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hello beatiful brides! anyone thinking of a destination wedding with no guests?? I've been looking at different resorts and pricing, block rates etc...I was overwhelmed lol. So next best idea....no guest. I have a $6000 budget.
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4 Reasons Why Staying at a Smaller Resort is Ideal for You
MarieSamSanchezPhoto posted a article in Planning
With so many options out there, choosing the resort to host your wedding festivities can be quite a difficult task. But besides location, a resort's size can often play a huge role in setting the tone for your entire celebration and getaway. Here are 4 reasons why a smaller resort is the right choice for you: 1. Group gatherings are easier to coordinate. When your resort is of smaller size, your wedding group will literally take over the property -- and that can be a great thing! It won't be hard to run into your attendees at a smaller resort and it makes it much easier to plan gatherings for the group. A unique camaraderie is one of the best things about destination weddings because you end up making great memories together! 2. Everything is conveniently located and you won't feel intimidated by the size of the resort. I've stayed at huge resorts before and while the walks from one spot to another helped ease the damage I was doing to my vacation waistline a la all-inclusive style vacationing, I didn't always feel like "hiking" everywhere. Big resorts while spacious and offer a lot to see, are not always convenient. Smaller resorts have a much more intimate feel and nothing is ever too far of a walk. When I vacationed at Azul Beach Hotel in Puerto Morelos, Mexico this past spring, I was surprised by the spacious but intimate feel of the resort. I loved that everything was just a short distance/walk away -- this is especially helpful on those warm days when all you want to do is lay by the pool or take a dip in the ocean because a dose of water therapy is always nearby! 3. You won't feel overwhelmed by the crowds. With large resorts come big crowds. At a smaller resorts you won't feel like the pools have too many people in them or that the beach is too crowded. And when you're looking for some true R&R, a smaller crowd is a must! 4. Getting dinner reservations is typically pretty easy. When you're staying at smaller resorts that offer a variety of food options, you'll find that dinner reservations aren't hard to come by. So planning that special dinner for two or perhaps a group meal will be a cinch. For more information about smaller resort options for your destination celebration or vacation, contact one of the Best Destination Wedding travel agents who specialize in destination wedding and honeymoon travel throughout the world. You can contact them HERE! - - - About me: I am a former BDW Bride AKA as MarieSam and I was addicted to this forum as I planned my own wedding in 2009. Since 2010, I have been the proud owner of MarieSam Sanchez Photography -- a husband and wife photography team based in Southern California and documenting love all over the world. I am also a mother to two girls, an avid traveler and a destination wedding writer/blogger.-
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5 Reasons Why Staying at a Larger Resort is Ideal for You
MarieSamSanchezPhoto posted a article in Planning
With so many options out there, choosing the resort to host your wedding festivities can be quite a difficult task. But besides location, a resort's size can often play a huge role in setting the tone for your entire celebration and getaway. Here are 5 reasons why a larger resort is the right choice for you: 1) There's lots of space and usually a plethora of options to host events and celebrations. Larger resorts will typically have more options for you to choose from when it comes to hosting weddings, events or gatherings -- and this is really important when it comes to larger celebrations that include a lot of guests (like Indian destination weddings). Aside from the wedding, if you plan on hosting a welcome gathering or farewell breakfast or brunch, a larger resort will give you different spaces/areas to choose from. Mega resorts like Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort in Cancun offer a wide variety of incredible spaces and location options for brides and grooms who want different settings/atmospheres for their celebratory events. 2) There's typically a lot of stuff to do on a large resort. Larger resorts will be packed with lots of different areas to explore and plenty of things to do. Expect an abundance of activities both day and night for kids and adults alike. It's impossible to get bored at a large resort because there are ways to keep busy from morning till night. 3) You will usually have a lot of food options and eateries to choose from. With a larger resort usually comes many food options and eateries. If you want you and your guests to have a variety of food and drink options, a larger resort will often give you more than enough choices. 4) Every day will give you an opportunity to explore a different part of the resort -- it's like you're in your own city! If you're the type who wants to be able to do everything and anything without leaving your resort grounds, consider a larger resort. You can choose a different part of the resort to explore and experience each day. Besides restaurants and pools, larger resorts will often have a nightclub, lounges, bars and daily entertainment for you to enjoy. 5) You will have the opportunity to meet and interact with a lot of different people. If you love being social, a bigger resort will give you plenty of opportunities to do get your mingle on. For more information about larger resort options for your destination celebration or vacation, contact one of the Best Destination Wedding travel agents who specialize in destination wedding and honeymoon travel throughout the world. You can contact them HERE! - - - About me: I am a former BDW Bride AKA as MarieSam and I was addicted to this forum as I planned my own wedding in 2009. Since 2010, I have been the proud owner of MarieSam Sanchez Photography -- a husband and wife photography team based in Southern California and documenting love all over the world. I am also a mother to two girls, an avid traveler and a destination wedding writer/blogger.-
