Starwood Preferred Guest - Bride&Groom earns my SPG pts for room I pay for?

I am going to be attending an upcoming wedding and staying at a Westin - I'm fairly low on the SPG elite totem pole. I booked at the blocked wedding group rate, which is about $20 less than the 2nd best rate I could find.

Yesterday, the groom mentioned to me that he had it set up with the hotel that he would earn all the points generated through the block. I'm not trying to be selfish here, but short of pulling out of the block, is there any way to insist that SPG give the points I earn to ME, and not the bride and groom? It just kind of grates, considering how the money I am spending to be there.

Additionally, will it count towards my elite status?

No and No.

You booked at a rate that is not elligible to earn points. If it doesn't earn points, it doesn't get stay credit.

I am going to be attending an upcoming wedding and staying at a Westin - I'm fairly low on the SPG elite totem pole. I booked at the blocked wedding group rate, which is about $20 less than the 2nd best rate I could find.

Yesterday, the groom mentioned to me that he had it set up with the hotel that he would earn all the points generated through the block. I'm not trying to be selfish here, but short of pulling out of the block, is there any way to insist that SPG give the points I earn to ME, and not the bride and groom? It just kind of grates, considering how the money I am spending to be there.

Additionally, will it count towards my elite status?

I think that's awful. Now I'm going to call and see if I can get points for my guests' rooms at Hilton... :)

OK thanks for the info. I may rebook at a different rate, since I want the credit.

I am all for the couple getting points that guests don't claim (which I am pretty sure you can/should do jgold), but this just personally annoys me since I am paying for my room and am an SPG member. Good to know in advance anyway.

So now you have two options - pay the cheapest rate you could find on your own and get the points or save $20 and don't get the points. Without the offer from the B&G, you would only have the first choice.

Having all the options you had before, plus new options, seems an odd thing to be annoyed about.

I think that's awful. Now I'm going to call and see if I can get points for my guests' rooms at Hilton... :)

Why is this awful? :confused:
If I have an event somewhere and I decide to drive traffic for my guests to a specific hotel, why shouldn't I get some kind of credit? This is why many corporate planners that I know use Starwood to book their corporate events: they get points for it. Starwood has a whole website dedicated to event planners www.starwoodmeetings.com



Starwood Preferred Planner is one of the best reward and recognition programs for meeting planners. As a Starwood Preferred Planner, you are automatically enrolled in the Starwood Preferred Guest® program so you can use just one member number whether you're booking for business or pleasure.
Earn one Starpoint® for every three U.S. dollars of eligible group revenue when planning meetings regardless of billing method. Whether you're planning a meeting, wedding or family reunion, you'll earn Starpoints for each event.
NEW! Redeem Starpoints for a credit on your master bill.

I'm with the guest on this one. Purely from a "Ms Manners" standpoint. It's certainly reasonable for the groom to set it up to get any default points, but if a guest is paying for their own room and wants their own points, it's somewhat crass for the groom to take them. Looks selfish and self-centered to me -- even on your wedding day!

I am going to be attending an upcoming wedding and staying at a Westin - I'm fairly low on the SPG elite totem pole. I booked at the blocked wedding group rate, which is about $20 less than the 2nd best rate I could find.

Yesterday, the groom mentioned to me that he had it set up with the hotel that he would earn all the points generated through the block. I'm not trying to be selfish here, but short of pulling out of the block, is there any way to insist that SPG give the points I earn to ME, and not the bride and groom? It just kind of grates, considering how the money I am spending to be there.

Additionally, will it count towards my elite status?

If I were traveling to be at a friend's wedding and this was the arrangement he/she had made with the hotel I would be re-evaluating my friends/friendships at this point. Or having a frank talk with my friend.

It's not that bad of the guy... he negotiated a good rate for his friends/family, most who probably wouldn't even care about points. Also they can then use those points for honeymoon. So not that selfish in my eyes. Most people dont care as much as us Flyertalkers and hence they would go to waste in many cases. He probably also got a good rate on his room, is that selfish?

Why is this awful? :confused:

jgold's comment about it being "awful" was subtle sarcasm. I think jgold was saying something like: "that's awful ....... I have not yet arranged to get points for my guest's stay at the event." :D

Dealing with the event planner staff at the hotels routinely makes sense to land more points too.

If I were traveling to be at a friend's wedding and this was the arrangement he/she had made with the hotel I would be re-evaluating my friends/friendships at this point. Or having a frank talk with my friend.

