes this option turns out to be more profitable than ordering everything separately. However, in any case, the photo zones and floral decoration of the space must be ordered independently, florists and designers of third-party companies are responsible for this.
Step 2. Select the appropriate hotel
The venue is the basis of the atmosphere of your wedding. When choosing a hotel, pay attention to several important factors:
- location (in the city center or at a seaside resort);
- capacity of halls;
- interior style (classic, minimalist, modern loft);
- additional services (accommodation, catering, assistance from the coordinator).
You can organize an elegant city wedding in a hotel with panoramic views, as well as a cozy chamber celebration in the historical center or a romantic ceremony on the seashore.
Accor hotels offer solutions for any format:
- Novotel Moscow Center — ideal for a city wedding. The hotel is located in the center of Moscow, next to the Kremlin and Red Square. Convenient access for guests and modern banquet halls make it an excellent choice for a stylish celebration.
- Mercure Arbat Moscow — the choice for chamber weddings. The hotel has a cozy atmosphere and is located in the historical district of Moscow.
- Movenpick Moscow Taganskaya is a hotel with a beautiful staircase for a spectacular photo shoot of the bride and groom, three banquet halls for a chamber wedding from 10 to 45 guests and rooms overlooking the Garden Ring. When booking a banquet hall, it is allowed to take pictures of the bride and groom free of charge in the public spaces of the hotel.
A life hack. Check the reviews on independent platforms, for example, on Yandex Maps. This will help to verify the level of service and find out how the hotel handles the organization of wedding events.
If you plan to include elements of national or family traditions in the program, ask the hotel team in advance how this can be integrated into the daily scenario.
Step 3. Book a date and select a room
Once you have decided on the hotel, proceed to the most important thing — booking the date and space for the celebration.
It is better to do this in advance: six months or a year before the wedding, especially if you want to play it in popular months, for example, in June. The sooner you start preparing, the higher the chance of choosing the perfect date and the right gym.
Accor hotels have halls available in different formats:
- for chamber dinners for 20-30 people;
- for large-scale banquets for 150-200 guests.
For example, in Novotel Moscow City, you can choose both a separate banquet hall and a ceremony space if you want to hold it at the hotel. The team will help you adapt the venue to your scenario: seating, decor, and musical accompaniment.
A life hack. Ask the hotel manager a few questions at the start: how much time will be allocated for the preparation of the hall on the wedding day? Is it possible to book a time for the rehearsal of the ceremony? Is the coordinator's assistance included in the price on the day of the event? Such details will help to avoid surprises and enjoy the preparation in peace.
Step 4. Coordinate the menu and catering
The wedding dinner is part of the atmosphere of your day. Treats create a mood, give guests a sense of celebration and are remembered no less than the decor or music.
In our country, it is customary to combine traditional dishes with modern cuisine. Caviar, tartlets, dumplings, foie gras, delicious desserts and local wines can be found on the same table. Therefore, think over the menu in such a way as to please different tastes: grandma will be happy with classic Russian treats, and friends will appreciate the author's snacks.
Accor Hotels employ professional chefs who will prepare personalized menus according to your request. Whether it's classic Russian cuisine, European menu dishes, vegetarian or gluten—free options, everything can be discussed and adapted.
For example, the Pullman Sochi Centre, like other Accor hotels, hosts a panel tasting of the wedding menu for the bride and groom. This is a great way to try the dishes in advance and choose the perfect option.
A life hack. If you want to add traditional elements to the banquet, for example, a loaf for a newlywed couple's meeting, just discuss it with the hotel coordinator. Please also specify whether the wedding cake is included in the offer or whether it needs to be ordered separately. Many hotels cooperate with trusted pastry chefs and can offer ready-made solutions.
Step 5. Think over the decor and create an atmosphere
The decor turns the banquet hall into your personal space. Flowers, lighting, textiles, serving — all this sets the style of your wedding: romantic, classic, minimalist or ethnic.