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Dealing with Guests Who Want to Book Outside the Travel Agent Group Rate The art of getting all your guests to place their deposits for your destination wedding accommodations and finalize their booking through your travel agent can be hard -- we're talking rocket science hard. Because you'll likely have at least one guest who needs a little more time to book, another guest who goes rogue and THINKS they have found a better deal at the same resort, and of course another set of guests who decide they're going to stay at another resort all together. So how do you deal with this? The bottom line is: be open and honest with your guests from the start, and be sure they have full information on the process of booking their stay.. When wedding guests book outside the established travel agent group rate, there is often a resort surcharge for that person to attend any of your scheduled events. So let your guests know about these extra fees that must be paid if they book outside your contracted group rate. Since couples have arranged a group rate and held rooms for their guests in a group block, many brides and grooms do pass any additional charge for booking outside the group on to those guests who choose that route. So convey to your guests ahead of time what the ramifications are if they book on their own. Having guests book elsewhere could also put additional pressure on the wedding couple, as most resorts require a minimum occupancy to stay at the resort. Also when it comes to guests who decide to book lodging elsewhere outside of your chosen resort, make sure they know there will typically be a visitors fee for them to enter your resort and attend your wedding (if that is in fact, your resort's policy). These visitor fees can average anywhere from $75 to $200 per guests --so these unexpected costs can easily add up. Additionally, if a resort is full to capacity, they are under no obligation to sell these "day passes" to people wishing to enter for the day. Resorts will not overcrowd their paying guests by allowing in those staying elsewhere if they are full, meaning there's no guarantee they'll be able to attend your wedding at all! Now it's up to you whether you want to cover your guests visitor fee or tell your guests that they would be responsible for paying it on their own -- Most couples make it clear that any additional cost for those choosing to stay elsewhere would be the guest's responsibility, from transfers, to taxi to entry fee. Once these are all calculated into the total price, it is quite typical that the cost of staying elsewhere can actually be higher than just booking into the group block and staying on site. Additionally, the whole concept and experience of a destination wedding includes not just guests attending the actual ceremony, but leisure time spent on the beach with the wedding couple, or relaxing with a drink in the lobby bar -- all things that off-site guests would be excluded from experiencing. It's also important to emphasize to your guests that you've contracted the help of a travel agent, who can help ensure their needs are taken care of should any problems arise during the booking or travel process. Travel agents usually also have established working relationships with the resorts they work with and can quickly handle any issues or unexpected problems that arise -- giving you the attention and assistance you need, whereas those who book deals on discount travel websites often have no recourse or anyone to turn to who can offer immediate help. Most importantly, when guests stay off-site, they are missing out on the best part of a destination wedding -- which is the group trip aspect. It's the bonding of the wedding guests where you really foster relationships with people and long lasting memories, and these times can only truly be had when you are interacting with the group at the same resort. How Do You Tell Your Guests of the Importance of Booking the Travel Agent Group Rate? TA Wendy, one of the agents for Wright Travel Agency -- the official agency for the Best Destination Wedding Forum -- suggests that couples put something on their website or Save the Date that says, "We are delighted that you are considering attending our Destination Wedding, and to make your booking the trip smooth and easy we have contracted for the rooms with a Travel Agent who specializes in Destination wedding travel. If you are planning to come this is how you should book your reservation to ensure you are in our group block and a part of all the festivities." A simple statement like this will often deter guests from going off and travel shopping on their own. Unfortunately, there truly is no way you can force anyone to book according to your wishes, but you do have the ability to provide your guests with the knowledge upfront of what can, and will happen, if they decide to book outside the established group rate. Being upfront and honest from the get go, can save you a lot of headache, stress and most of all money in the long run! For more information and assistance about establishing a group rate at the resort of your choice, contact one of the Best Destination Wedding travel agents who specialize in destination wedding and honeymoon travel. You can contact them HERE! - - - About me: I am a former BDW Bride AKA as MarieSam and I was addicted to this forum as I planned my own wedding in 2009. Since 2010, I have been the proud owner of MarieSam Sanchez Photography -- a husband and wife photography team based in Southern California and documenting love all over the world. I am also a mother to two girls, an avid traveler and a destination wedding writer/blogger.