I don't think it's a big deal. Sounds like the savings from the negotiated rate can more than make up for the points. Furthermore, at worst, I -- a lover of my miles and points if there ever was one -- would consider it part of the wedding gift that can subsidize the honeymoon or more.

If this were such a big issue for me -- and it is not -- I would hope that I would have the character to realize that either: a) I should not be at the wedding in the first place (for what kind of "friend" am I then?); or, b) I would ask for my part of the wedding bill, meal and all, since I'm not really a friend wishing my best to the couple either, but just like a paying guest at a restaurant where colleagues split the bill.

This would have made a great Seinfeld or Curb Your Enthusiasm situation...anyone wanna call up Larry David? :D

This would have made a great Seinfeld or Curb Your Enthusiasm situation...anyone wanna call up Larry David? :D

It's already in the draft of a book a friend has written. :D

OP checking back in - I just wanted to make it clear this is not something I would reevaluate my friendship over, at all.

There are lots of costs associated with being in, attending and/or celebrating a wedding. This is a new one for me, and it definitely caught me by surprise. I have only personally experienced the "non-claimed" points being awarded at other hotel chains for weddings.

I don't think it's a big deal. Sounds like the savings from the negotiated rate can more than make up for the points. Furthermore, at worst, I -- a lover of my miles and points if there ever was one -- would consider it part of the wedding gift that can subsidize the honeymoon or more.

If this were such a big issue for me -- and it is not -- I would hope that I would have the character to realize that either: a) I should not be at the wedding in the first place (for what kind of "friend" am I then?); or, b) I would ask for my part of the wedding bill, meal and all, since I'm not really a friend wishing my best to the couple either, but just like a paying guest at a restaurant where colleagues split the bill.

I fully agree with your analysis of the situation and you put it more succinctly than I could.
It not unusual for a wedding party to negotiate rates for guests, it basicaly guarantees that at least certain number of rooms are available at savings to some guests. Not all or even a high percentage are SPG members.

It posts like this that makes me wonder... Is points ALL IMPORTANT in some peoples lives? Even to the extent that you are annoyed regarding a supposedly "friends wedding"?

Even more disturbing is that some ( at least one) agreed with the OP :mad:

mike

They do provide a feast for all of you and that is some cost as well ... Given, you do have the choice for taking the stay or not. Maybe they are not even aware so much that you would like the points too.

Just book the different room and have an enjoyable wedding. :)

I am going to be attending an upcoming wedding and staying at a Westin - I'm fairly low on the SPG elite totem pole. I booked at the blocked wedding group rate, which is about $20 less than the 2nd best rate I could find.

Yesterday, the groom mentioned to me that he had it set up with the hotel that he would earn all the points generated through the block. I'm not trying to be selfish here, but short of pulling out of the block, is there any way to insist that SPG give the points I earn to ME, and not the bride and groom? It just kind of grates, considering how the money I am spending to be there. What a tacky man that groom is. Unreal. You're schlepping out to HIS wedding and he wants to benefit from the money you spend on the hotel? I'd re-evaluate going to that wedding. But if you're stuck going to it, stay someplace else. ^

Give the groom a break. He's throwing his life away. At least let him have the points. In a year or so, when you see the empty shell of what he once was, you will regret having begrudged him the points :p

Well that's a pleasant thought.

However, I am on the bride's side.

Do you think he'd get enough points to pay for the honeymoon? :)

However, I am on the bride's side.Did you book someplace else like you mentioned in post #4 so you can accrue points from the money you're spending?

Interestingly, he told me he's only getting something like 7,000 points for the block!

I'm wondering if he's set up as an SPG planner and getting a small % of the points, but is incorrect in thinking the guests won't get any. Is that possible? It is a very large wedding ~300 guests.

ETA - Analise - we crossposted. To be honest, at this point I think I might just stay with a local friend after all. It's $$$ as it's in another major city. To bad I just drained my SPG account in Iguazu! But I won't miss the wedding at all, and I didn't mean to imply that. I just....was surprised.

It's certainly reasonable for the groom to set it up to get any default points, but if a guest is paying for their own room and wants their own points, it's somewhat crass for the groom to take them. If the guest wants to pay the standard rate and get his points, he's more than free to do so. The groom is offering an opportunity to get a group rate, save $20, at the cost of points. OP's choice.

