Question 1

I’ve never used a travel agent before, why should i use one to help plan my destination wedding?

Accepted Answer

Travel agents are an invaluable source of information. We have been to, stayed at, or toured all the properties we recommend, and we have worked with hundreds of properties so we know which ones work best with groups or give the best discounts. Plus, it costs you and your guests nothing to work with us! If a hotel oversells and bumps one of your guests to another property, we are there to help keep that from happening. If your guests have questions about the location or property, we can answer those questions so you have one less thing to worry about. Anytime a guest needs to change their booking, they will call us, not you - and they change their bookings a lot!

Question 2

Why shouldn’t i book my destination wedding group directly with the hotel?

Accepted Answer

Instead of asking why you shouldn’t book direct with the hotel, you should ask how it benefits you to book direct. (Hint: it doesn’t!). You should receive the same rates with us as you do with the hotel direct, so why not get the free added benefits of using a travel agent, too? Plus, there are some promos and concessions we offer that you cannot get from the hotel directly.

Question 3

I always book “packages” on an online booking engine, it’s cheaper to do that. why should i use you instead?

Accepted Answer

Online booking websites have done a great job marketing that booking packages on their site is less expensive than other methods of booking because that is mostly a myth. Travel agents have access to discounts that you cannot get elsewhere - even for individual travel. Plus there are extra perks to using a travel agent that you won’t get when booking with a website like 24/7 service while in travel and a real, live person to call or e-mail for any assistance needed. Most of the time, our group rates are discounted and the packages are not cheaper.

Question 4

Why should I use Barefoot Bridal instead of one of the bigger agencies i found online?

Accepted Answer

By being smaller, we add so much more value that you cannot get from bigger agencies, especially the personalized service. Every agent has been a destination wedding bride, we know exactly how it feels and what we would want in your shoes. There are some things we provide that other agencies don’t, like a custom website for your guests to book online with ease instead of calling and trying to reach someone to process a payment over the phone. If your guests want to call and speak to someone, there’s always someone available during our business hours for non-in-travel emergencies or they can email us and we will usually respond within the same day. You just won’t get that type of personalized service elsewhere.

Question 5

My family wants us to use the family travel agent (or a local agent), why should we use you instead?

Accepted Answer

Destination wedding and group travel is not like individual bookings. You want an agent who is a destination wedding specialist so they’re familiar with all the ins-and-outs of the process, an expert in the contract process, and someone who sends hundreds of groups annually so that there’s leverage with the hotels. We admit we are not experts in everything, we wouldn’t suggest using us for a trip to Italy, but when it comes to destination weddings, elopements, romance, honeymoon and group travel, we’re your go to experts!

Question 6

Have you worked with this hotel before?

Accepted Answer

With nearly a decade of experience, we have either stayed at, toured, and/or booked nearly every brand! Here are some of our favorite hotel brands for destination weddings: Sandals, Beaches, Casa de Campo Resort and Villas, Palace Resorts, Hard Rock, Ava, Unico, Royalton and the Hideaway at Royalton, Majestic Colonial, Majestic Elegance, and Majestic Mirage, Paradisus by Melia, Valentin Imperial, Ocean by H10 Hotels, Azul Beach, Generations Resorts and El Dorado Resorts by Lomas Hospitality, Palladium Hotel Group, and Riu.

Review

My Experience Planning a Destination Wedding with Barefoot Bridal by Barefoot Bride Luciana Herrera