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Most people probably think a week at an all-inclusive resort sounds like a dream, where you don't have to worry about food or drinks and the toughest part of your day is deciding where to eat dinner. But for someone like me, who has grown up going on adventurous vacations where you're constantly on the go and eating where your travels take you each day, the thought of being on a resort for a week made me feel a little apprehensive. But you know what happened? My husband, our two daughters and I stayed at Azul Beach Hotel in Cancun-Riviera Maya for a week and we didn't go stir crazy, actually we loved it! My qualms about the all-inclusive experience before our stay at Azul Beach Hotel was feeling like I had to stay on the resort the entire time to make the investment worth it. But in actuality, the all-inclusive experience gives you everything you need without having to feel like you need to adventure off the property for anything. Everything we needed to have a relaxing wonderful week in paradise was provided for us at the resort -- from a plethora of delicious food options, to activities and entertainment for both children and adults, and even an amazing spa experience -- we found each day at our resort exciting and new and it was honestly an amazing vacation for us all. When looking into an all-inclusive vacation, here are a few tips I would suggest you consider as you plan your travels: 1. Pick a resort that has a variety of food and dining options: some resorts like, Azul Beach Hotel, provide only a la carte dining options (which is fabulous because you indulging in meals that are always fresh and made to order). But other resorts will have mostly buffet-style dining and a few a la carte options. Take your preferred dining experience into consideration when looking for an all-inclusive resort. Also check and see if the resort offers room service, which is a great option to have even if you don't think you'll use it. My husband soon found himself opting for room service when he had late night cravings -- keep in mind that most resort eateries will close, so having 24-hour room service is quite helpful especially if you're a late night diner! 2. Consider the resort activities and entertainment options: if your vacation style entails keeping yourself busy, a resort that offers a variety of activities in addition to daily entertainment would be your best choice. Also look at reviews to determine a resort's style -- is it more catered for adults or families with young children? Perhaps it's a mixture of both. 3. Look at the resort amenities: Whether you love being poolside, enjoy a day at the spa, or like lounging on the beach all day -- make sure your resort offers what you need when you look for a vacation. Also consider the resort's size, as some people love being on a huge resorts where you can wander through the grounds and others like being able to move about the resort with ease and not much walking. The resort amenities and its size will play a big part in determining the overall vibe of the property. 4. Can you easily plan and do excursions from your resort?: If you're the type of vacationer who likes to adventure about during the day, choose a resort that offers tours and excursions that can be planned or scheduled on-site. While we spent most of our time on the resort, we did go off-site one day for a camel safari at the beach that was about a 30-minute ride away. It was a perfect little day trip that still allowed us to enjoy and explore, but it was close enough to our resort that we didn't feel like we were wasting the day traveling. And of course, it's always wonderful coming back to the comforts of your resort after being off-site for the day! Overall, the choice to go to an all-inclusive resort doesn't have to feel confining if you pick a location that offers all the options you need to have a relaxed and fulfilling vacation. So take your time to look over the options and don't just jump at the best deal out there -- consider your vacation style and preference, then make your decision based on what you feel will give you the best overall experience! For more information about Azul Beach Hotel, or any other all-inclusive resort options, contact one of the Best Destination Wedding travel agents who specialize in destination wedding and honeymoon travel throughout the world. You can contact them HERE! - - - About me: I am a former BDW Bride AKA as MarieSam and I was addicted to this forum as I planned my own wedding in 2009. Since 2010, I have been the proud owner of MarieSam Sanchez Photography -- a husband and wife photography team based in Southern California and documenting love all over the world. I am also a mother to two girls, an avid traveler and a destination wedding writer/blogger.
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Villas: Affordable Luxury for Your Destination Celebration
MarieSamSanchezPhoto posted a article in Planning
Perhaps the idea of a destination wedding appeals to you, but having to celebrate your wedding vows at a hotel or resort does not. Though most couples opt to have their wedding at a resort, if you're willing to do a little more research -- you can still have that posh and luxurious wedding resort feel with a whole lot more privacy by having your wedding at a private villa. And yep, you don't need to be a millionaire to make it happen! ' Hosting a wedding at a private villa has a lot of perks, besides of course giving you and your wedding guests ultimate privacy. Here are a few reasons why choosing a villa wedding might be the way to go when it comes to planning the wedding of your dreams: 1) The villa can also serve as your home for the week. Most villa properties that allow guests to host weddings on the property will also require that you stay at the villa for a minimum number of nights. This not only gives you a great place to stay at your destination, you'll also be able to prepare for the Big Day even easier since everything is truly "on site." Things to consider: you'll need to decide who will be staying on the property with you and make sure there are other accommodations nearby for the rest of your family members and wedding guests. Make sure to also ask if there is an extra fee you'll have to pay to host the wedding or any other events on the property grounds. And whether there is a time limit on how long your event(s) can last. 2) Besides the wedding, you can host other wedding events at your villa -- like a Welcome Dinner, a Meet and Greet or fun pool day to welcome all your guests to your destination wedding. The luxury of staying at a villa is that you can make and create your surroundings as you like and use it as the centerpoint for all your guests throughout the duration of your destination vacation. It really serves as a wonderful place for you and your guests to laugh and enjoy, and of course celebrate! 