Since when did giving someone a choice become a bad thing.

But if you're stuck going to it, stay someplace else. Why stay somewhere else? Just make your own reservation outside of the group rate.


For the extra $20 you spend, you'll get, what, 400 points ($200/night). That's 5 cents a point. So, in effect, your friend is offering you a chance to sell your points at 5 cents each. Sounds like a good deal to me.

If you can find a way to save me $20/night on every personal hotel stay in exchange for my points (I've never spent over $267/night personally, or anywhere close to $400 as a non-PLT), I'll be all over it.

But let's not let facts or economics get in the way of a good rant. "Awful", "crass", "tacky", "selfish", "self-centered" - gimme a break.

I agree with GUWonder #11 & CPRich #23 above.
If the points or esp. the stay credit is crucial, pay the extra $20. Otherwise let the bride & groom have the points as a wedding gift.

Endor, when U make the res. even if at the wedding rate, put in your SPG# & see what happens. If your suspicion in Post #22 is right... ;)

This isn't about the points. This is about the principle. The groom is asking his guests to give up their valuable time, pay for their travel, pay for their rooms and give him a wedding gift. It's inappropriate for him to negotiate an extra "gift" for himself based on hotel fees paid by his guests.

However many free nights he earns from this should have been folded back into the block to reduce the individual rates.

The hotel pays for those points. This is not a situation where the rate would be the same whether someone got the points or not. If the hotel did not have to give out the points, I'm sure they could have offered a lower rate. This would have been the proper thing to do.

This isn't about the points. This is about the principle. The groom is asking his guests to give up their valuable time, pay for their travel, pay for their rooms and give him a wedding gift. It's inappropriate for him to negotiate an extra "gift" for himself based on hotel fees paid by his guests.

However many free nights he earns from this should have been folded back into the block to reduce the individual rates.

The hotel pays for those points. This is not a situation where the rate would be the same whether someone got the points or not. If the hotel did not have to give out the points, I'm sure they could have offered a lower rate. This would have been the proper thing to do.

I seriously doubt anyone would have gotten a better rate if they groom didn't get points. How about you call the next hotel you are staying at and ask them what discount they are going to give you if you don't take points. I was recently married in a starwood hotel and while I didnt get anyones points I really don't think it would have been a problem if I did. I don't have the type of friends who are going to whine about not getting points when going to my wedding. If I knew I had those type of friends they most certainly wouldn't have been invited anyway.

You are asked to go to someones wedding, its not a requirement, more then likely they are also paying a great deal of money for you to have a good time. The OP didn't have to take the group rate he could have easily spent the extra money and get his room at the hotel rate. I had 16 rooms reserved for my wedding and only one person going was a member of SPG anyway.

I just cant imagine how someone could complain about not getting points or stays when going to someones wedding. Why would someone pass up on points for their guests stays when I bet over half of them aren't even members of SPG.

This isn't about the points. This is about the principle. The groom is asking his guests to give up their valuable time, pay for their travel, pay for their rooms and give him a wedding gift. It's inappropriate for him to negotiate an extra "gift" for himself based on hotel fees paid by his guests.

Viewing a good friend getting married as an imposition upon your time and finances, and complaining about how keeping hotel points is so important in relation to a wedding - I'll be sure to cross you off my next wedding invite list.

It's a good way to "principle" one's way out of a lot of friends :(

Over $10 worth of hotel points.....

The bride and groom likely had to sign a contract and commit to x number of rooms that they will have to pay for if they are filled or not. They likely were presented an offer for $X price on room, $X price for reception or dinner or wedding or whatnot. They were likely committed to so much room revenue, catering revenue, etc. As this contract was presented and discussed, they were also likely offered amenities along with their contract. Such amenities could have/may have been limo transportaton, 1 hour cocktail reception, An ugraded room or suite for the negotiated room rate, Free parking for all guests or for some guests, free gym access for themselves or for all guests. - starpoints.

Often, when a group is going to be in house and there is more than just a room block in question, the hotel will often negotiate with these amenities to win the business. Starpoints may well have been part of the negotiation. It is also not uncommon for the guest to earn starpoints themselves and for the signor of the contract to earn starpoints for that same room revenue. Instead of taking the grooms word for it, maybe you could call the hotel reservations desk and just run it by them. You might still be receiving your own starpoints as well.

good luck.

