1. Book Ahead of Time
Once you’ve settled on the location of your ceremony and reception, scheduled the date of your wedding, and determined your party size, you’re now ready start booking transportation. Ideally, you should start making reservations about four to six months in advance. If you’re wedding day is in April, May, or June, you’ll want to book even earlier in advance as car services are in high demand for proms and graduations during these months.
2. Determine Who Requires Transportation
Before you begin making calls, it’s important to establish how many people in your party will be requiring transportation to and from your wedding location(s). First, determine how you and your fiancé would like to arrive to the ceremony and reception. If you’re hosting lots of out-of-towners, you might consider providing them with transportation. This way your attendants won’t worry about driving through an unfamiliar city or assigning designated drivers.
If your budget allows, you might consider hiring multiple vehicles or a single buss to transfer guests to and from your wedding locations. On average, stretch limousines seat about 8 – 10 people, sedans up to 4, SUVS up to 6, and coach buses up to 55-60 people. Be sure to choose a vehicle(s) that best suits your budget and transportation needs.
Getting to the Ceremony:
It is customary for the bride and groom to ride separately to the ceremony with their respective attendants. However, it’s your wedding day so choose who you’d like to arrive with, whether it be with your bridesmaids, groomsmen, and or parents.
Getting to the Reception:
After the end of the ceremony, the bride and groom traditionally ride to the reception together in a high-class vehicle. If your budget allows, parents and wedding attendants can ride to the reception in the same vehicles that they arrived to the ceremony in. Otherwise, make sure carpool arrangements are made among your attendants—you don’t want anyone lost or stranded.
3. Arriving On Time
The last thing you want is being late to your ceremony because of an unexpected delay so determine your pickup and drop off times for each trip you will be requiring before making phone calls. Schedule early pick and drop off times for your ceremony and reception in case there are any unexpected delays in your travel. Take note of any major sporting events or festivals that might be going on during your wedding day as this often means heavy traffic which can delay your schedule.
4. Budgeting
Most companies charge a minimum of three hours to rent their vehicles for weddings. You can expect to pay anywhere between $50 – $150 per hour depending on the vehicle you rent, plus a 15-20 percent gratuity which is usually included in the contract. Be sure to call multiple companies to compare quotes and packages.
Before renting the limo (or other vehicles), try setting time aside to view the vehicle in person. You’ll want to verify that the vehicle(s) is in good condition and that there is enough room for you and your attendants.
5. Make Special Requests
Your wedding transportation should be a luxurious experience so don’t be afraid to ask for special requests. Whether your request is a specific brand of champagne you’d like to have on hand or a specific music playlists that you’d like to listen to on your way to the ceremony or reception.
Lastly, you’ll want to make sure the company includes all your transportation requirements and special requests in the contract before you sign. Keep this contract until the end of the service in case one or more of your requirements or requests are not fulfilled by the company.
Check out our guide on How to Hire Limousine Services For Weddings.