Destination Wedding - getting guest to pay deposits?

What is the deposit for? Is it for their hotel rooms? Or for your wedding package? I'm a little confused...

It sounds like you have done all you can. Maybe the week before the deadline you can send out one more email to remind them that time is running out. Really, they still have 1 month to pay the deposit so don't get too worried.

If people have until September 28, I don't think you can push them yet. I'd send a reminder a week or two out, but they have the information and they have over a month to make up their minds.

This is the thing about DWs...you can't push people to spend the time and money to go, you can only offer to help find them the best rates IF they want to go.

Its basically to hold the price for them... If they pay their deposit of $150 that goes towards the total price of $1275/person in the end. The $1275 pays for everything, their flight and all inclusive for a week ans also the taxes too. Its a really good deal but if they dont pay the $150 by Sept 27th then their price is whatever the travel agent can get at the time when they do pay.. and right now that going rate is over $2000 after taxes.

That's an awesome deal. You can lead a horse to water but can't force him to drink (is that how the saying goes??) You've done all you can - they're adults and will have to make their own decisions whether or not they want the deal.

Thanks guys.. my maid of honor is thinking the same thing.. calm down and wait till the deadline is closer... which i guess is my only option. I just dont want to be to pushie, like you said if they want to come they will. Destination weddings are not as stress free as everyone thinks.. this is borderline painfull. Everything waits on these numbers.. what venue at our resort, what food, what price we pay for our wedding, everything waits ... I guess I just need to be more patient

Well said Kimi!

Hell, if they snooze they lose.

It's a great deal if they are going, but some (or most) may not have the funds, or they aren't planning on staying at that resort. $2550/ couple is pretty steep so my guess is everyone is trying to figure out if its in the budget. I doubt they are ignoring your reminders, however I would put it on the resort information page you put on your wedding website (along with how many days the wedding vacation will be with this package).

Personally I like to wait until the very last minute to put down a deposit... with over a month to go, most people that are planning on going are probably thinking they have plenty of time.

Oooh got it!

Basically..what Kimi K. said lol

Can we book with your deal? You wont even notice me there

Thanks guys... your all very right.. and I know its not a small amount of money I guess thats my worry that people will miss the opportunity for the great price and be stuck with a horrible price which may mean they cant make it after all. But that is the really big down side of destination weddings ... not sure i would still recommend it lol. Trust me they have all taken the time to tell me how much money it is lol and thankfully most seem to still be interested and 25% are sold for sure wont miss it... that is of course if they pay their deposits on time lol

LOL A.P. why yes of course you can book with our deal the more the marrier ,, maybe thats what I should do just open it up to everyone whos willing to come and there will be a party no matter what

Thanks Noei.. maybe... I dont think any of our guests like us enough to spend that kind of money to go for anything less than a week lol... the lure is for sure the 7 days of alcohol and unending food and service... I think most people would rather not go to a destination wedding but when they do its so much fun! We just got back from my moms wedding in Cuba last may and it was one of the best trips we've ever taken.. but in the beginning it was just a big pain in the butt.. really until we were at the resort it seemed like a big pain, and then we fell in love with the idea and wanted to be able to share that same experience with our friends and family. The problem is we know all too well how much people will put it off and think 'its April, I dont need to think about that now' when this is of course true but it will cost soooo much more if they do.

With that large of a group are you dealing with a travel agent? They would take some of the stress off of you. They would send the deadline to pay the deposit to lock in at a certain rate. We had our dw in Jamaica and didn't use a TA because I felt like I posted all of the necessary info for our wedding website to book including FAQ page and if they still had questions they could call the resort themsleves. At our resort the required deposit was $400 they had up until 60 days before our wedding date to have their reservation paid in full. Those that knew for sure they were going went ahead and booked right away and made payments until May. We informed our guests a year in advance about our dw. We knew that some would not be able to attend but I felt as if they really wanted to come they had a year to make payments as the wished until May before the wedding. Otherwise I wouldn't stress it.

Not all destination weddings work this way- although they are still stressful... I am planning one as well. You also have to realize not everyone likes all inclusive deals - and may want to shop around for various options... not to mention they may not be able to spend thhe entire week. Outside of those things... yes, people will wait until the last minute (or later) you can only do what you can do. I think a final reminder like a week out is a good idea.

I'm not sure there's much you can do. Our invites went out 3 months before the wedding and our room blocks were only available through Aug. 17th. (They can still book, but not at our rates.) MOST people are having to travel, too. I called the other day and at one of the two hotels we suggested, there are only 5 rooms booked. We sent out a good 82 invites and probably 70 of those groups are coming. We then checked with friends and even people in the wedding party haven't booked their rooms yet. We had a room rate at the cheaper hotel of $99 on a weekend in Sept near the Jersey shore and now they're going to have to pay a minimum of $50 more. Apparently they couldn't read our emails. Not our fault. Whatever.

LOL thanks guys.. we do have a travel agent its actually my mother.. this is what she does, so I would like to think shes the best and she has tried to assure me that it will work itself out and Im sure it will but I guess its the not knowing that is getting to me and not being able to plan anything else until this is done. For all those who thought it might be because the guests didnt want to stay the whole week ..there is actuallay only one flight per week to our desination from our province so unfortunatly its all or nothing. Thanks guys

That's a really big guest list for a destination wedding!

But you can only do so much! I'd send one more email that says this price is a limited time offer, and you are just trying to save them some money if they are planning to go.

However, as a potential guest- I can't plan that far in advance. Even if I wanted to go, I can't lock in a vacation that far ahead of time. And that would mean if I do go at all, I'll have to pay the prices at the time I can book- and your emails would come off as really pushy.

Thats my fear.. I really dont want to be pushy.

Do what I did...find out the cancellation policy and let everyone know that they should book now and then cancel if they absolutely have to. That way they lock in the rate, but they aren't locked in to attending if for some reason they can't. I would send out a reminder email with the price difference and a few lines about cancellations.

I am doing mine in Mexico in May 2012 and I am in the same boat...and your price is great! My resort is about $2000 (with taxes etc included) for a week and that was a great deal off the rack rate...I can't even imagine having almost half that price! It's phenomenal!