I don't have the type of friends who are going to whine about not getting points when going to my wedding. If I knew I had those type of friends they most certainly wouldn't have been invited anyway.

Viewing a good friend getting married as an imposition upon your time and finances, and complaining about how keeping hotel points is so important in relation to a wedding - I'll be sure to cross you off my next wedding invite list.
It's a good way to "principle" one's way out of a lot of friends :(
Over $10 worth of hotel points.....

Re-read my post. I clearly said it's not about the points. Yes, I realize the insignificance of this amount of points.

I fail to see how you identify the unsuspecting guest as petty if they feel slighted, yet you have no problem with the groom lining his pockets with a "kickback" of points.

My wife and I currently live and were married on Long Island. Weddings here cost many tens of thousands of dollars. We had about 300 people. Many of my guests were friends, many of which were from the Army (I was in the 101st... joined in '79 when the hostages were taken in Iran). Many of my guests, family, service buddies and college buddies came in from out of town.

We spent a lot of time shopping around at several hotels for the very lowest rates. Surprisingly, the Marriott offered the best deal... even beat the local Hampton Inn. Our one and only goal was to get decent rooms at the very lowest rates for our valued family and friends. After we got the lowest rate we could, we negotiated a reduced price for breakfast for all our guests... and my wife and I paid the breakfast tab ourselves.

The idea of lining our pockets with Marriott points NEVER EVEN CROSSED OUR MINDS. The very idea of profiting from friends and family in this way is disturbing.

Again, to heck with the points. We absolutely agree the points for a single night's stay are insignificant. This is all about principles. Let's call the points in this case exactly what they are... a kickback. If you're in business, you'll recognize this as a "back end deal". The right thing to do would be to negotiate the lowest possible rates for the guests, not lining one's own pocket.

Could I be wrong? My sanity check: It's 7:30PM here on the East Coast, so I called a revenue manager in a West Coast Sheraton. I explained the situation. They asked not to be named, but said she would definately consider reducing the rate if points were not awarded for the rooms. She felt that would be a fairly common thing among hotels. If you still doubt, talk to the revenue manager of the next hotel you visit.

Re-read my post. I clearly said it's not about the points.

Yes, you said it's about the principle. And the foundational arguement of that principle is that going to a wedding is an imposition on you - "give up their valuable time, pay for..." .

We can agree to disagree.

Next time a friend invites you to a wedding, be sure to tell him what an imposition it is upon your time, how it's going to cost you significant money, and how the financial arrangements had better be in your favor - "kickbacks" must be shared with the guests. Since you're "a businessman", maybe ask him to sign a binding contract with these stipulations. Or offer to assist him in negotiations with the hotel to assure that he maximizes the value of the investment to his guests. I'm sure that's at the top of his important factors with a wedding.

For me - I'll congratulate my friend and tell him I'd love to be there on one of the most important days of his life, and won't give the other topics a second thought (or even a first thought).

To each his own.

Again, to heck with the points. We absolutely agree the points for a single night's stay are insignificant. This is all about principles. Let's call the points in this case exactly what they are... a kickback. If you're in business, you'll recognize this as a "back end deal". The right thing to do would be to negotiate the lowest possible rates for the guests, not lining one's own pocket.

You got my vote! I think the groom is being too "sharp" here. Guests are, well, guests -- not profit centers.

So if any of you mileage junkies are thinking of making similar arrangements for your own weddings, don't do it! :) As I wrote earlier, nothing wrong with negotiating with the hotel for any "default" points, but if anyone shows their own SPG card, let 'em earn their own points. After all, they've travelled to your wedding, are paying their own expenses to do so, and are (hopefully) bringing a gift!

I had my wedding at Sheraton Bal Harbor. The jokers at the desk gave me a cabana room with two beds on my wedding night and I didn't earn points.

It's one thing to pick up the points on rooms of people who do not collect the points themselves, but to tell your guests 'by the way, I'm scooping your points' is pretty tastless.

A lot of people travelled a long way to come to my wedding, and spent a lot of money doing it. I was grateful and honoured for that. No way would I insult them by trying to scoop their points.

Whoever pays gets the points. (unless it's my employer of course :D )

I believe this is discussion is based on the false impression that the groom is "taking" the points that any SPG guests booking a room would be earning. I'm not aware of any program at Starwood that allows this.