Delicate pastel shades, lively floral arrangements, candles and light textile details are popular now. But if you want to add national traditions, family symbols, or, for example, a red-and—gold style to the design, it's also easy to implement.
Accor hotels work with professional decorators who will help you design your space exactly the way you dream. You can choose either the basic decoration from the wedding package, or a completely individual decor created to suit your style.
A life hack. If you have your own decorator, ask the hotel manager if you can bring your own decoration elements. And pay attention to the lighting: soft lights, garlands or the illumination of flower arrangements create a special atmosphere that makes the photos even more beautiful.
Step 6. Add important details
The emotions you received at the wedding will stay with you for a long time. Therefore, to make your day truly unforgettable, think about additional services: music, photos, a presenter, and a transfer for guests.
Musicians, DJs, and professional presenters are usually invited to the wedding, as is the toastmaster who conducts the evening's program. This makes the holiday lively, dynamic and fun.
Hire professional photographers and videographers who know the best camera angles in hotel locations. An on-site photo shoot is a great way to save time and get beautiful pictures. For example, in Swissotel Red Hills you can arrange a photo shoot with a view of the center of Moscow, and in SO/St. Petersburg — to the golden dome of St. Isaac.
If you need to arrange a transfer from the airport or between venues, Accor Hotels provide transportation services for guests.
A life hack. Appoint one person from the guests (for example, a bridesmaid or a friend of the groom) who will keep in touch with the hotel coordinator on the wedding day. This will remove unnecessary questions from you and allow you to enjoy the holiday in peace.
Discuss in advance whether it is possible to use the beautiful areas of the hotel for a photo shoot. In most Accor hotels, this is possible at no extra cost during the banquet.
Step 7. Entrust coordination to professionals
On a wedding day, you want to think only about the celebration, and not check when the cake is brought out or the first dance is playing. That's what a wedding coordinator is for.
Accor hotels will provide you with a specialist who will take care of all organizational matters on the day of the event. He will monitor the time limit, communicate with contractors, control the serving of dishes, start music — and most importantly, solve any unforeseen situations if they arise.
A life hack. If you have any unusual ideas (for example, a performance by friends or an unexpected surprise), tell us about them in advance — the hotel team will help you to correctly integrate everything into the program.
Step 8. Arrange comfortable accommodation for the guests
If relatives or friends from other cities come to your wedding, it is important to plan their accommodation in advance. After all, taking care of your guests is another way to make your day special.
Accor hotels offer a convenient solution — to book rooms directly at the venue of the celebration. This means that your guests will not have to look for accommodation, waste time on the road or worry about a taxi after the banquet. Everyone will be able to relax and continue the evening in peace, knowing that a cozy room is already waiting for them.
Accor Hotels offer rooms of various categories, from standard to suites. Special conditions are often provided for wedding events, as well as a transfer for guests.
A life hack. If the wedding is planned at a hotel in the city center, guests can easily combine participation in the celebration with sightseeing.
Step 9. Complete the final approvals and enjoy your day
There is very little time left before the wedding — it's time to finalize all the details. This will help to avoid worries and enjoy the holiday in peace.
What needs to be done 1-2 weeks before the celebration:
- specify the number of guests;
- finalize the menu, decor and program with the coordinator;
- confirm the time of the ceremony, banquet and other key moments;
- discuss logistics for guests — transfer, check-in, late check-out.
And most importantly, don't forget to exhale and just enjoy the moment. Everything else has already been prepared.
A life hack. If the ceremony is planned outdoors, be sure to specify what is the backup plan in case of rain.
Briefly about the main thing
A hotel wedding is a combination of comfort, style and thoughtful organization. Accor hotels in Russia offer ready-made solutions for celebrations of any format: from chamber evenings to large-scale banquets. Everything is under one roof — halls, catering, accommodation for guests, assistance from a coordinator. And most importantly, the hotel team will make sure that your day is easy and joyful, and you just enjoy the moment.
You can specify the conditions of the wedding packages on our website or by calling a specific hotel.