3) It can be quite affordable when split between different parties. While the base price for renting a villa can seem steep at times, if you have enough space to invite other family members or close friends to stay there as well, splitting the costs between the different parties can make your luxury stay quite affordable. The perks of staying at a private estate also make the money you spend worthwhile -- for instance, open access to the amenities (pool, spa, pool tables, lounge furniture), you get one-of-a-kind homestyle comfort and a spacious living areas you simply don't get in a resort room or suite. You will live like royalty for your entire destination experience and it'll be an experience unlike any other vacation you've ever taken! 4) Staying at a villa gives you total privacy. I've often heard of couples being totally appalled when they see other resort-goers in their bathing suits standing closeby and taking photos during what they hoped would be a romantic beach ceremony. Some former brides and grooms can attest to the running joke that there always seems to be at least one big-bellied man in a speedo hovering over the ceremony location and basically gawking. Well when you're staying at a villa there is one thing you'll be guaranteed and that is, privacy for your entire celebration. 5) Your Wedding Day is done on YOUR timeline. You don't ever have to compete with any other couple for the best time to host your beachside sunset ceremony or worry about whether your party will run too long. When you're staying at a villa and hosting your wedding on the property, you create your own timeline according to your needs and wants. 6) You typically don't have to worry about an outside vendor fee. At a private villa, you often have the freedom to use the vendors of your choice without penalty. Many resorts on the other hand, will require that you use their preferred vendors, but if you decide to use someone who's not on "the list," then you may have to pay an outside vendor fee and those can be upwards of $500 -- a hefty price to pay if you're trying to create a dream wedding team. When booking a resort, hotel or villa as your wedding venue, always make sure to ask whether there are outside vendor fees ahead of time to ensure that you can use your dream vendor. 7) There is often an option to add-on a butler or chef for the duration of your stay. Yes, not only can you live like kings, if you'd like you often also have the option to be treated like one too. At many villas, there is often the option or inclusion of a butler to help accommodate your every need as well as a chef to ensure you're well fed throughout your stay. Butlers often serve as your personal concierge, making sure that you are enjoying every minute of your stay while also fixing any problems or issues that need to be handled. To find out more about villa options at your ideal destination location, contact one of the Best Destination Wedding travel agents who specialize in destination wedding and honeymoon travel. You can contact them HERE! - - - About me: I am a former BDW Bride AKA as MarieSam and I was addicted to this forum as I planned my own wedding in 2009. Since 2010, I have been the proud owner of MarieSam Sanchez Photography -- a husband and wife photography team based in Southern California and documenting love all over the world. I am also a mother to two girls, an avid traveler and a destination wedding writer/blogger.-
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I'm a newbie to this forum and have never 'blogged' before (is that even what this is called?!?) Anyway, we're excited to be getting married in April 2016 at Ocean Coral & Turquesa in Riviera Maya! And of course, would like as much info as possible to help guide the way! Any info from former brides, grooms, guests, etc. at the OC&T is warmly welcomed & much appreciated!! Specific current questions are: * Anyone have a travel agent who you love who does/did a great job booking 30-50 rooms at this resort? At a competitive rate? * Several of our guests are bringing babies & young children. Any words of wisdom on childcare and how to go about managing having nannies? Possibly from off property? * Still deciding on whether or not to bring our own photographers & videographer. Definitely want to do a trash the dress session the week after the wedding. Any recommendations? * Anyone brought your own decorations, decor to this resort? Did you bring it on the plane or have it sent ahead? What would you recommend? Any thoughts, tips, tricks on ANY of these questions (or other info you think is important) will be received with MUCH GRATITUDE <3! Thanks so much ~
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Hello everyone, This is my first time "blogging" so here goes nothing. The reasoning for me blogging is to see if I could get any inside tips of what questions I need to ask to make our destination wedding as pain free as possible once we get to the resort and the other is to share some good and bad experiences I've had so far. I wanted to know if anyone has stayed, attended or planned/planning a wedding at the newly opened (Nov. 2015) Secrets Akumal in Riviera Maya and if so what can I expect from the resort itself, your experience's with the wedding coordinators, wedding food, DJ, how to tip the wedding staff, etc... Any honest feedback would be immensely appreciated. I don't always trust the reviews on sites like Trip Advisory. Also, if anyone has any insider tips for upgrades or freebies from the resort would also be great. Let me tell everyone a little about me and my fiancée's experiences so far with planning our destination wedding. First the bad, after making the decision to do a destination wedding we contacted my fiancées high school friend who is a travel agent that works for an independent travel agency (out of respect to my fiancées friend I will not name her agency) that deals with Apple Vacations to help us pick a destination and to book our trip as well be the main travel agent for our guest. She is the one that sold us on Secrets Akumal because of a pre-opening promotional rate. Shortly after hiring her as our travel agent she had some personal issues to attend to and then went on maternity leave after that, but before she left, she handed everything to her "boss" to handle and insured us that we were in good hands. Unfortunately it wasn't. Even though we already paid the resort a non-refundable deposit to reserve our Wedding date, The "boss' kept telling us not to book the trip right away because Apple's charter flights for January from BWI (Baltimore) have not been posted yet and that "if you book your package thru Apple, we would basically getting