Have You Thought About a Destination Wedding?

Dreaming of saying your vows on a lush tropical island, in the surf? What about under a beach canopy at sunset? A castle in Scotland? Whether you want an intimate ceremony for just the two of you or a celebration with family and friends, a travel consultant experienced in destination weddings is a must!

 

 

Planning Schedule

 

12 Months

* Choose a destination and have an idea of what you can afford to spend.

* Select the resort location or ceremony location. Reserve a wedding date and time.

* Begin considering wedding optional items and packages with your travel consultant and the on site wedding coordinator.

* Send save-the date cards to all of your guests.

 

10 Months

* Estimate how many guests will attend and have your travel consultant reserve room space.

* Make your travel arrangements planning to arrive at least a day before guests so you have time for last minute "to dos" and for some relaxation before the festivities. Your travel consultant will send travel information to your guests and make their travel reservations too.

 

6 Months

* Consider a site visit to the destination if at all possible to meet with the local wedding coordinator and review optional items.

*Plan activities for guests at the resort such as welcome party, golf tournament, catamaran cruise etc. leave some time for rest and relaxation.

*Choose your dress and the attendants' dressed. Will the guys wear tuxedos or casual wear?

*Obtain passports and any other paperwork you will need for travel or for license.

 

2-3 Months

*Submit a final head count to the hotel or reception hall. Confirm any group activities that you've booked.

*Submit any legal paperwork for license as directed by your travel consultant.

*Pay final payments for all travel and other pre-paid items. Schedule make-up, hair, nail and other spa appointments.

 

1 Month

*Reconfirm all wedding package items and details with the wedding coordinator.

*Purchase any last minute wedding items.

 

3 Weeks

*Obtain your travel documents from your travel consultant.

*Make a list of events and greeting bags (with goodies like sunscreen, local maps and a phrase book) for your guests' rooms.

*Make a packing list, purchase suitcases if needed.

 

2 Days Prior to Travel

*Reconfirm flights, pack and refill any prescriptions

 

Arrival at Resort

*Meet with wedding coordinator to go over all details, select ceremony sit at resort, review menus and packing items. Place gift bags, event list and other welcome items in guest rooms. Reconfirm any spa or salon appointments. get wedding dress steamed if needed. Rent tuxes and obtain license paperwork if not already done.

 

 

Why Hire a Travel Agent?

Yesterday I blogged about why to hire wedding entertainment as opposed to using an iPod or using a low budget wedding DJ. Today we are chatting about why to use a travel agent, or what I like to call "travel therapists". Because lets be honest, they are the closest thing to a therapist. They do all the hard work for you and you get to sit back stress free.

 

 

So you have been eyeing that gorgeous resort in St. Lucia but not sure where to start planning or what needs to be done before you go. Do you need a passport? Do you need to rent a car? Are there extra fees to do that dolphin swim you saw online? These can all be answered by a travel agent.

* Agents can save you time. This service is especially relevant if you're extremely busy or place a very high value on your time.

 

* Agents provide skills you might not find online such as specialized areas, assembling custom tours or using airline ticketing tricks for multi-stop international trips.

 

* Agents can help solve problems. If your flight is canceled or you face some other problem, an agent can probably find a better solution, more quickly, than you could on your own.

 

* Agents provide special services to business travelers. Many businesses find the best way to manage their travel activities and budgets do that is to use a travel agency.

 

 

Many people, especially those in my generation, tend to turn to technology to do everything. Booking trips is no exception. This is where most people go wrong. That resort you saw on Expedia might not be as wonderful as they say it is. Travel agents have experience and know and maybe have even traveled to most of the resorts you are looking to travel to, so they know what is top notch and what is not.

 

 

Hypothetically, if I am traveling to Paris and my connecting flight is canceled but my bags are on their way to Paris without me, I could call up my travel agent and worry no more. This is because I know they will do their best to fix the situation and get me on my way to Paris and also reconnect me with my luggage. If I had gone the online route and booked my own trip, I would be on my own and honestly, very frustrated.

 

 When budget is a key factor of your vacation, travel agents know all the tricks to save you money. Most people think it costs to use an agent, but in fact the service is absolutely complementary. Yes, that is correct, you pay NOTHING to use a travel agent. So why wouldn't you use one? Traveling is complex. There are many details that go into traveling and sometimes it can become very confusing. Travel agents are trained and very knowledgeable. The thing that sets travel agents aside from online sources is that fact that they are there to serve YOU and YOUR priorities.