From memory the T&C states you can only earn points for a maximum of three rooms registered under your own names and paid by you at checkout. From the original posters statement he said he had to book and pay for his own room. Also I've always earned Starpoints on group/convention rates when staying at a hotel.

It sounds more like the groom is getting SPP points for booking his event at the hotel - both the wedding and the room block. And not being a professional traveler or meeting planner the groom may not have properly expressed how he was earning points.

I would suggest that Endor phone the hotel and ask to speak to the reservations or revenue manager and ask the specific question if that room rate earns Starpoints. Please let us know.

FWIW, I think CPRich has the correct call on this one.

A friend of mine had a wedding at a hotel that gave him points for most all the bookings there. His wedding was definitely not a cheap wedding so it must have been quite the number of points that was the net result too. Was he greedy? I have my doubts, for the couple asked that wedding gifts, if any, come in the form of charitable contributions to their favorite charity or as volunteer time at the same charity (or a like one in their communities).

If this is about the marrying couple's material gain at your expense, do you make sure that the wedding gift you give no more than matches penny-for-penny with the cost of the meal you are eating and associated service/entertainment? Should a marrying friend be upset if the wedding gift value doesn't cover the cost of the wedding? In response to both questions, I would hope not. I value my friendships and attending a wedding far more than c. $20 (if that) in foregone (if at all foregone) points. Apparently others don't. :(

I am just a guilty of trying to pull this off.

Last year my wife and I got married and Westin was the hotel of choice for our guests as we were also having an event at the hotel as well.

I asked if it were possible to get the points for the guest that were staying at the hotel that were not SPG members. What I was told is that I would get the points for the "meeting" event (I forget how many they were) and that the only way I could get the points for our guests was to book the rooms in my name and prepay for the room. Otherwise their was no way that they could credit my account the points for what someone esle was paying for.

Honestly I would be surprised to see how they were able to pull this off as I explored every possible option to rack up points from non SPG that would attend out wedding??

Yes, you said it's about the principle. And the foundational arguement of that principle is that going to a wedding is an imposition on you - "give up their valuable time, pay for..." .

We can agree to disagree.

Next time a friend invites you to a wedding, be sure to tell him what an imposition it is upon your time, how it's going to cost you significant money, and how the financial arrangements had better be in your favor - "kickbacks" must be shared with the guests. Since you're "a businessman", maybe ask him to sign a binding contract with these stipulations. Or offer to assist him in negotiations with the hotel to assure that he maximizes the value of the investment to his guests. I'm sure that's at the top of his important factors with a wedding.

For me - I'll congratulate my friend and tell him I'd love to be there on one of the most important days of his life, and won't give the other topics a second thought (or even a first thought).

To each his own.

Ridiculous logic. Clearly you are assuming all weddings are convenient. Over time, believe me, you will be going to plenty of weddings of people you love which are as inconvenient as heck! You'll have to break long made plans. You'll have to lose money. You'll have to upset other people to go to these weddings. Why? Because you love the Bride and Groom, or you love their Parents, and you want to be there.

Imposition? Inconvenient? You betcha!

I've had a very close friend decide to get married in Tahiti on the spur of the moment. My wife and I were in Rome on vacation. We cancled the rest of our vacation and flew across the planet to be with them (Packed for Rome in winter, wound up in Tahiti... new clothes all around!!)

Imposition? Inconvenient? You betcha!

You and I clearly travel in different circles. Yes, let's agree to dissagree.

Over time, believe me, you will be going to plenty of weddings of people you love which are as inconvenient as heck! You'll have to break long made plans. You'll have to lose money. You'll have to upset other people to go to these weddings. Why? Because you love the Bride and Groom, or you love their Parents, and you want to be there.

Imposition? Inconvenient? You betcha!


But it's always your call. Your choice to break plans, your choice to lose money. Nobody is making you do it.

Suck it up, own responsibility for your decision, and spare us the complaints.

So now you have two options - pay the cheapest rate you could find on your own and get the points or save $20 and don't get the points. Without the offer from the B&G, you would only have the first choice.

Having all the options you had before, plus new options, seems an odd thing to be annoyed about.This is the most charitable and civil post in this thread.

As long as the groom disclosed the arrangement (that guests availing themselves of the special $20-off rate would be foregoing Starpoints, with some or all of them going to the newlyweds), there is nothing remotely "unethical" about his behavior.

Based on other comments in this thread, I, too, am curious if the groom may have misunderstood some aspect of his bargain, and will appreciate any investigative updates by the original poster. :cool:

We can agree to disagree.