out flight for free", so we held off on sending out our invitations. After a few weeks went by waiting on the charter information, my fiancée stumbled onto a Facebook post from the resort saying "hurry promotion ends in xx days!!!". We then contacted the agent to notify her of the post but she was of no help as she said oh that's not good and also the charter flights have not posted yet. Because of this my fiancée contacted Apple Vacations and the airlines XTRA airways directly to see what the hold up was. It turned out it was due to contract issues between Apple and XTRA. Long story short, we created a wedding webpage and had to call, text and email everyone that we wanted to attend our wedding and tell them that if you want to attend our wedding you need to contact our travel agent to reserve a room and then either book a flight thru them or book on there own immediately. (this was truly embarrassing and tacky) Luckily enough we have awesome family and friends and they put a deposit down on the rooms thru the agent and booked their own flights. And as our trip approaches we still have to constantly email and call the travel agent to get information and updates out of her. Now for the good: So while still dealing with the above we still need to make arrangements with the hotel for the wedding day and find a DJ, photographer, etc. Due to the fact that we are in Baltimore and the resort is in Mexico, we had to coordinate everything via email, which can be slightly frustrating but overall was pretty painless. The Wedding coordinator at Secrets Akumal Elisa Guadarrama has been great, she helped plan everything down except the photographer, which was not her fault as the photography options that the resort provides were subpar in our opinion. So we decided to look for a local photographer that travels and does destination wedding. So this brings me to our brightest spot of our whole planning experience, our photographer James Berglie of Be Photography in Baltimore, MD. After doing multiple interviews with different photographers we chose James. And I TRUELY TRUELY WISH that we knew about him prior to booking our trip because he can do everything for you, not just photos. Turned out that he is the whole package, he is also a travel agent. If we would've used him as our travel agent and had our guest book thru him, our photos would have been included for FREE. But unfortunately it was to late to do that. Because James was so great, we decided to use him for our engagement photos which I have to say came out great, he even made me look good which is not an easy thing to do. I can't wait to see the photos he'll take at the wedding and how he'll make me look good again. This is basically how our planning has gone so far and I look forward to some feedback and tips as the forums on here have been helpful to us throught this planning process. Thank You Herman
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So according to our contract with Air Transat, we were to be refunded the cost of one trip (less fees and surcharges) for every 15 adults travelling for 7 days as part of our wedding group. We have 33 adults booked, so will be getting the base cost of 2 trips returned to us. According to our contract, the base price of our trip was $1,089 plus fees of $386 ($1,475 in total). When I check our trip online right now, it also shows a similar base price (fluctuating daily) with a constant $386 in fees and surcharges broken out. Air Transat has told me that they will be refunding me $1,510 for two trips instead of the $2,178 I believe I am owed ($1,089 x 2), and my TA has said that the difference is just additional fees and surcharges (i.e. we get back $755 per trip, meaning only half the cost of the trip is for flight and accommodations). Has anyone run into this issue with Air Transat? I thought by Ontario and/or Canadian law they had to disclose all fees separately from the base price, but I can't seem to find that regulation when I google it. I've asked my TA to request an itemized breakdown of the cost of the trip to prove their math, but apparently Air Transat isn't willing to do that. Can any of the Canadian TA's chime in on the rules for breaking out additional fees from the base price? @@TAPreety @TADarci Hoping someone here can help me get my additional $668 owed to me....
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Question: Should You Use a Travel Agent When Planning an Indian Destination Wedding? Answer: According to Preety Jaswal, Destination Wedding Specialist of Platinum Travel & Destination Weddings: "100% YES - having the right resort is everything. Not all resorts/venues can perform Indian Weddings even if they say they do. Also most importantly a lot of resorts are getting particular on having a final guest list/count. The resort needs to know final numbers prior to each event so they can set up accordingly. The problem resorts face is when guests book on their own and they are not accounted for with the wedding events so then the resort staff on-site is running around to adjust each of these guests. When you book a large group of over 100+ guests and about 30 booked outside the agent -- that is food, decor, tables, centrepieces, chairs not planned for, which can even alter the wedding location if it cannot accommodate all the extra guests." - - - If you have a question you'd like us to "Ask the Expert" message me (MarieSamSanchezPhoto) and we'll feature your question and answer on a future post! "Ask the Expert" features commonly asked questions by brides and grooms with answers and insight provided by our very own Best Destination Wedding Forum experts.
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Question: Does a travel agent help with just lodging, or can they help with transportation, airfare and other trip details as well? Answer: According to Agent Wendy of Wright Travel Agency -- the official travel agency of BDW: "Agents can certainly assist with not only a guest's stay, but also quite typically will assist in booking transfers from airport to resort, and airfare, as well if desired. Agents can also assist with booking optional tours and excursions for guests while they are onsite. An agent who is well versed in the area a client wishes to visit can also suggest local sites, museums, day trips or restaurants that should not be missed." Looking for a Travel Agent? Try one of the BDW Travel Agents who specialize in destination weddings. You can contact Wright Travel HERE! - - - If you have a question you'd like us to "Ask the Expert" message me (MarieSamSanchezPhoto) and we'll feature your question and answer on a future post! "Ask the Expert" features commonly asked questions by brides and grooms with answers and insight provided by our very own Best Destination Wedding Forum experts.
