Stessed To The Max....need Advice

[kcole123]

Hi Ladies,

I am hoping some of you can give me some advice. Here is a brief lay down of what is going on:

 

I spent a lot of time emailing different travel agents to see which ones would be best. Anyway the travel agent I now have was fantastic at the beginning and was very quick with her responses and very helpful. But I found as soon as we chose her for us and our groups travel, she was not as responsive. Then I emails her this morning to only get an auto response back saying she is out of the country until Aug 4th and that her response times will be less and may take her longer to respond than usual. My groups deposit is due on July 4th and not a lot of people has booked yet leaving me to think they will probably wait until the last minute. I am nervous now thinking that people will be frustrated and go elsewhere and book on their own.

 

In her email she had given a name of another person to contact for emergencies. My question is do I switch to this person? If so, how do I contact and let my guests now because I don't have a wedding website to update those things. I also don't have everyone's email address? I really regret now not having a website. I didn't think I would run into this issue at all.

 

What would you do?

[acw271011]

Switch immediately! If you're under a deposit deadline, don't wait! You don't want to lose spaces just because somebody didn't care enough about her clients to let them know she was leaving. Get in touch with the "replacement" and give her a piece of your mind, then tell her you need immediate help. Then I would enlist family members to help either with phone or email to get the word out. The fact that your agent has changed is a good excuse to gently remind people that they need to get their deposits in by calling or emailing and just saying "oh I know you don't have your deposit down yet, and we're really hoping you will be able to join us, but the agent we were using had an emergency and will be gone until past our deadline so we want to make sure you have the proper contact info. Do you have a pen and I'll give it to you"

 

That nudges them a bit to get them thinking about it again. The thing is you're going to have people procrastinate no matter what. It's hard for people sometimes to think that a year from now we want you to use a week of your vacation to come to our wedding. They may be thinking about  how that will affect their other plans for vacation, or if they have work deadlines, will they be able to get away. Plus, being after Xmas, will they have the money to be able to go. There are so many factors that people will think about.

 

But definitely, first and foremost, get in touch witht he replacement agent. That's your most critical thing. Your deadline is only a couple of weeks away.

 

Good luck!!

[kcole123]

Got in touch in my replacement. Whoever can't reach my travel agent in reasonable time frame, they are to contact the replacement. They should be able to reach someone with the two of them on it. Hopefully it doesn't cause any problems. I can't wait until the deposit deadline to be honest because whoever is booked at that point, is booked. At least my stress levels will be less hopefully when that's done with.

[kmk2016]

I'm glad it worked out.... Or at least that the new person seems to be stepping up. Are you still going to reach out/remind folks of the deadline in two weeks and give them the new TA information?

 

 

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[kcole123]

hi kmk2016,

I have already reached out to everyone and let them know about the TA information and the deadline. No one seems to be responding though. I don't know if they think leaving it until the last day is ok and it will work but under the circumstances I think it might take 24-48 hours for either of the TA to get back to them. Right now we basically just have our families that have booked. There are others saying that they still have to book but I am not expecting too much at this point to be honest. I am kind of disappointed that people don't seem as excited as we are. But ultimately our families being there will be important to us and they have already booked. My FI is more positive about all this than I am. He says to me "Kristy when it comes down to it, if people can't go they can't go, you can't make these people book and go to the wedding." - Basically it is what it is.

[kmk2016]

hi kmk2016,

I have already reached out to everyone and let them know about the TA information and the deadline. No one seems to be responding though. I don't know if they think leaving it until the last day is ok and it will work but under the circumstances I think it might take 24-48 hours for either of the TA to get back to them. Right now we basically just have our families that have booked. There are others saying that they still have to book but I am not expecting too much at this point to be honest. I am kind of disappointed that people don't seem as excited as we are. But ultimately our families being there will be important to us and they have already booked. My FI is more positive about all this than I am. He says to me "Kristy when it comes down to it, if people can't go they can't go, you can't make these people book and go to the wedding." - Basically it is what it is.

I totally hear you! My invites go out next week and the 90 day booking window for our guests starts this Friday (Im going to put my deposits down on Friday to start the clock, since there is an added sale that ends next week paying 1/2 of the taxes... so if I start the contract before that expires, all our guests can take advantage.) Im starting to panic that no one will book and that I will be disappointed. I got our deposits knocked down to $150 and then guests have over a year to pay off the rest... so it seems like a no brainer- but I KNOW I am going to have my feelings hurt at some stage of the process, when someone I really expected to come through, doesnt book.

 

I guess its the price we pay for saying "I Do" with the sand between our toes and the sunshine beaming overhead... I just need to remind myself of the mantra- those who are meant to be there, will be.

 

No turning back now!

[kcole123]

haha yeah no turning back now.

 

My deposits are only $50 for the guests. And they have until Feb to pay it off and they also knew about the wedding months ago. So it shouldn't be a problem but there are still people that can't afford it, have other vacations planned, pregnant, or just are slacking in paying their deposits. I don't know why they are waiting for the last minute if some people already know they are going, then just put down the 50 bucks already. I don't understand it. Maybe it will be just family there who knows.

 

I have to say that I am disappointed in a couple of people already girl. That goes with it I guess.

[nikkicraig10]

Before reading onto the comments I was going to say - Hopefully your TA has it arranged with her replacement that any inquiries to do with your party would smoothly go through the replacement.

 

Anyway - with the deposit deadline, did she give any lead time? For example, my deposits are not actually due until August 1st, but I sent out the deadline of July 14th to everyone, to give them, and my TA (incase she was sick on that 1 day, or some sort of emergency!) a back up plan!

 

Best of luck! This is the most stressful time!

Edited June 17, 2014 by nikkicraig10

[kcole123]

@@nikkicraig10

That's actually a smart idea. I didn't think of doing that. I have the deadline sent out for the actual deadline of July 4th. I wish I had to think of that then maybe everyone would have their deposits in by now.

 

How are you doing with it? do you have many people booked so far? how many did you invite?

[FutureMrsGlover]

@@kcole123......I am setting our deposit deadline for October 1, 2014, knowing that there will always be folks who are last minute.  The actual deadline is Nov. 15th.  My travel agent actually recommended this to me from her experience in the past.

Also, I wouldn't let it stress you out about who books and who doesn't.  I made up my mind months ago that I am only concerned about me and the FI being there.   Whoever else comes is just icing on the cake.  Don't get me wrong family and friends are important but the marriage is between the two people taking the vows.