Calgary Brides!

[pbrozek]

Hello ladies!

 

I'm also a Calgary bride! I'll be getting married in Mexico on Feb 29th, 2012. I'm so pumped to find this thread!

 

P

[Sunshine2680]

Awesome! Thanks!!
 

Originally Posted by star18 

They didn't give me any options on the color, but they did let me print a couple trial ones to see how it would look for free which was nice. The color turned out fine though. Just do a sample first and see if you like it.

 

 

[Sunshine2680]

Welcome! Nice to see another 2012 bride on here!

Originally Posted by pbrozek 

Hello ladies!

 

I'm also a Calgary bride! I'll be getting married in Mexico on Feb 29th, 2012. I'm so pumped to find this thread!

 

P

 

[Sunshine2680]

Hi All - just got our 1st quotes back from the TA for Nov 2012 prices. EEKS! They're a lot higher than I thought.
For a couple of the Dreams Resorts we're looking at paying $1700+ pp for double occupancy!

I've  been to mexico 5 times now and I've stayed at equivalent Star resorts and have never paid this much!
I realize there's a risk with booking online or by yourself - but I just can't figure out why these prices are so much higher and we're apparently getting a 'group rate'/ deal.

Does anyone know if this is the norm? Are any other brides taking the risk of booking separately?

[star18]

Hey,

 

I am in the same boat. The prices I am getting for Feb 2012 are much higher than I anticipated, not sure if they will go down. All the prices aren't out yet so I am waiting on that but still not sure if I should go with a TA or book on our own. We are getting prices from about $1800 and higher for Dreams PV for Feb 2012 for a basic room.

 

I have found in the past that West Jet had the best prices and I am waiting for them to come out before I make any decisions. A couple of posts ago their was a phone number for West Jet for group bookings, maybe try that number and see what they say.

 

Good Luck

Originally Posted by Sunshine2680 

Hi All - just got our 1st quotes back from the TA for Nov 2012 prices. EEKS! They're a lot higher than I thought.
For a couple of the Dreams Resorts we're looking at paying $1700+ pp for double occupancy!

I've  been to mexico 5 times now and I've stayed at equivalent Star resorts and have never paid this much!
I realize there's a risk with booking online or by yourself - but I just can't figure out why these prices are so much higher and we're apparently getting a 'group rate'/ deal.

Does anyone know if this is the norm? Are any other brides taking the risk of booking separately?

 

[star18]

Welcome! Congrats!!! This site is so awesome and helpful. Where are you getting married in Mexico? We are getting married on Feb 24th in Puerto Vallarta.

Originally Posted by pbrozek 

Hello ladies!

 

I'm also a Calgary bride! I'll be getting married in Mexico on Feb 29th, 2012. I'm so pumped to find this thread!

 

P

 

[Sunshine2680]

UGH! This is so frustrating. Those quotes were for Sunquest and she's still waiting to hear back from Signature/Sunwing and Transat Holidays. She actually advised us to NOT go

with Westjet because they're the only travel company that requires deposits for ALL your guests and if less than the anticipated amount book- you lose that part of your deposit!!
Too bad because I really like Westjet.
I really don't get why its so much more expensive to book with the TA - they say they don't charge a fee- but I honestly wonder...
 

Originally Posted by star18 

Hey,

 

I am in the same boat. The prices I am getting for Feb 2012 are much higher than I anticipated, not sure if they will go down. All the prices aren't out yet so I am waiting on that but still not sure if I should go with a TA or book on our own. We are getting prices from about $1800 and higher for Dreams PV for Feb 2012 for a basic room.

 

I have found in the past that West Jet had the best prices and I am waiting for them to come out before I make any decisions. A couple of posts ago their was a phone number for West Jet for group bookings, maybe try that number and see what they say.

 

Good Luck

 

 

[star18]

I just looked again at prices. Sunquest just came out today and the prices are insane, for a deluxe room the want $2279 + 329 tax+ $2608 per person for 1 week!!!!! OMG! who is going to pay these prices???

 

For my friends wedding last year, she got married in the Mayan in April. I booked with West Jet thru their Website in July and I payed $1300 + tax. My friend went thru a travel agent and used AIr Canada and payed atleast $300 more. The only difference was that I had to pay upfront and she could do a deposit but she still had to pay in full by September, so in the end she wished she just had put it on her credit card for the couple of months difference it made.

 

I am NOT doing any deposits for guests and I have seen this go bad way too many times. I am waiting for quotes and then posting the quotes and travel agents number/email and getting guests to book their own trips to save a lot of headache. I think this will save a lot of stress on our part and also guests as they can book when they want. As far as deposits I am going to contact immediate family and people I know are coming for sure and letting them know when prices come out, so they can put a deposit on the price to get our 10 guests to hold the price. The rest of our guest will be contacted thru our wedding website or email. You only need 10 people for most airlines, so that is only 5 rooms including yourselves.

