26 Jan Wedding Transportation: Tips You Should Consider Before You Book
Wedding planning can be stressful! After the excitement of your engagement wears off, the weight of all that has to be done sinks in and the closer to your big day, the heavier it feels. You want your wedding day to be perfect like you always imagined, and it will be regardless of the minor details that slip through the cracks. One detail you want to go smoothly, however, is your transportation!
So, how do you make sure you arrive on time and in style? Follow these simple tips to arrange your wedding day ride:
Think Holistically
Wedding transportation involves more than your ride to the altar, although that is the most important trip you will take in arguably your whole life. Over the next few months, you will be planning engagement parties, bachelor(ette) parties, bridal showers, dress rehearsals and all kinds of celebrations. Guests will be visiting, staying in hotels and exploring your home town in preparation for your big day.
Work with your transportation specialists to create a package that covers transportation to all of these celebrations. Booking services together will usually save you some cash, and we all know how necessary that is right now!
The Best Time to Book Your Wedding Transportation = EARLY!
The ideal time to speak with a limousine or wedding transportation service is after you have chosen your date, booked your ceremony and reception venues and have a rough idea of how many people will be attending your events. As you probably know, wedding season is competitive and weekends especially fill up quickly. The sooner you can reserve your vehicles, the better chance you will have of getting your dream car. Another thought, weddings planned in spring often compete with prom, another reason you should get your reservations in as soon as you can.
What Do I Need on my Wedding Day?
Your top consideration should be how do you want to arrive and depart from your wedding? Have you always dreamed of a luxurious limousine or maybe something with a vintage flair? There are a lot of ways to get somewhere, what is your way?
Once you know how you are getting to the altar, think about your wedding party. Where will they be gathered? Will they ride with you to the venue or will the be responsible for their own transportation. What if they are late (gasp!). Also, will they need to go to an alternate location for photo opportunities? Keep your party and your sanity together by booking a car/limo/party bus just for them.
After all the vows are sung and the party is winding down, where will the new Mr. and Mrs need to go? Are you staying at a nearby hotel or hoping the first flight to Fiji for your honeymoon. Be sure you have a way to ride off into the sunset!
What Are The Terms of Your Agreement?
There are many things to consider when booking your transportation. Each service has their own set of fees and policies that guide how much they charge and how they handle changes to the agreement. Be sure you understand these terms including policies on how long you are renting a vehicle for, how much your deposit is, expected gratuity, what happens if there is an emergency or error, how many people can ride in your selected vehicles and if they will be providing extras like balloons, beverages or food and at whose cost.
Vetting Your Transportation Vendor
Ahh scammers, there are out there. They take advantage of peoples happiness and eagerness to have the perfect day. Trusted transportation services will offer the following information when asked about their reliability and professionalism:
Driver/Chauffeur training – Be sure the company you hire and the driver that will be with you is trained, professional and knows his way around. You don’t want a newbie getting lost and causing unnecessary stress on your big day.
GPS – Ensure the cars are equipped with GPS. Seems like a no-brainer, but it’s gotta be said!
Reviews- Read all the reviews. Check Facebook, Google, Yelp. Do the comments match the experience you have had with the company so far? Better yet, ask your friends for referrals. If they had a great experience, they will gladly share.
Whew, that felt like a lot of information. We know what to look for because we have seen it all in our 15 years of serving couples in the Philadelphia area. Engagements and wedding planning is such an exciting, stressful time. The best advice we can give you is to be prepared. The earlier you lock in your major vendors and services, the more time they will have to perfect the details and the less you will have to stress when it gets down to the wire.
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