8 replies to this topic

[Outdoor_girl1010]

Okay so I have never used a TA and I have a couple of question about them.

1st Which do yall think is better using a local TA or using a DW TA that is on the internet?

2nd What are the Pros and Cons to using a TA?

3rd How do the TA prices pan out compared to doing it yourself? (I travel alot and make all the arrangments myself)

Thanks,
Jennifer

[ErinB]

I would use a DW TA from the forum. There are several that specialize in different areas/resorts.

Usually TA has more knowledge about particular areas and hopefully, some personal experience with the location/property.

If you decide to book as a group, you can get better pricing/group rates.

I would say the biggest benefit is that she takes a lot of the burden off of you when communicating with your guests. This is especially nice if your guests will be coming from different parts of the country/world.

[Outdoor_girl1010]

With that being send do you send out all this information in the Invite? Or Before? When do most people Send out the Invite for a DW? I know they say you can send out a save the date a year out if you want(which I will so that people can save)? And if you wait on the Invite? Do you send the information about the TA and all of that ahead of time?

Sorry for all the question. I just want to make sure that I give them enough time to save and be able to book the trip the easiest for them.

[YoursTruly]

I too would use a TA, as they can arrange things for you and take a lot of the communications and back and forth off of you. I would suggest planning your wedding just like you would a traditional. There are many threads on this forum about STDs. If you have a lot of invites or not, send them out and then do your Invites like 6 months in advance or closer if you'd like. he info for the TA can be sent in an email or are you doing a wedding website, newsletter, ??

[Outdoor_girl1010]

Maybe a wedding website. I just didnt know if i was suppose or should send out info on the Resort before the invite.

[TATrisha]

Definitely use one of the DW TAs from here. They are so smart and almost all of them have planned their own DW so they will be able to help you a lot more.

As for announcing everything to your guests, what I did was I secured my location and travel with my TA. Then I printed up save the date cards. I did boarding pass invites. On the back of the ticket folder I placed our travel agents name and her contact information. I also put it on our "tickets." That way people could really start to save since they'd know about pricing and the hotel before the actual invites go out.

I also used my wedding website to communicate the travel information and how to contact the TA.

[Tracy_S]

I am using a DW TA and so far things are great! She is taking care of everything to do with payments and making sure all the guests have their money in to her before the 60 day deadline. For my invites I am sending them out in like a week or so and my TA has done up an itinerary for us that I will be including in the invites I send out. The thing with how my TA set it up is all my guests just have to put down a deposit to hold their spot of 300 per person and can pay the rest of the amount in payments up until 60 days prior to our departure... she is taking care of everything and I have no stress or feel guilty having to ask my guests for payments.. she is taking care of it all... so highly recommend a DW TA!!!

[Tracy_S]

Oh I forgot to mention that with the deposit comes a deadline and we have set it for March 7th, so they just need to have the 300 dollars down by that date and they are good to go. Since my wedding isn't until Nov 7th, this gives them months to save more and do it in payments...

[Jennifer Davis]

I am using TA Jennifer on this board. I have been very happy so far. My wedding is still a long ways off though!

Initially, I was not going to use a TA and just have everyone book on their own using one of the on-line travel sites. However, the more I thought about and issues that started coming up, like activities for guests, group ground transportation, etc, made me decide to go with a TA.

I put the TA contact information on my website and also on my STDs to get the word out. I also gave the TA a copy of my guest list with contact information so she can send me updates on my spreadsheet when people contact her to make travel arrangements.