Must go through travel agent to attend wedding

I would also buy my ticket and book my room myself, not as "part of the wedding". Sounds to me like the guests are funding the wedding and honeymoon

That sounds like there's a kickback going to the wedding couple from the Travel Agency. Weddings at all inclusive always strike me as funny though, because guests staying at the AI are paying for the food just by staying there.

So my first wedding was destination and we had a travel agent. It made it possible to make installment payments and we did check rates and they were about $100 cheaper through the travel agent as they usually get the 'group' rate. While yes were offered a free room and some other 'free' perks, we still had to book and pay for everything in advance. We would be issued credit if we met the block number and if not it was still paid. But as stated we used the agent so that guest had the option to not pay in full but make payments since we understand a destination wedding is quite expensive for those in attendance. Also, by booking through the agent your guest are likely to be placed together - on same floor, in same building and or guests had a welcome gift in room.

That being said, $600 is a ridiculous difference, and you should book on your own and contact hotel on your own (if possible) and just advise you are with wedding party so they can attach the group code to your reservation. We had guests decide last minute they were coming that did this as our rate was no longer available.

Lastly, where is the wedding taking place? If this all happened in the last 48 hours I wouldn't be surprised if rates are drastically impacted from the hurricanes (depending on location). If this is the case, I would suggest your friend contact her agent to renegotiate rates.

How are they going to keep you out if you get the room and everything through somewhere else.seems to me that the bride and groom found away to get their guest to cover some of their expenses.

I'm supposed to be having a destination wedding (the island was badly hit by the hurricane, but still trying to hold onto my dreams of having it there).

I did have two couples ask me if we had a travel agent they had to book through or if they had to find their own. It took me off guard at first, but then I sent them the links to the airport with flights leaving from their airport to the island's airport for the days they needed and then sent them the link to both AirBnB and the link to the hotel we got a block of rooms at. One couple is still going through a local travel agent, even though I told them they're wasting money on doing so.

If I was in your shoes, I would ask both the travel agent and the bride where those $400 are going to. If they can't tell you, book elsewhere!

Your invitation is to a wedding -- one you will need to travel to attend. It was not an invitation to fund perks for the couple.

I would have no problem, as an adult, booking my own room, my own ticket, and handling everything myself -- withouta nod to the agent. This couple is engaging in crowd-funding, but they've found a way to keep it on the down low. Good for you for figuring it out. Don't get suckered into BS. If what's really important to them is your presence, you've found a way, minus

$600, to give them exactly what they claim is so important to them (I'd decline, but it's not my family).

Under no circumstance should you feel obligated to spend an extra $50, let alone $600, to attend a DW. Wow, they're outrageous (and stop conversing with that travel agent. She doesn't care about how unbelievably tacky this is, and she doesn't care about you. Put it in her face and handle it yourself, if you're still willing to attend this wedding).

That's crazy, I would go with saving $600.

It's a little disheartening that any wedding couple expects their guests to fund their "perks".

We are having to do the same to attend a wedding of two great friends. I contacted the travel agent for a quote on everything. I ended up booking our airfare, airport transfers and misc and probably saves 50%. We did book the all inclusive resort through the agent and we made a stink about her added fee since she wasn't actually doing anything for us other than put our name on an already reserved room so she waived the fee (mostly I think she was tired of my questions about the insanity of it). I don't love it, we would never spend that kind of money on a hotel as we don't prefer all inclusives but we just decided to suck it up to be there for them on their day.

If I were you I would book separately.. I'm having a cruise wedding and I struggled with this exact idea.. I couldn't justify making my guests pay more so that I could get free stuff or a discount on my room so ultimately I decided to let them book on their own. If your friend is truly your friend they should understand.

I did a DW. I personally looked for deals and if I found them I either asked if my agent could match or told my guests they could book outside. Turns out our rate was better if people were opting out of package deals. I didn't care about the perks, just wanted my guests to be comfortable. I am a part of DW group, they're only telling you this so they can keep their benefits

I would ask the agent and the bride if they know what it is for.

I would save the extra 400 dollars the worst I can think if you don't go threw with the agent is not having a room near everyone else.

This happened to a friend of mine. She was invited to a DW (I forget where). Bride and groom had booked a travel agent associated with the wedding venue. The costs of another hotel close by would have been significantly cheaper than booking through the travel agent. My friend was told that if she did not book through the agent, she would have to pay to get into the wedding. I don't remember how much exactly but it was $100-$200 just to get into the wedding which was basically the difference between the two hotels.

I'm not shocked by a lot of things, but that one floored me. It was obvious that the couple were getting some perks or subsidies from the amount of guests that booked. My friend was so pissed that she declined their invitation.

Jennifer C, I have found that with all inclusive resorts, they typically do charge extra for guests who are not staying at their resort. Our resort charges $100 for people to get into the resort if they stay somewhere else. They can be at the resort from 7am to 11pm and enjoy unlimited food and drinks, use the pool and my other activities at the resort. Nut, we have told everyone that we will be covering this cost if they choose to stay at another resort. I invited them to the wedding and will not dictate how they spend their money or vacation and I will not force them to pay a fee to attend. I think your friend made the right choice to not attend that wedding.

Have you spoken to the bride or groom? This sounds like what happened to us. The travel agent didn't disclose certain items to us/used language that wasn't clear. When one of our friends brought it up, she basically said that to get the group benefits, guests paid more than through the hotel. We cancelled our contract with her. Now through a rewards program straight through the hotel, they'll be saving 200-600 per person. The updated info will be sent with our formal invites as our website told travel planner information previously.

It's quite possible that the couple didn't know what they were getting themselves into with the travel agent. Our guests will not be subsidizing our wedding, so we cut ties with the person who was making our guests pay. Talk to the couple!

Agree with @Cricket. Speak to the couple and make sure they're aware of what is going on with the travel agent. It's possible they don't know and will probably be happy if you tell them!