Most weddings have been cancelled, rescheduled, or temporarily postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic and continuous shelter-in-place order. But Hotels.com recognizes that this is the most important day of many people’s lives—so it’s offering a solution.
Headquartered in Dallas, Hotels.com calls itself “the most rewarding way to book a place to stay.” Originally founded in 1991 as Hotel Reservations Network, the brand joined Expedia Group in 2001 and changed its name. The online platform today hosts hundreds of thousands of temporary residences around the world through its stock of 90 local websites in 41 languages.
Most people recognize Hotels.com through its “brand mascot,” Captain Obvious. While the captain is typically displaying how easy (and obvious) it is to book a room on the site, Hotels.com’s newest announcement is that it’s taking on weddings during the pandemic.
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The brand said that in a recent survey on The Knot, 96 percent of soon-to-be newlyweds said they were planning to move the date of their wedding. But for people that don’t want to wait—or financially can’t—the ordained Captain Obvious is ready to help.
“Chaplain” Obvious is now marrying couples virtually in states where its legal throughout the national quarantine. Once a couple fills out a questionnaire online, Hotels.com will select which couples the captain will marry. If chosen, you’ll receive $5,000 to be used toward a future honeymoon—and not a virtual one.
“When we saw that people were opting to take their wedding ceremonies online, we obviously knew we had the perfect chaplain to them help out,” Josh Belkin, VP of global brand at Hotels.com, said in a statement. “With these virtual unions, we’re hoping to take one less stress off couples’ plates by inviting them to get married and take the honeymoon of their dreams once it becomes safe to do so.”
Submissions are open until Sunday, May 17.
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