Wedding Transportation

There are all kinds…you want it…they got it! The more unique…the pricier:
    Limos
    Town Cars
    Specialty Cars – Vintage…Rolls Royce…Stretch Vettes
    Stretch SUV’s and Hummers
    Limo Buses
    Cruise Buses
    Trolleys
    Horse Drawn Carriages

Pricing

Different companies have different rates and hours of service with each business setting their own pricing structure. You will want to compare pricing packages and make sure you are comparing apples to apples.

Most companies have an hourly rate with a minimum number of hours required. Tips of 20% are usually included in the contract. Renting multiple vehicles usually gets you a discount. Some will offer a discount if a vehicle is more that a few years old…be sure to inquire!


Ways to Save:

A. Many contracts include alcohol in their fee. If you want water and soft drinks instead, ask the company to supply them and reduce their price. You may not be able to bring your own.

B.    Hire only one smaller limo for the bride and dad to go to the ceremony (traditionally, the father of the bride takes her to the ceremony). Use the same limo to then transport the bride and groom to the reception site.   Let everyone arrange their own transportation…they won’t mind. They will need transportation home later anyway.

C.    Lease a luxury vehicle for you and your dad or parents for the day.

D.    Instead of having the limo come back after the reception, have the best man take you to your hotel. If you are leaving for your honeymoon the following morning, stay at an airport hotel and use the shuttle to get to the airport the next morning.

Tips:

1. Ask the make, model and year of the vehicle. Top-notch companies keep newer vehicles.

2. Physically see the vehicle. It looks great on the internet but it could be a dog.

3. If you make a mess out of the vehicle…you may be billed for cleaning – check the fine print.

4. If the company tells you it is a 10 passenger limo…that really means 8. 18 passenger means 15. Remember, there will be extra room needed for full dresses, bags, etc. that you are taking from location to location. Limo buses don’t have bench seating so you may find more room in a limo bus.

5. Small children usually go with parents and don’t ride in the limo.

6. Email or fax the company directions. Although they use an internet mapping service or GPS, you are the one who probably knows the routes and short cuts better than the driver.

7. Be realistic about travel times…it takes longer to maneuver a bigger vehicle. Consider weather and seasonal traffic.

8. When signing your contract, you will need the order of transportation, exact names, addresses and phone numbers of all the destinations.

9. If you are providing transportation from a hotel to the ceremony and reception for out of town guests, remember, you will need to have transportation for them at the reception. Have the transportation run in 30-minute increments from just after your first dance until the end of the reception.

Article submitted by Holly Stasiak. Holly is a professional wedding planner. You can contact her at holly@apassionforweddings and view her website at www.apassionforweddings.com