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Arranging All Transportation for your Wedding
2 Months Before your Wedding: Arranging All the Transportation
When you have some 2 months to your wedding, it is a good time to mull over your transportation to and from the wedding venue. This consideration should be covered around the date, venue, ceremony, party size, and reception sites. During graduation and prom seasons, high-end vehicles may be in huge demand, so book these earlier to avoid frustrations.
Who to Transport
In determining who should have transportation catered for, take a headcount of the groom and bride’s immediate family, guests and VIPs. The family consists of the wedding couple, wedding party, parents from both sides, grandparents, children, and siblings who are not part of the wedding party.
Some couple also caters for the transportation of close relatives and guests. So where do you want the limit to go? This depends on the distance between the church/wedding venue and the reception. Usually, budget will determine this decision.
Know that you must only provide for the immediate family, close friends, and VIPs. The rest of the people should be able to afford their own transportation. Just ensure that VIPs who are visiting from another state, country or city are not stranded. Consider hiring a party van that can shuttle guests who can get lost or are too drunk to drive after the reception.
How to Get There
There are three phases of transportation on the day of your wedding- The trip to church or wedding garden, the ride from the church to reception venue and the final exit from the reception to go home. Who needs to be transported where?
The Ride to the Wedding Ceremony
The bride and the groom should drive separately to the wedding ceremony with their respective attendants. Arrange for transport so that the bride and her bridesmaids ride separately from the groom and his groomsmen. Parents should have their respective cars as well.
The wedding party and close family members can ride in a shuttle bus. Note that the average stretch limousine can carry 8-10 people. While these vehicles are expensive to hire, consider having guests fit in a 52-seater coach.
The Ride to the Wedding Reception
Once the bride and groom have exchanged vows, the traditional transportation mode is a dream ride to reception with honor attendants. At the same time, the wedding party, parents and other people who have hitched rides with you will need transportation.
You can use the same cars that brought your attendants and parents to the wedding venue. The bride and groom should have their own private car. If you opt to go for carpooling, let each driver know who to ferry early in advance.
Click HERE to Download your Traditional Wedding Checklist
What Time to Arrive
Before making calls, consider the travel times between the destinations. To have a feel of what it is like, organize a test drive on a weekend to familiarize yourself with the traffic and road. Allow 15 minutes before the start of proceedings at the reception. This allows everyone to arrive before things start in earnest.
Cost of Transportation
Once you have figured out the needs of your wedding party, start asking for availability and rates. Many transportation vendors charge you by the hour, with the requirement of a minimum time period of 3 hours.
Shop around various car companies so you can compare packages and quotes. You can ask for extra freebies that rental companies often throw as part of the wedding package. It makes sense to have drivers waiting at the reception so they can ferry guests to the reception. They can then go their way and return later in the night for the final pickup.
Watch out for the Following Things
Overcrowding – do not fill each car to capacity. Special wedding dresses and nervous excitement requires more space. Allow for enough breathing room.
Maps for All Drivers – do not assume that all drivers know all the routes and destinations, hand each one of them a well-detailed map. Include mobile numbers of people who may assist.
Verbal or Vague Contracts – ensure that the provisions of your agreement are all written on paper. Avoid verbal promises that may end up costly. These include the date, time, venues, routes and costs of services.
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