I have been planning Destination Weddings from Canada since before it was a term and believe me Murphy’s Law and weddings are a terrible combination. Something always seems to go wrong and my hope is that it is a very small thing that I can cover up without the couple even notice but sometimes that’s just not possible. We have had a groom arrested for punching a DJ, a grandfather pass away, a sister missed the only flight of the week and a toilet overflow right onto the wedding clothes and don’t even get me started on health issues like Swine flu and the latest pandemic.
Let me tell you my story..
I set up shop in a small unfinished basement which was damp and bitterly cold. I put a baby gate at the top of the stairs to keep the children away when I took important calls and set out to find business. Starting a travel business as I’m sure you know isn’t easy and no-one would come knocking on the door to ask “do you have a travel agent in your basement? “. Needing to find clients I had the idea to specialize in Destination Weddings as I had an event planning background as only one company was specializing in that in Canada at the time.
In my first year with help from tourism boards and hotel chains and lots of attending bridal events and networking I managed to plan 8 weddings. In my second year I did 28 and in my third I did 72 weddings. I was super super busy and winning major awards all over the place and things were going very well and then
WHAM!!!!! Swine Flu…
May 2009 H1N1 hit with a vengeance, and Mexico CLOSED!
I had 35 wedding groups booked that month to Mexico, what could I do?
The weddings had all been planned for over a year. Some were groups of over 70 guests leaving in just a few days… it was the biggest nightmare curve ball I could NEVER have imagined and I was ground zero.
The swine flu had taken hold very quickly and many brides and grooms had no idea that their wedding could end up cancelled. Especially with as short notice as some had.
I had some very very upset couples. One who was departing much later in the month came in with four huge intimidating family members and threatened me… it was not a fun time that’s for sure.
We were all confused. We had no idea what we were supposed to do and all over the place weddings were being cancelled and just refunded. So here was I with 35 wedding groups booked to Mexico and I had to rebook them to different locations, some in just a matter of a few days. Some weddings had close to 100 guests coming from all over the world staying in different room types and with different needs. Add to that I had to rebook the entire wedding ceremony, arrange paperwork fast track and get all the vendors they needed to make their wedding exactly what they wanted. It was a true nightmare.
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It was heartbreaking to watch how Brides not booked with us were just told sorry “your wedding is off”. Here is a refund. They were offered no help… no rebooking, and no sympathy.
So why am I telling you all this?
Well if your wedding was also a victim of the recent pandemic I would like to help you! I have negotiated exclusive specials that I can offer you as well as Free wedding planning to you if you have had your wedding cancelled due to COVID or if you are willing to get married in Destination in 2020.
I will help you decide where is the perfect place for you and your group based on your wishes.
I will never ask you “Where do you want to go?” I work like a realtor. You should expect me to know the places personally and to be able to suggest the perfect backdrop to your perfect day/Week, of celebration.
I’m here to help you. Your meeting with me is free and I want to help.
About Lorraine:
Top of the list of references would be Cityline TV. As their Travel Expert I speak regularly on National TV about all things travel especially Destination Weddings and group travel.
I have won 26 awards including the very prestigious Gold Magellan Award and Silver Magellan award in 2017 and 2019 respectively. I am a speaker at conferences in USA and Canada and have celebrity clients of the highest level but don’t let that scare you as I’m in it as I love it. My price is reasonable and every single client is important to me! I have a team of experts to back me up and we work at your budget and with your guidelines. The only time I may refuse the booking is if I feel the choice you made is particularly bad idea and then I will let you know why.