 

I'm sure it will all work out, we just need to be patient. We still have a lot of time, so hopefully prices come down,not up!!

Originally Posted by Sunshine2680 

UGH! This is so frustrating. Those quotes were for Sunquest and she's still waiting to hear back from Signature/Sunwing and Transat Holidays. She actually advised us to NOT go

with Westjet because they're the only travel company that requires deposits for ALL your guests and if less than the anticipated amount book- you lose that part of your deposit!!
Too bad because I really like Westjet.
I really don't get why its so much more expensive to book with the TA - they say they don't charge a fee- but I honestly wonder...
 

 

 

[Sunshine2680]

WoW! That is insane!!
Ugh - you're darned if you do and you're darned if you dont. Which resort(s) are you looking at?
We're considering one of the 3 Dreams resorts in the Mayan as well as the Barcelo Maya - but the Barclo is looking to be quite pricey too and I don't want to risk loosing my guests within the 5 resorts ...especially when not everyone can play at all of them.
I feel bad even having to ask people to pay more than $1500pp!!
Its sooo ridiculous...these TA have you by the short hairs...unless you're the risky type and leave everyone to book theirs online. They even have us believing that we're saving $500 per couple by booking early! NOT
Ya- we'll just have to see what happens.
 

Originally Posted by star18 

I just looked again at prices. Sunquest just came out today and the prices are insane, for a deluxe room the want $2279 + 329 tax+ $2608 per person for 1 week!!!!! OMG! who is going to pay these prices???

 

For my friends wedding last year, she got married in the Mayan in April. I booked with West Jet thru their Website in July and I payed $1300 + tax. My friend went thru a travel agent and used AIr Canada and payed atleast $300 more. The only difference was that I had to pay upfront and she could do a deposit but she still had to pay in full by September, so in the end she wished she just had put it on her credit card for the couple of months difference it made.

 

I am NOT doing any deposits for guests and I have seen this go bad way too many times. I am waiting for quotes and then posting the quotes and travel agents number/email and getting guests to book their own trips to save a lot of headache. I think this will save a lot of stress on our part and also guests as they can book when they want. As far as deposits I am going to contact immediate family and people I know are coming for sure and letting them know when prices come out, so they can put a deposit on the price to get our 10 guests to hold the price. The rest of our guest will be contacted thru our wedding website or email. You only need 10 people for most airlines, so that is only 5 rooms including yourselves.

 

I'm sure it will all work out, we just need to be patient. We still have a lot of time, so hopefully prices come down,not up!!

 

 

[proti007]

I'm not sure if you two have looked at this thread, but there are many other Canadian brides in the same boat:

 

http://www.bestdestinationwedding.com/forum/thread/68095/group-booking-stress

 

I got quotes from WestJet and Air Canada (I would never, EVER travel with any charter company for my wedding based on some of the horror stories I have heard ie. Sunwing/Sunquest/Air Transat), and they were overpriced, and required deposits and PIF very early (PIF 6 months before wedding!). Dreams is notorious for doing this, so watch out!

 

We opted to have our guests book with Expedia. Although they did have to PIF, the rates were much, MUCH lower. Sunshine, booking a last minute holiday is very different from booking a wedding. You will not get the same rates. I had a lot of family in Toronto complain that they paid under $1000 for all-inclusive to Mexico, etc, and I just had to tell them that when you book early, you are going to pay more. I am extremely happy with the rates I was able to get from Expedia, and my guests are, too. Something to look into. Also, I am happy I did not have to deal with ANY of the travel info for guests. A HUGE stress-relief.

 

Originally Posted by star18 

I just looked again at prices. Sunquest just came out today and the prices are insane, for a deluxe room the want $2279 + 329 tax+ $2608 per person for 1 week!!!!! OMG! who is going to pay these prices???

 

For my friends wedding last year, she got married in the Mayan in April. I booked with West Jet thru their Website in July and I payed $1300 + tax. My friend went thru a travel agent and used AIr Canada and payed atleast $300 more. The only difference was that I had to pay upfront and she could do a deposit but she still had to pay in full by September, so in the end she wished she just had put it on her credit card for the couple of months difference it made.

 

I am NOT doing any deposits for guests and I have seen this go bad way too many times. I am waiting for quotes and then posting the quotes and travel agents number/email and getting guests to book their own trips to save a lot of headache. I think this will save a lot of stress on our part and also guests as they can book when they want. As far as deposits I am going to contact immediate family and people I know are coming for sure and letting them know when prices come out, so they can put a deposit on the price to get our 10 guests to hold the price. The rest of our guest will be contacted thru our wedding website or email. You only need 10 people for most airlines, so that is only 5 rooms including yourselves.

 

I'm sure it will all work out, we just need to be patient. We still have a lot of time, so hopefully prices come down,not up!!