Chitika

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Perfect Destination Wedding Travel Agents

By Martina Garrett


Destination wedding travel agents are much sought after these days, and it's not just a passing fad. This sector accounts for a full 16 percent of all and it is worth $16 billion annually. Some places may in fact turn out to be cheaper than tying the knot back home, but it is not about money.

The very idea of nuptials in an exotic location makes people forget about the costs and cut loose without inhibition. But the travel agent must not focus on plucking all the low-hanging fruit. All that needs to be done is to find out what kind of dream the couple has in mind and make it happen. Of course, this is not as simple as suggesting Disney family vacations or a beach holiday.

Budget realities constrain the choices and the logistics of bringing in guests from all over the map make it even harder. The place chosen must also be able to provide the suppliers. There has to be a list of suitable venues at the chosen destination, along with hotels, catering, flowers, cake and all the things that go into putting together a wedding ceremony and bash.

This might seem like a job for a wedding planner, and it is indeed easier if the travel agent can do this job too. However, it is better if there is a local planner who knows how to make things happen at the venue in question. This leads to the possibility that too many people involved in the planning may complicate things.

This is where a package deal comes into the picture. Luxury resorts the world over offer special wedding packages. They provide everything, starting with a venue and complimentary event planner provided with the package. The planner listens to what the couple wants, and puts the whole thing together.

The resort will provide multiple choices, from an intimate ceremony in a small chapel to an open one on the beach. The reception will be just as meticulously planned with a huge ballroom and enough staff at hand to make sure the guests have an experience they will never forget. The honeymoon suite will be the icing on the cake.

There are many such possibilities, including a ceremony out at sea on a cruise ship. An important thing that a lot of couples require is for the whole thing to be as environmentally friendly as possible. This needs a lot more work, because everyone will be traveling and staying in a hotel, which adds up to a lot of Co2 emissions. The travel agent may suggest carbon credits to make it a carbon neutral event, along with a venue and hotel that are green certified.

It must be obvious by now that destination wedding travel agents are required to do a lot more than show clients a catalog and book the tickets. They need to match a starry-eyed couple with their dream. Then the agent has to figure out the logistics of the event, including travel and hotel stay arrangements for a boatload of guests from all over the map.




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