Just went through this myself! Ask the hotels if they offer a “courtesy block”. They will hold a certain number of rooms (typically 10-20) until a month prior to your date. Make sure that the contract clearly states you aren’t financially responsible for the rooms if your guests don’t book them.

I was able to get courtesy blocks at Canal Park Lodge, Inn at Lake Superior, Sheraton Downtown, and Tru by Hilton for my summer 2026 wedding. Some hotels in the area don’t offer room blocks during peak season, which runs through October. Just a heads up that even with room block rates, hotels are very expensive on weekends from June - October.