066: Jessica Upton, "Travel Advisor & Planner Relationship"

Meet my next guest, Jessica Upton.

Jessica Upton is the owner of J. Upton Travel, a Austin, Texas based company that partners with wedding planners to manage all things travel for weddings and destination events. 

With over a decade of experience as a wedding planner herself, Jessica knows firsthand the challenges planners face when it comes to group travel, room blocks, and hotel contracts. She works closely with planners to source the best hotels, negotiate favorable terms, and provide ongoing support to ensure a smooth travel experience for both clients and their guests. Jessica's goal is to take the stress out of the travel planning process so planners can really focus on creating the perfect event for their couples. 

As you will hear, Jessica worked at a wedding venue as a hotel catering sales manager and then owned her own planning company for 12 years. It was during that time she realized she didn't want to be a planner forever. She started to dip into travel by supporting her couples in room block management, destination travel management, airport travel, airport transfers, and honeymoons. It was then she realized she would need to pick a lane and J. Upton travel was it. 

I love hearing Jessica's story and insight as she educates us on the difference between a travel agent and a travel advisor. She shares more about how planners can and should have a few travel advisors to lean on for room blocks, honeymoon referrals. 

But most of all, planners should have a trusted partner to help support your couple and their guests at destination weddings. Please enjoy my conversation with Jessica Upton. 

In this episode, we discuss:

• Travel advisors and wedding planners can work together effectively.
• Jessica transitioned from wedding planning to travel due to personal experiences.
• The pandemic significantly impacted the wedding industry and planning.
• Modern travel advisors offer personalized services beyond just booking.
• Collaboration is key for successful destination weddings.
• Travel advisors can help alleviate stress for couples planning honeymoons.
• It's important to find a travel advisor that specializes in desired destinations.
• Building relationships with travel advisors can enhance service quality.
• Travel advisors can provide valuable insights into hotel logistics.
• The travel industry is evolving, and planners should adapt accordingly.

 

Connect with Jessica

Website | Instagram

 

This episode is supported by Planner Life Academy.

In case you didn't know, we created Planner Life Academy for planners to have the education, tools and resources we wish we had.

For me, I love sharing all the tips, tools and insight into all the little ways you can provide an amazing experience for your couples, their family and friends.

I think one of the best places to really make sure you are making a great first impression is at the rehearsal. For so many planners, the ceremony rehearsal is something that is stressful and annoying, but I love it! And I think with the right script you will enjoy it too.

So I created a free rehearsal audio recording where I walk you through exactly how I run a ceremony rehearsal.  So you can have my tried and true process to create your own rehearsal