In all your wedding planning, don’t forget to have a getaway plan. Once the wedding and reception are over, where will you spend your first night together? The answer depends on many factors, such as where your wedding is and your living situation.
Many couples choose to stay in a hotel or Airbnb for a special, romantic night (and a little privacy). So let’s get into which one is better for your wedding night.
Where Do You Go Once the Wedding Is Over?
Have you considered where you’ll go once your wedding day is over? You’ll likely be tired at the end of the day. But it’s also your first night together as a married couple.
You may have some nerves leading up to it, so you’ll want to stay somewhere comfortable. (That doesn’t mean your childhood bedroom or your parents’ house.)
Now, if you already have an apartment or your own house ready to move into, you may want to spend the night at home. But if you want a romantic getaway, you can stay in an Airbnb or hotel. This is the go-to option for most couples, but is one better than the other? Let’s find out.
Can You Stay in an Airbnb on Your Wedding Night?
You can find tons of cute, stylish, and affordable Airbnbs to spend the night in. You can also find one almost anywhere. However, they may come with extra fees, and you have no way of knowing how well they clean and care for the place.
Additionally, sometimes the hosts live there too. That would make it a little awkward for your first night as a married couple.
On the other hand, sometimes you can find an Airbnb with a whole house or apartment to yourself, which you may prefer. You may also want a certain style, such as a beach house or a cottage in the woods.
Some Airbnbs do provide nice amenities, such as pools, on occasion. But it’ll likely take more searching and cost more than a hotel. We stayed in an Airbnb apart hotel. This means that each room of the hotel is owned privately and is rented as an Airbnb, but it resides inside a hotel.
This worked well for us since we still got hotel amenities and services. However, it was more expensive than getting a normal hotel due to the cleaning and service fees added on at the end.
Why Hotels Are Better Than Airbnbs for Your Wedding Night
Your wedding night is a special, exciting, and intimate experience. You want to do all you can to make it a good one. And where you stay can make all the difference. While Airbnbs can make a good option, here’s why I prefer hotels.
Cleaner
A hotel must follow certain codes of operation and have specific licensing requirements. This means they are often cleaner than some Airbnbs. They’ll provide fresh towels and linens and soaps and shampoos.
You can be assured that they clean the rooms after each guest. However, I don’t recommend cheap hotels or motels where they may have lower cleanliness standards. Stay somewhere nice with good reviews. It is your wedding night, after all.
Better Service
Another pro to staying in a hotel on your wedding night is that they provide better service. After a long day of partying and barely eating, you’ll likely be hungry but won’t want to go out. In a hotel, you can get room service delivered to your door.
Some hotels might also offer dry cleaning or laundry services for the groom’s suit or white shirt. And if you tell them it’s your wedding night, they may upgrade you, decorate your room, or provide some sort of extra service like chocolates or a free dessert.
On our wedding night, I broke a glass of water. We just called down to the front desk, and someone came and cleaned it up for us. You don’t have that service in an Airbnb. The hotel also didn’t charge me for the glass.
Better Amenities
Hotels also offer more amenities like a restaurant, cafe, mini-market, pools, or hot tubs. Or they may have some of those options nearby. You may also enjoy a soak in the hot tub or a dip in the pool to relax and cool off.
After the chaos and business of your wedding day, you may need a few things like ibuprofen, wet wipes, shampoo, condoms, or a bandaid because of those heels you wore all night. A hotel may have some of these available to purchase behind the front desk or in its store.
We were desperate for some water when we checked in that night. So we paid for someone to bring us a liter of water, which they brought to our room.
Better Location
Additionally, you don’t want to have to travel too far to get there. You can often find hotels near most wedding venues, depending on your area.
If you get married in the mountains, you might have better luck finding a woodsy cottage on Airbnb. But you can generally find nice hotels nearby for your wedding night.
More Options
Finally, you can find many types and styles of hotels. You may want a hotel room with a view or a modern room with a king-size bed. I definitely recommend the king-size bed for your wedding night. It’s comfier and spacier if you’re not used to sleeping with someone in bed with you.
Or you can get a hotel with an ensuite or a jacuzzi tub for two people. I also highly recommend the jacuzzi tub. It’s the perfect way to relax and settle into the rest of the night’s activities.
Other Places to Stay on Your Wedding Night
If neither an Airbnb nor a hotel sounds appealing for your wedding night, you can find other places to stay. You can spend the night in your new home if you have an apartment or a house. It would make a special way to begin your marriage.
But I recommend having someone go in and prepare it for you so you don’t have to worry. They can put up candles or flower petals, turn on music, or add essential oil scents to set the mood.
Having a married friend or bridesmaid do this for you can avoid some awkwardness. And they’ll have a better idea of what you might want or need that night.
Or you may stay in your family’s cabin or go camping in an RV if you love the outdoors. (I don’t really recommend the camping option as you’ll likely want a comfy bed and relaxing surroundings). But whatever you choose, just don’t stay in your parents’ house (even if no one is there) or in a cheap hotel.
Make Your Wedding Night Special
Make this special night perfect and memorable. Find a place to stay that you may want to come back to. We have returned twice to our wedding hotel, which was special and fun. Make it a romantic getaway, and really enjoy the experience. Where you stay can make a big difference on your first night as a married couple.
Need help finding a place? Let me know where your wedding will be and what you want. I’ll help you find the perfect place in a personalized Love Letter.
Comment below or head over to my contact page. You can also DM me on Instagram or Facebook.
And while you’re planning, don’t forget to make a wedding playlist! Trust me, you won’t regret it!
Happy planning!
Love, Laurel
