To travel agent or not to travel agent?

[katman]

THANK YOU!!
Very much appreciated!

 

 

Originally Posted by starchild 

Regarding our BDW travel agents, you can contact them HERE!  They specialize in destination weddings.

[whatsup]

Good discussion for and against.

As many of our guests travel quite frequently, we've left it up to them to make flight arrangements also many are planning to come and go at different times. Some are coming for a few days, some for a week.

[jordanb]

I was anti using a TA to begin with (partially because I ALWAYS book my own and family's travel so I think I have a good handle on it, and partially because I am a control freak) but decided to go with it and now SO glad I did. My TA, who I found online and specializes in destination weddings, was able to book everyone through a tour company, which saved big bucks compared to what I found online - on airfare, rooms and transport (like $700 per couple)! Also, as part of the tour company, we get a $50 credit back in cash for every person who books a room for our wedding! It should be over $1000 we'll then get to put towards our own travel!

 

Another plus, I am having 75 guests at my wedding, in Mexico, many of whom are elderly, don't travel a lot and don't go online much. The thought of getting calls from half of them asking me what the best option was, how to book, when to book - it would have driven me over the edge. All I have to do now is tell them to call the TA.She also lets me know as soon as people book, so I have an accurate running list of who is really coming, and don’t have to hound them.

 

As far as her role in planning the wedding, she got the rates and booked my wedding package and the group’s travel, but I handle the rest. She would be more involved if I wanted her to be, but I prefer to talk to the resort directly instead of playing telephone through someone else.

 

I only decided to even look into a TA when I found my resort difficult to work with on my own to book a discounted group block, but am super glad I did.

[LTLFAITHY]

We have been in touch with one of the TA's from this forum (Teresa) and she has been great! We are just waiting for the contract for the room block to come back from the resort (Now Sapphire). Today however, I was looking at some online travel sites and it looks like booking a "Flight & Hotel" package is less expensive (by between $70-$100) than if guests book the hotel through the TA and their flights separately......................has anybody else run into this?? I'm super confused about what to do now. 

[jriftin]

Yes, I feel like the package deals you get from the bigger companies, like Sun Wing  and Sunquest (Canada) are pretty hard to beat in terms of price.  But I know for us, the room rate guarantee is going to be a nice feature when we have almost half of the people coming from Europe and the same deals don't exist here.  

[Adesir8]

So at first I was thinking there was absolutely no need for a TA, and thought the prices I was getting online and from the hotel directly were much better. But thinking it through and working with Babs, a BDW TA....SO GLAD we're going with them! She's been making it so easy.  HER prices were much better, as they def included transfers, and just all around cheaper.  Plus it helps to have someone there to explain everything to you and your guests.  Love that they won't have to come to me for questions (at least I hope)  Not to mention, they'll be able to breakdown payments into a plan (not paying everything upfront) I know some of my guests will appreciate that (esp my younger bro/sis/cousins) Babs is great! Plus she says HOLLA (holler) in her emails/calls to me. LOVE HER!

[LTLFAITHY]

That's hysterical ~ HOLLA ~ love it.

And the fact that guests will be able to breakup payments is also a big plus for a lot of our friends with new families. And I emailed the TA that we've been talking with and she said that if guests do find better deals on internet travel sites like Travelocity, that they can usually price match. So I think that kind of sealed the deal for us, now we are just waiting to get the room contract back!! Yay!! 

 

Originally Posted by Adesir8 

So at first I was thinking there was absolutely no need for a TA, and thought the prices I was getting online and from the hotel directly were much better. But thinking it through and working with Babs, a BDW TA....SO GLAD we're going with them! She's been making it so easy.  HER prices were much better, as they def included transfers, and just all around cheaper.  Plus it helps to have someone there to explain everything to you and your guests.  Love that they won't have to come to me for questions (at least I hope)  Not to mention, they'll be able to breakdown payments into a plan (not paying everything upfront) I know some of my guests will appreciate that (esp my younger bro/sis/cousins) Babs is great! Plus she says HOLLA (holler) in her emails/calls to me. LOVE HER!

[Adesir8]

YES! the price match is awesome too!!! such a weight lifted off my shoulders.

Originally Posted by LTLFAITHY 

That's hysterical ~ HOLLA ~ love it.

And the fact that guests will be able to breakup payments is also a big plus for a lot of our friends with new families. And I emailed the TA that we've been talking with and she said that if guests do find better deals on internet travel sites like Travelocity, that they can usually price match. So I think that kind of sealed the deal for us, now we are just waiting to get the room contract back!! Yay!! 

 

[KLPhoto]

please use a travel agent! I use Julie from Vacations to Remember for all of my destination weddings and so do my couples! You are guaranteed the lowest price

 

www.KristinLaVoiePhotography.com

[Kel123073]

We made our own save the dates because my FI really wanted to send the boarding pass!  but for brides really watching their budget, our travel our printed 250 free save the dates for us that were really nice, served the purpose!  We are using Liberty Travel.....just a little bit of info for the budget conscious that I haven't seen on here before!