About Lindsay Wendt-Sheikh Expertise What I can offer people is a kind voice that will work with them to create a beautiful destination wedding and/or honeymoon. I have been in the travel business for 22 years and has traveled the world. My interest in one thing, my love of romantic travel.
Experience I take great pleasure in being a specialist in destinations throughout the Caribbean, Hawaii, Mexico and South Pacific and passing that first hand knowledge on to my clients. I keep myself up-to-date by traveling to the products that I sell. Spent 1992 - 1995 working as a chat show manager and travel message board manager for AOL.
Organizations Destination Wedding Association
Publications Bridal Guide Magazine, Rolling Stone, local and statewide newspapers
Education/Credentials CSS - Sandals Certified Specialist for 10 years, Fiji Matai Specialist, Hawaii Tourism Specialist, Caribbean Specialist, Puerto Rico Specialist, Cancun Specialist, Mexico Specialist, Couples Resorts Preferred Travel Agency, RIU Resort Partner Agent, Secrets & Dreams Resorts Master Agent
Honeymoons - Verifying license and quality of Greek travel agent and wedding consultant
Expert: Lindsay Wendt-Sheikh - 11/29/2007
Question My daughter and her fiance wish to be married in Greece. They have found a destination wedding planner and a travel agency in Santorini, Greece. How do we verify license, quality, competency, honesty...? We need help! Thanks, Sharon
Answer Hi Sharon,
Well as a destination wedding planner and travel agency owner located in the United States here who plans only outside of US that is a question that I hear allot. To be honest there is not a centralize system to find out about a company overseas. Within the US we have various areas that you can check on a company, but once you go overseas there is nothing. You are truly on your own.
On the other hand you could ask the company for references or past couples contact information, however there could be a problem with that too.
Let's be honest anyone can put up a website on the internet and call themselves a destination wedding planner. We have seen many other there with stock pictures of weddings they purchased or found on the internet. We have been in the business 10 years and we have seen some winners! What you have to do is ask them for the reference, if they balk run away!!!!! And be careful of @yahoo.com or @hotmail.com or any free email service. You never know if that is them talking to you too. And resorts or places that they know could say yes, but it could be family and friends helping out.
Unfortunately I am going to be the bad guy and say there is no way to check. What I will say is how they talk to your daughter. Is it sales pitch or informational? Do they sound like they are trying to sell her a new car or do they go into details on any of her special requests? I know with our competition they send out pre-written responses, where as our company treats each request personal. And I am told from clients, that is what they loved from us. That we actually took the time to address their needs. And I would say any business that has been doing it for a long time will approach the situation the same way. They are out to make sure your daughter and future son-in-law has a great day.
I hope this helps! If you have any further questions please email me at lindsay@tripsdowntheaisle.com. I would be happy to talk with your daughter too. Please pass on my best wishes!
