Travel agency or direct booking?

[Danaddesign]

Hello all, Hope everyone is doing well. I am looking for advice on booking. Our wedding will be at Dreams Cancun in September 2011. As of right now we're just reserving our date and not booking rooms and flights until flights for September 2011 are published and we can do so together in a package deal. My question is whether to use a travel agency or book direct. I'm thinking of using an agency because they seem to have better discounts but am nervous as I've read horror stories of people arriving at their destination to find they don't have rooms due to some error in the booking process. Can anyone recomend a reputable agency that gives good deals?

 

Thanks in advance for your help,

Dana

[jaccat15]

I would use a TA that you or someone you know has used before and has experience with booking wedding groups.

 

A friend of ours is getting married at the Paradisus in May and we liked how she communicated with us (very quick and efficiently) and had established a comfort level with her. When we decided to book our wedding at Secrets, we knew exactly who we were going to use.

 

On the other hand, you might be able to work directly with the hotel's group sales dept. yourself - it's purely up to you. As a fellow bride, I would leave that part of the wedding in the hands of someone you know and trust....and ALWAYS make sure you receive and sign a contract concerning your room block - helps to protect you and your guests against those horror stories.

 

Good luck!

[rosieposie]

we're also going with a TA and also just reserved our wedding date with the resort while we wait for quotes to come in.

 

like jaccat15 says - be sure you have signed contracts in place, that way its all there on ink and paper. also save all your email correspondence and print them out to bring with you for reference in the event of any descrepencies.

 

good luck!

[Mere]

I went with a TA even after I did all of the search and knew exactly what I wanted-helped her out-lol. I just feel more secure with a TA.

[DiamondGirl]

I couldn't agree more. Use a TA, you'll already have plenty to worry about.

[Danaddesign]

Thanks to everyone for the advice. I'm going TA

[ReeRee]

I was wondering the same thing and just when I was about to post the question on a thread, I saw your thread! My clarifying questions to everyone is, is the hotel rooms and flights actually cheaper by booking with a TA? Or is booking through Orbitz or CheapCarribean.com cheaper?? If anyone has had compared the prices, please let me know!! Thank you ladies!

[laurenvuitton]

my guest have been much better rates through the direct website instead of going through our TA

[ReeRee]

Thank you Laurenvuitton for the response! I thought it would be cheaper to buy direct...

[*JillD*]

It really depends, but most of the time I've found booking direct with the hotel, the prices are more expensive. And if the hotel does have a lower rate, most of the time a TA should be able to match it.

 

Also, the hotel isn't going to help you with the organization of your group. I know that the TA's here on the forum all specialize in destination weddings and we all make sure that everyone in your group has flights booked, has transfers to and from the airport, that the wedding coordinator and the concierge are aware of who the members of your group are, when they are arriving, and that you are well taken care, answering your guests questions, answering your questions about the wedding planning portion, and the list goes on and on...

 

Using a TA that primarily books vacations is a lot different than working with a TA that works primarily with destination weddings and there are a lot of things that go on behind the scenes that brides & grooms aren't aware of, a lot of time and effort goes into getting everyone's travel arrangements made.

 

And in regards to whether or not orbitz has better prices. Check out the review someone posted a few weeks ago about their guests being bumped from Dreams Cancun, that had booked on orbitz. If the resort is overbooked, they will bump guests that booked through online discount sites first, doesn't really seem worth it to save a couple bucks!