Quick answer: An attrition clause is a contract term requiring a minimum percentage of a hotel room block to be booked, with a penalty applying if the final guest count falls short.
Why it matters: Wedding guest counts often shift between the initial room block reservation and the actual event, and an attrition clause can turn that normal fluctuation into an unexpected charge.
The short answer: If your final guest count comes in below the contracted percentage, you may be charged for the unfilled rooms regardless of who actually shows up.
What to check:
- Have you read the specific attrition percentage in your hotel contract?
- Is your guest count estimate conservative enough to avoid triggering the clause?
- Have you compared this risk against a villa buyout, which doesn’t carry the same attrition exposure?
The bottom line: An attrition clause shifts guest-count risk onto the couple — worth understanding fully before signing a hotel room block contract.