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Q & A: Do You Have to Pay a Fee to Use a Travel Agent?
MarieSamSanchezPhoto posted a article in Planning
Question: Do You Have to Pay a Fee to Use a Travel Agent? Answer: According to agent Wendy H. of Wright Travel Agency -- the official travel agency of BDW: "Depending on the agent and agency individual policy, there may be a service fee for using a travel agent. Agents are paid a commission by the Cruise lines, tour operators, and hotels they book for their clients at the completion of travel. Often agent/agency fees (if charged) are dependent on the complexity of the itinerary being worked up for a client. I personally have not ever charged a fee, as I have not found it to be necessary, however for an agent who is working on planning a month long European trip, including transfers, individual hotels, train, and sightseeing for a client, the investment of the agent's time can be quite considerable and an initial request for deposit to be credited towards the trip or even a pure service fee would not be out of the ordinary or unusual." Agent Patty J. also of Wright Travel Agency adds: "We do not charge any service fees for our services and we're paid by the supplier once travel is complete. This means we are basically working for free up until a client travels. If a client should happen to cancel we typically do not make something on the booking or for our time." Looking for a Travel Agent? Try one of the BDW Travel Agents who specialize in destination weddings. You can contact Wright Travel HERE! - - - If you have a question you'd like us to "Ask the Expert" message me (MarieSamSanchezPhoto) and we'll feature your question and answer on a future post! "Ask the Expert" features commonly asked questions by brides and grooms with answers and insight provided by our very own Best Destination Wedding Forum experts.-
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Hi all! Pretty new to this site and I have already really appreciated all the tips and ideas everyone shares in these forums. I am just getting started with planning and getting vendors lined up. The most critical one at this point (and the one that I seem stuck on) is the travel agent. I have seen bits and pieces from other folks about travel agents embedded in posts about other topics but I hoped to solicit some specific feedback about your experience finding one and working with them. Did you look for a TA that specialized in your wedding location? And do they provide you a quote based upon average amount per person or a certain time of year or what did you evaluate them based upon? Did you do phone interviews with them? What kinds of perks/incentives are typical? Sorry so many questions, just really have no idea start and while all the other vendor planning seemed very straight-forward. This one is giving me pause...HELP
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Contact Wright Travel Agency -- the official travel agency for the Best Destination Wedding Forum -- to receive a complimentary cocktail party with a private bartender and hor d’oeuvres for up to 50 guests when you book your destination wedding a year or more in advance at select AMResorts. This promotion can end at any time without warning from the resort. For additional explanation on Terms & Conditions, please contact Wright Travel Agency. Terms & Conditions: The Save Your Date promotion is valid on all new wedding bookings made a minimum of one year in advance of the wedding date at participating Zoëtry Wellness & Spa Resorts, Breathless, Secrets, Dreams, Now and Sunscape Resorts & Spas (see full terms and conditions for list of participating resorts). With this offer, new bookings will receive a complimentary Welcome Cocktail Party for up to 50 guests. To qualify for this promotion, a minimum of 10 rooms, staying for a minimum of 3 nights per room is required. All rooms do not need to arrive and depart on the same day. This special applies to new bookings only and cannot be applied when receiving the wedding package complimentary. Previously made bookings may not be canceled and then re-booked to take advantage of this offer. The wedding date being booked must be confirmed by the wedding coordinator at the selected resort and be a minimum of 30 days from the date the booking was requested. The wedding date is subject to availability and the promotion may be cancelled at any time without notice. The Welcome Cocktail Party is inclusive of a bartender, open bar and hors d'oeuvre station for one hour for wedding groups of up to 50 guests (including guests included in the wedding package selected by the couple at time of booking). If more than 50 guests are in attendance, an additional per person fee may be incurred. Additional costs may be incurred for additional entertainment, décor or extending the length of the cocktail party. The wedding coordinator must be informed of the complimentary Welcome Cocktail Party at time of wedding date booking so that accommodations are made and event space can be reserved. Time, date and location for the cocktail party are subject to availability. The wedding coordinator will confirm the location of the event roughly 2 weeks prior to event – timing dependent on resort occupancy. Click here to see full Terms & Conditions.
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Hi, We are planning to get married in March of 2015. I've spoken with a few travel agents and have gotten mixed reviews of when we should request flight/hotel package quotes from WestJet / Air Canada / Transat / Sunwing ect in order to get the best prices. Some say to book ASAP and others say to wait until about 10-11 months out when the flight schedule comes out. I'd really like to plan ahead and book early, but if it ends up costing less to wait a little longer in order to save ourselves and our guests some money I think it would be worth the wait. We expect about 35 guests, so I wan't to arrange a group rather then try to have everyone book on their own. Brides who have already booked their group - when did you get quotes and put your deposit down with the travel agent? Did you book the actually wedding ceremony with the resort before you booked the travel? Thanks!
