Travel agents are NOT created equally.  We are humans just like you.  We have our good and bad traits.  Some of us are great at some aspects of the business while others excel in a different area. We are all different. 

I have always suggested to all of my friends and neighbors to interview what I like the call their "resources".  I would never pick the first lawyer out of the phone book and hope he could help me.  I would ask questions and find out if he specialized in my type of issue.  The same goes for the person who does your taxes.  Do you need or want a CPA or will the part time bookkeeper do just fine for you?  These people and other "resources" can give you great practical advice and can save you thousands of dollars if you use them correctly.

You are going to be spending thousands of dollars on a great honeymoon, vacation or resort wedding.  Why not look for the right expert to help you do this correctly?

You can interview this person just like you would any other "resource".  Here are a few questions to ask:  Do you specialize in any a certain type of travel?  What are your business hours?  Can I contact you late in the evening?  What if I want to meet with you outside of your 9-5 hours?  If we have issues do you have an emergency contact number?  Do I have to pay in full or can I make a small deposit?  What types of payment do you take?  How long will I wait for you to call me back if I leave a message for you?  Tell me about the last(honeymoon, resort wedding, vacation) you planned.  Do you add any additional fees for us booking with you?  Can you meet or beat internet pricing, apples to apples?

Those are just a few of the questions you could ask.  I know what some of you are thinking.  I want to book on line.  How do I ask those questions.  No need to ask those questions since you are the travel agent.  You are doing some of the work of an agent but not getting paid.  Make sure to read all the fine print since if something does go wrong you will want to know how to get help.

The reason to find a great travel agent is this person can save you TIME and MONEY!  A great travel agent is a great resource for life.  They will never add fees to your booking unless they tell you up front.  They will always attempt to meet or beat Internet pricing.  A great agent will use some of the same wholesalers that sell on the internet and many others that you do not have access to.

Find a great Travel Agent and you have a "resource" for life!