Are you planning with a travel agency or direct through hotel?

[Sllefebvr]

Just in the planning stages of my Negril, Jamaica wedding! I was wondering how everybody is actually booking their weddings? Are you going directly through the resort or are you calling a travel agent and having all of your guests go through that agent also? Please post about your feelings and experiences!!

[JayKay]

We first went directly through the resort to confirm our wedding date.  Once we had a confirmed wedding date we then found a Travel Agent which we wanted to work with, shes a family friend, and had her make a group proposal.  Once we received the quotes for our group proposal we emailed all our potential guests all the information and told them to get in contact with her to book their travel.  I know in Canada mostly everything is all inclusive vacation packages with flight and hotel together so it was easier for us to just tell everyone to contact the travel agent and book that part through her.  We did end up having to change our wedding date as the flight dates out of Calgary changed  but we just called the resort and changed the date directly with them.  Hope that helps!

[royalbride610]

We used a travel agent to make all our arrangements.  We told her which resorts we liked, she made some recommendations, she got us some price quotes and then we decided.  But she contacted them regarding confirming our wedding date, and all three of us discussed everything together.

[mandys]

Booking through a travel agent. The only communication I am having with the hotel is through my emails with the wedding coordinator.

[deesanders33]

We are going through a TA from destinationweddings.com.

[bmadzia1]

TA.  This allows ONE person to look after our group and we have someone home just 'in case' who can help us out.

[janette34]

I thought I could do it all myself as I have booked my own vacations for years, but then my aunt who is a TA offered and I'm so glad I let her!  Allowing her to take care of the group blocks has taken a lot of stress of me, plus TA are professionals and can answer the questions my guests may have.

[AfricanVenus]

I booked thru the hotel directly. I initially tried to use a TA on BDWF, but she let me know the hotel I chose wasn't TA friendly. So, I negotiated on my own. Got a 10 room block which is fairly doable. I refused to be on the line for anything over 10. The price I got for rooms was pretty decent and others I've spoken to have a hard time getting the price I got for rooms. Plus, I'm such a Type A personality that I'd rather people check in with me anyway. It's all strangely therapeutic, lol. I've planned group trips for a few years now, so it wasn't a big deal for me. The flights were the hardest part without a TA. They looked like they were NEVER going to go down again! However, after much prayer and cyber-stalking airfares, they're back down again!

 

One thing I would recommend to brides doing the planning on their own, is to get guests to buy their airfare first. If your wedding is way in advance, but close enough that you can see airfares, then keep on top of that. The room rates will be set no matter what, but airfare fluctuates. We were favored towards the end, but I wouldn't recommend buying tickets last. As for TAs, I think it depends on the hotel, the bride's personality, and how much money you got to spend. Sometimes negotiating yourself will work better. If you can't be bothered, get a TA.

 

All the best!