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Hi ladies, We're leaving one week from today for our wedding in Mexico! I'm super excited and am now just trying to work out the logistics of how we're going to get everything down there. Has anyone ever used either the Thirty-One Zip-Top Organizing Tote or All-Day Organizing Tote as a personal item in addition to a carry on bag? I appreciate your help and suggestions! Thanks!!! http://www.thirtyonegifts.com/catalog/product/320/catid/22/swid/081a/zip-top-organizing-utility-tote-in-bubble-bloom/ http://www.thirtyonegifts.com/catalog/product/358/catid/22/swid/079a/all-day-organizing-tote-in-black-playful-parade/
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Hi Ladies! So I've researched some resorts myself, but I feel that a good TA could definitely help. I'm looking at Riviera Maya Resorts in Mexico. Do you know anyone good or how to find a good TA in Toronto? Thank you!
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Should I tip our travel agent? I am not sure what other destination wedding brides do? And if so, what did you tip her? Money or send flowers, etc?
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Hi Ladies, My fiance and I are 95% sure we want to book our DW at Dreams Los Cabos next spring. Ive been communicating with a wedding coordinator for weeks and after reading what feels like HUNDREDS of posts, Im still confused. LOL! Someone please help.... I have a few issues: 1) I want my guests to get the best rate possible and even have the option to make monthly payments. From what Ive read so far, it seems that I would have to do a room block with the resort and my guests would have to reserve (and I assume pay) for their rooms DIRECTLY with the resort. OR I'd have to get a travel agent, and possibly pay more for the travel package (air + room). 2) What are the perks of using a travel agent? Are their rates comparible to Expedia or Priceline? Is this the only way I can get the "free room" perks? 3) What questions should I be asking the wedding coordinator . Im worried about hidden costs or things I havent forseen. 4) Has anyone used the resort approved photographer? My wedding photos are probably at the top of the list of things that are most important to me. I dont want to pay the $200 fee for bringing in a new photographer and at thousands to my budget. But having goregous pictures are vital. Ok. I'll stop rambling! Any info you can provide would be a HUGE help to me! It truly takes a village 8)
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Hi everyone! Congrats on your engagements & weddings! I was so happy to find this website and connect with couples in similar situations! My fiancé Colin and I are planning a 2016 wedding, anywhere between April-June/July (depending on price, availability etc - we're flexible). We have looked at a few resorts, and narrowed it down to Mexico (1st choice) and the DR (2nd choice). We currently reside in Ontario, Canada. Colin is from London, England, so half of our guests will be from the UK and half from Canada - does anyone know how we can get this process started? Do we start with a resort and book rooms then have our guests find they're own travel (which would probably be more expensive)? Do we find travel agents from each Country to coordinate this? I spoke to a wedding planner from Canada and she said she is unable to book flights for the UK group due to Canadian laws but can negotiate a land only rate with the resorts. Thank you in advance! I appreciate any help and advice you can offer!
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Alright ladies, I've been scouring this web site for weeks now and i have finally chosen my top 3 resorts. Thanks for all of your help! But now, I'm trying to find a good TA that will help me get good deals for my guests. The only issue is that my guests will be coming in from both the US and Canada, roughly 20 from Toronto Canada area, and roughly 30 from the Houston USA area. I have contacted a Canadian TA who has told me she can deal with both BUT she has to use two different travel tours. I understand. Just worrying that she may not be able to get the best of deals for both sides. My question is, do you guys suggest I use two DIFFERENT agents? One that will deal with the Canadian side and then one that will deal with the US side? I want my guests to get the best deals. But I also would like it if I could just have one TA. That way everything is more organized, and the more people I bring through one TA, the best deals i can get with the hotel right? Has anyone dealt with this before/currently? Can someone recommend their TA that has dealt with this? My brain is mush right now, sorry if this doesn't make sense lol HAAAALP!
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Hard Rock Offering $1800 Limitless Resort Credit
MarieSamSanchezPhoto posted a topic in Travel Deals
Hard Rock Hotel is offering an $1,800 resort credit that can be used toward tours, spa treatments, beauty salon services, tequila and wine tasting, romantic dinner, rounds of golf and Jack Nicklaus Academy of Golf. For more details on this promotion, contact Wright Travel Agency -- the official travel agency for the Best Destination Wedding Forum -- or email: [email protected] This promotion can end at any time without warning from the resort. For terms & conditions, please contact Wright Travel Agency.-
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The fiance and I are just beginning our May 2016 planning for a destination wedding in Mexico. We'll be traveling in from North Carolina and our guests will be coming in from all over (Illinois, Ohio, Texas, California). I'm on resort research overload at the moment and just want to be sure we pick the right place for us (great location, great food for an AI, luxury-ish but not too costly for our guests).... do any of you have advice on if it's best to go with a travel agent/service (like destinationweddings.com, etc.) to start planning OR just go through the resort for your planning?
