A Guide to Your Wedding Transportation

Coordinating wedding transportation isn’t nearly as much fun as outfitting your registry or designing your wedding cake. To help speed up the process, we’ve organised everything you need to consider. Review this planning guide and weigh your needs against your transportation budget, then start comparing rates among limo companies and car rental services. Ready to go?

Budget

Hopefully, you’ve already determined your transportation budget. Knowing your buying power will make it easier to choose services and proceed with your plan. Figure $80-$120 per hour per car (depending on transport mode) and $20-$25 per hour per valet for parking service.

Who Pays

Contemporary grooms are generally expected to take charge of transportation arrangements. Traditionally, the bride’s family pays the wedding party’s transportation needs (to ceremony, reception, and wherever the couple’s going afterward), plus any parking expenses. The groom’s family covers just the groom’s and best man’s ride to the ceremony. Depending on who’s footing the bill for other wedding items, transportation and parking fees should be easy to split evenly between families.

Arrival & Departure Style

Do you see yourself in a horse-drawn carriage a la Kate and William? A lightning-white stretch? A vintage Cadillac? Matching golf buggies? Here are some options:

• Stretch limo
• Classic car
• Horse and carriage
• Town car
• Luxury car
• Own car
• Quirky Kombi (we love this idea!)
• Other

Attendants & Family Transportation

Take a head count, then calculate your vehicle needs. Compare prices as you shop around — one stretch limo might be cheaper than two town cars. Here’s a breakdown of average capacities:

• Stretch limos: 10-12 passengers
• Limos: 6 passengers
• Town cars: 2-4 passengers
• Own cars: 2-4 passengers (determine how many each will seat comfortably, then decide if you need to rent)

Guest Needs

Depending on your reception and ceremony locations, you might not need to provide mass transport. But if you expect guests to arrive on their own, it’s a good idea to cover all bases in terms of parking. Depending on the number of guests, you can choose parking attendants only or a full-service valet team. Guidelines? Four valets (or two or three attendants) plus a site manager generally can service 100 guests. Choose from these options:

• Buses: 52-passenger capacity
• Vans: 7-passenger capacity
• Parking attendants only
• Valet parking

Find a Wedding Car supplier in your area