In my early twenties, when I thought about my dream wedding, I was certain I would have a gorgeously sexy car to bring me to my patiently waiting groom and everyone would be impressed. Then my amazingly handsome groom and I would leave the church (I am not even baptized!) and everyone would stand in awe of such an amazing ride.
Fast forward 10 years and my practical side takes control. Do not get me wrong, I like nice cars. Some might even say I was born with a car gene, but money talks and my practical side listened. Here are three important questions to ask yourself to help you determine what’s the best wedding transportation “ride” for your big day.
1. What Can I Afford?
Weigh the pros and cons of your transportation choices. In love with a stretch Hummer limo or a horse drawn carriage? Get the price and divide by the amount of time you will spend in it. Is it worth it, or would you rather spend money on something else? It is your day, go with your gut!
In addition to figuring out our ride as a couple, we needed to decide how our guests would arrive at the wedding. Our guests will have nowhere to park at our ceremony/reception venue, so the best option was to have them park at the resort, where most of our guests would stay, and travel to us by shuttle…but what kind?! A limo wasn’t practical for the 10 minute ride. I am not a trolley person, sorry Molly! So I did my research and it came down to two options; School bus or passenger van.
My mom nearly choked when I said I was thinking school bus. I know she instantly thought it was not classy enough. Perhaps, but a 14 person passenger van seem like such a hassle. Have you ever gotten in and out of the three rows of seats all dressed up? Blargh!
In comparison, a school bus is amazingly economical and fits 48 people!! The other great thing is that the money we will save can be used to decorate the inside and outside of the bus and provide refreshments for the ride (non-alcoholic of course!).
Photo: Laurel McConnell Photography
2. Will I Be Transporting Guests?
Think about the pros and cons to your transportation choice. If you are transporting a lot of people, make sure it will work for older folks, guests with mobility issues and potentially intoxicated friends!
One concern we had with a bus was having enough space for them to turn around safely. The good thing is that they could actually make a loop from our location. Another concern is that there will be no space at the bottom of the driveway so folks will have to walk up and down our driveway, which is far from flat. I am reminding guests to wear comfortable shoes for our event. Let’s hope they listen!
3. What, When & Where Will I Need Transportation?
When you request vehicle rental quotes, know the addresses of where you are going, the maximum number of passengers, the times you will need the transportation, and the ‘busiest’ times. For example, our shuttle will be for 150 people in the beginning and the end, but pretty dead in the middle. The goal is to make sure you do not have people waiting around because you didn’t plan for enough transportation during the busy time and now people have missed your ceremony!!
Remember, even Cinderella’s carriage turned into a pumpkin. It might have been a lot less stressful if she just rode the pumpkin to begin with. My goal is for my guests to have a stress free, fun time. Even if school bus yellow doesn’t match my colors, it is the easiest and best option for my guests. I won’t hold it against you if you get the stretch Hummer though. If you are going to go for it…go all the way!
