Guests Not Booking Through Travel Agent

[Ydolem]

@@JennyZ I totally know how you feel! It seems like some people have a mistrust of travel agents, and presume they can get a better deal through expedia etc.

We have some people who didn't put a deposit down by our deadline, and are now paying way more to attend. We also have some people who are staying elsewhere because our resort is sold out for most of our wedding week. This is disappointing, and do feel a bit guilty about how much money people are spending.

[malyna]

@@Ydolem I wouldn't feel too badly bc it's their fault that they didn't book as directed!

 

 

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[JennyZ]

@@Ydolem - I'm totally trying to avoid that situation as the price will be $1600+/person, instead of the $1300 I got for them through my group rate. I even booked my wedding at the end of November (I had wanted to go in January or February) as the prices were $500 more in "peak season". Now they're complaining it might be too close to Xmas...? haha Cant win either way it seems

 

After making some new friends on here and reading their websites (borrowed some of their ideas/wording - she'll recognize the below - THANKS!!!) I decided to put a little "disclaimer" on my wedding website to hopefully steer people away from being bullheaded It was hard to say it politely (I really wanted to tell them just to book or not to come! lol) but this is what I have under my RSVP info:

 

Same Resort But Booking Separately

We are hoping that our guests will take advantage of the amazing group rates we have received and promise you will not be able to find cheaper prices. But if you decide to book on your own, outside our wedding group package, please ensure you RSVP on our site so we can include you in our numbers. Be sure to let us know you will still be at the same resort in the comments section so we can include you in any resort booking numbers.

 

Other Resorts

Should you chose to book at another resort - You will be allowed on our resort for the day of the wedding but there is an external guest fee of $85 US dollars per person. You will also have to supply your own transportation to and from the resorts. Please still be sure to RSVP so we can include you in our numbers and let us know which resort you will be staying at in the comments section.

 

 

Hopefully this will help any newer Brides with this frustrating situation! At this point, my guests can read my info and if they think they're smarter and end up paying more... Then that's their own faults!

[calgarybride2015]

Hehehe

 

I think it's all you can do. We had people sit and wait a bit to find a cheaper price and it just never came. Our group rate was that awesome. Still to this day - 2.5 months out - you can't beat our price unless you leave on a weekday!

 

 

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[Ydolem]

@@malyna good point!

 

@@JennyZ I think $1300 is an excellent price. It is impossible to please everyone, I am sure most people will realise you are doing the best you can!

[Guest]

My sister is really upsetting me. My family lives in a border town, his does not. I have my family the option of a flight from a airport two hours away or the bigger one four hours away to fly out of. My sister had decided that she doesn't like the flight times for the closer one, and she doesn't want to travel to the further one, so she wants till cross the border and book entirely on their own.

 

My sister in law just told us she probably can't come because they're hoping to get pregnant. Then my dad and two of my siblings aren't planning to bring a plus one, so we just lost 6 people on our booking. Our booking was quoted at 20 ppl and we need 16 to get one free to split between our younger guests who are less financially secure. With all the dropouts we are now in the position of counting on people to bring a plus one to make our numbers.

 

I'm too upset to even talk to her right now. She actually said that she should be able to go outside the booking because our guests from another country who CAN'T fly Westjet are allowed to book separately. I told her that we had a quota to make in order to get a discount for our younger sibling and she said she should be able to give our brother $200 and book separately.

[TinkerSofi]

I have never even heard of Sunwing, is this a Canadian airline? Lots of Canada brides on here!

Yeah it's Canadian. I really like them but only transat goes to our resort so we had to go with them.

 

On a totally unrelated note, I went in to check the prices for our trip today and they're about $300 more expensive than the group price we got so yay!

 

 

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[calgarybride2015]

Yeah it's Canadian. I really like them but only transat goes to our resort so we had to go with them.

 

On a totally unrelated note, I went in to check the prices for our trip today and they're about $300 more expensive than the group price we got so yay!

 

 

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YAY!!! Ours have never dropped below our group rate either!

Actually - Air Canada no longer has a flight to our resort on the same day (maybe they sold out??) so I feel good in our choice now and I think our guests will appreciate that too. I know some shopped around!

Edited November 12, 2014 by calgarybride2015

[TinkerSofi]

YAY!!! Ours have never dropped below our group rate either!

Actually - Air Canada no longer has a flight to our resort on the same day (maybe they sold out??) so I feel good in our choice now and I think our guests will appreciate that too. I know some shopped around!

Yeah! I think they might go down as long as they don't sell out. Looks like your date is sold out if they don't have it anymore!

 

 

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[calgarybride2015]

My sister is really upsetting me. My family lives in a border town, his does not. I have my family the option of a flight from a airport two hours away or the bigger one four hours away to fly out of. My sister had decided that she doesn't like the flight times for the closer one, and she doesn't want to travel to the further one, so she wants till cross the border and book entirely on their own.

 

My sister in law just told us she probably can't come because they're hoping to get pregnant. Then my dad and two of my siblings aren't planning to bring a plus one, so we just lost 6 people on our booking. Our booking was quoted at 20 ppl and we need 16 to get one free to split between our younger guests who are less financially secure. With all the dropouts we are now in the position of counting on people to bring a plus one to make our numbers.

 

I'm too upset to even talk to her right now. She actually said that she should be able to go outside the booking because our guests from another country who CAN'T fly Westjet are allowed to book separately. I told her that we had a quota to make in order to get a discount for our younger sibling and she said she should be able to give our brother $200 and book separately.

Hugs

I think we all go thru this in one way or another.

It's very frustrating and gets you down.

 

There was times we panicked about numbers, but in the end way more booked than we thought. And I seriously counted my list 100x times to make sure we would make our counts. It took over my life.  Try not to stress just yet.

 

Sorry to hear your family is the hardest to deal with right now. Does your sister realize if she goes thru the States nothing is a package?  she has air, resort, transfers, etc.?  Maybe that would sway her.  Also, maybe have a good heart to heart with her about your numbers - it's not just $200 for your sibling but more than that.

 

Also, when is your wedding date?  The pregnancy one is hard for me - I see both sides.  I see they want a child and now lol, but on the flip side I don't see that planning it around your wedding is a lot to ask.  Maybe hold off a few months so she can still travel to your wedding being pregnant (ie - it's in early pregnancy not when she is ready to pop). Or wait until a month before your wedding or or or. They have options, but again I see it from both sides.

 

I feel for you!

Edited November 13, 2014 by calgarybride2015