When planning a wedding, one aspect that tends to get overlooked is transportation. Couples spend so much time focusing on booking a venue, hiring a caterer, and outfitting the wedding party that they often leave the wedding transportation arrangements until the last minute. As anyone who has ever planned a wedding can tell you, it’s the last minute decisions that really bring on the stress. But with a little forethought, and some careful planning, arranging transportation for your wedding day can be easy.
Book Your Car Service Early
Once you have a date, and a venue, chosen for you wedding it’s time to start thinking about your transportation needs. It is important to book your car service early, particularly if your wedding date falls around a major holiday or during prom season. Limousine companies can experience high demands at certain times of the year, and you want to be certain that you have secured your car service well in advance of the wedding day. Leaving it to the last minute may mean that you have fewer choices in limousine services, or that there are no cars to be had on your big day.
Budget
Budget has an impact on every wedding day decision, from hiring a venue to choosing a wedding dress. Booking transportation is no different. Whether you hire a single limousine for the happy couple, or provide chauffeured transport for the entire wedding party and all of the guests will be dictated by your weddings budget. When booking transportation for your wedding consider the following points:
- Total cost per hour
- Mileage charges
- Average distance between destinations
Keep in mind that most companies will have a booking minimum, usually three to four hours, for all of their wedding contracts. Prices per hour vary greatly from company to company, and you will want to do some research before signing any contracts.
Choosing Your Service
Before you book any transportation service, you will want to do a little research, both in person and online. You want to be sure that the service you choose has experience with wedding transportation, and that all of their drivers are fully licensed and insured. When you have a few likely contenders, ask for references and customer referrals. You should also make a point of inspecting the service’s vehicles first hand. Whether you are interested in a traditional limousine, or something out of the ordinary, you want to make sure that the vehicles are clean and well appointed, and that they offer ample room to accommodate the wedding party.
Booking Your Service
Once you have settled on a limousine service, it’s time to think about the contract. There are a few things that you will want to have confirmed up front, and it’s best to get these itemized in a written agreement. Pay close attention to the following terms of service:
- Total Cost
- Required Deposits
- Gratuity Policy
- Refund Policies
- Overtime Rates
- Model of Vehicles Booked
Providing A Detailed Itinerary
Now that you have booked your car service, you will need to supply them with a detailed itinerary for your wedding day. Consider all of the wedding day activities, and factor them in to your transportation schedule. These should include pick-up and drop-off times for all of the members of the wedding party, scheduled stops for hair and make-up, and stops for any planned or impromptu wedding portraits. Be sure to leave a bit of wiggle room in the day’s itinerary to compensate for traffic or last minute interruptions. It is also important to provide a primary phone contact, either the maid of honor, best man, or wedding planner, who can handle any last minute issues or to deal with any unexpected delays.
Hiring a limousine service may not be the first thing you think of when planning your wedding, but it definitely shouldn’t be the last thing on your list. Plan ahead, take some time to consider your transportation needs, and book your car service early to ensure that you and your guests can travel to your wedding in style.