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Hi ladies, I live in Los angeles and am in need of a travel agent that can help with my wedding set for October 2015. If anyone has any good recommendations I would really appreciate it. Thank you.
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Let The Planning Games Begin
girlinthecity97 posted a blog entry in girlinthecity97's Wedding Planning Adventures
While we had been talking of getting married for a while, things became "official" on Saturday, November 30th. While in my mismatched pj's with my hair tied up in a scarf and no one around, my fiance shocked me by (FINALLY) popping the question and presenting a ring that had been a post-it note doodle (instead of one of the 2 settings I'd picked as "options"). He's pretty conservative and always wants to "see-it" especially when it comes to big purchases. So the fact that he went with my doodle was HUGE! I'm glad he did . Planning Frenzy: Finally feeling "super official" I set out on a planning rampage. Since my fiance is so easy-going and a "pleaser", I felt it only fair to consider a destination wedding since this was something he felt strongly about. Against his feedback, I made a beeline for Barnes & Noble to buy The Knot's Destination Wedding guide and a planner - which I now realize, I really didn't/don't need. Armed with my fancy new planning guide and planner, I sat down and followed the advice of a good happily-married friend: "Pick 3-5 MUST-Haves and forget the rest." My top 3 were "no-brainers" (and thankfully aligned with my fiance's): Location - get pricing for "home" (here in the states) vs. a Destination. For the Destination, I used my own travel experience to help us choose a location that would give us (and our guests) the biggest "bang for buck" while being fairly easy & affordable to get to. All roads led to MEXICO! Food - a resort that had not just decent but GREAT food. We love a great meal and have a family full of "foodies" so this was an absolute MUST! My fiance pointed out that everyone still raves about the food from my sister's weddding 10 years ago & we should strive for the same! FUN - a resort that had activities for guests to do should they not want to book excursions etc... When hashing out the "MUSTs we differ on such as videography, she suggested that I remember to be flexible as well as realistic - which I recently had to apply after getting a pretty pricey videography quote (more on that later). After spending COUNTLESS exhausting hours combing Google and Tripadvisor for reviews of various resorts, I created a spreadsheet (yes a spreadsheet ) to compare the "Top 5" I felt matched the above "Musts." I found myself getting utterly confused and feeling greatly overwhelmed before creating the spreadsheet. Also, an "A-type" by nature, I was afraid I had somehow overlooked a property to consider. So I naturally bugged my fiance with non-stop "hey, what do you think about this place?" questions. Tired of having his sports watching interrupted, he suggested we consider consulting a Travel Agent/Advisor. I tend to be of the "I got THIS" mindset and figured I could calm my fears/concerns with a post on sites like this. I'm proud to admit I was wrong! If you are in the early stages of planning and are unsure where to start, I cannot recommend enlisting the help of a Travel Agent/Advisor (TA) enough! Leave it to the Pros: After checking with DW friends and reading various reviews, I selected 3 pros to conduct a phone interview with. The Knot's DW guide suggested interviewing TAs to assess knowledge, expertise, and fit (among other things). Instead of calling, I emailed each professional as an initial assessment. The TA we selected was the most responsive and addressed every question/point of interest/concern I listed in my inquiry. Upon speaking with her, she confirmed our 1st impression and lived up to the reviews we'd seen on-line. She also provided unsolicited candid feedback re the best time of year for our budget etc... I shared my spreadsheet with her and she did not hesitate to provided candid insight on the properties listed, as well as provide others that we should consider based on what we are looking for. Finding the right TA will really take what I felt was the biggest "weight" off of you - especially if you can't do a scouting trip! The TA will also take care of your guests travel arrangements, help negotiate best rates etc... Some also can advise you on the location contract - helping to avoid room minimum penalties etc... To Scout or Not To Scout: We are opting to scout because a) I'm "A-type" (remember?) and b)the front-runner resort offers a deeply discounted weekend where you can taste the food, see the location etc... Initially, DF (dear fiance) was adamant about NOT doing a scouting trip. After pointing out his practice of not making big purchases/investments without doing thorough research and "seeing-it", he relented. I further pointed out that due to the size, our wedding is a "big ticket" item so why should this be treated differently?! Thanks to our TA, we have 3 locations of interest that we'll be visiting at the end of the month. In the meantime, I've set my sights on my remaining "Musts": Photographer & videographer, which I hope to narrow down to 2-3 before our trip so we can meet them. After getting a quote ( )from my "dream" videographer here in the states, I had to revisit the "Musts" and rank them in order of true priority & practicality. While a video is something I really want, it is something that will realistically be watched once in a blue after the wedding. With that said, I've moved this to a very strong "Nice to Have." I think this post has gone on long enough so I will end here....until next time.... xoxo - me p.s. please excuse my niece's toes. she wanted to help take a pic of my ring.- 11 comments
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