Yes, let's agree to dissagree.

CPRich seems very agreeable to disagreeing

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?p=5732362&highlight=agree+to+disagree#post5732362
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?p=5523451&highlight=agree+to+disagree#post5523451
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1148663&highlight=agree+to+disagree#post1148663
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?p=3722745&highlight=agree+to+disagree#post3722745
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?p=5369754&highlight=agree+to+disagree#post5369754

Can't we all just get along?!?!?
:p

Interesting thread. I need to go back and re-read it more closely. My initial thoughts/comments:

I estimate that the celebration of a friend's wedding ends up costing me and my significant other approximately $1000 if we are close friends and the wedding is out of town. That estimate includes 2 plane tickets, 2 nights of a hotel, a gift and perhaps attendance/payment towards a bachelor party. While etiquette says that there is no correlation between what people spend on their wedding and the amount of the gift you buy for them, I think the assumption has always been that the bride and groom lay out more money per person than they get back. That's probably true if you look at cost of gift versus cost of attendee. However, the more I look at my budget as a wedding guest, the more I wonder who really "bears a higher cost." Did the bride and groom spend $1000 on the two of us? I doubt it. So my opinion is that on a per person basis it currently costs more to attend a wedding than to hold one.

Having said that, I think that the rationale "the bride and groom are taking a hit so you can be there, so they should get the points" doesn't hold water. If I take the vacation days, buy the plane ticket, pay for the hotel, pay for a gift, then yeah I guess I do at least want my points. My 2cents.

Interestingly, he told me he's only getting something like 7,000 points for the block!

I'm wondering if he's set up as an SPG planner and getting a small % of the points, but is incorrect in thinking the guests won't get any. Is that possible? It is a very large wedding ~300 guests.

ETA - Analise - we crossposted. To be honest, at this point I think I might just stay with a local friend after all. It's $$$ as it's in another major city. To bad I just drained my SPG account in Iguazu! But I won't miss the wedding at all, and I didn't mean to imply that. I just....was surprised.

I'm having my wedding at a Westin in a few months and basically this is how it works (at least for me). We negotiated a block of rooms for a really cheap rate for our guests. They, of course, get their own starpoints, stay credit, whatever (unless I'm paying for it!). I get 2 points for every 3 dollars they spend on the rooms (double normal planner rates), in addition to 2 point for every 3 dollars I spend on the food/banquet facilities, etc. under the starwood preferred planner program. So I think there might just be some miscommunication, the guests definitely gets their own points, I just get some extra points for having it as part of my wedding. The amount the guests spend on their rooms just goes toward our "total spend".

Edited for grammer

I'm having my wedding at a Westin in a few months and basically this is how it works (at least for me). We negotiated a block of rooms for a really cheap rate for our guests. They, of course, get their own starpoints, stay credit, whatever (unless I'm paying for it!). I get 2 points for every 3 dollars they spend on the rooms (double normal planner rates), in addition to 2 point for every 3 dollars I spend on the food/banquet facilities, etc. under the starwood preferred planner program. So I think there might just be some miscommunication, the guest definite gets their own points, I just get some extra points for having it as part of my wedding. The amount the guests spend on their rooms just goes toward our "total spend".

I have been surprised that William hasn't weighed in on this thread - but I was wondering how the hotel could not give points to the paying guests for a block of rooms that could be booked directly with the hotel. I'm guessing that the OP is confused and that they are probably earning 1 point for every 3 dollars spent by their guests and their guests are still earning points if they are members of SPG. @:-)

I am going to be attending an upcoming wedding and staying at a Westin - I'm fairly low on the SPG elite totem pole. I booked at the blocked wedding group rate, which is about $20 less than the 2nd best rate I could find.

Yesterday, the groom mentioned to me that he had it set up with the hotel that he would earn all the points generated through the block. I'm not trying to be selfish here, but short of pulling out of the block, is there any way to insist that SPG give the points I earn to ME, and not the bride and groom? It just kind of grates, considering how the money I am spending to be there.

Additionally, will it count towards my elite status?

I'm betting the B&G are gonna love your wedding gift too....

I'm betting the B&G are gonna love your wedding gift too....

LOL, well said AZ, well said :D

I'm betting the B&G are gonna love your wedding gift too....

Plus he is getting miles OFF THEM by charging it to his CC :D

mike