Organizing the right transport for your wedding day will be critical for a seamless, stress-free event. Whether you’re dreaming of a luxury stretch limo, a retro Kombi van or a vintage car, you’ll need to ensure you (and your loved ones) can be transported between locations on time – and within budget!
So, who actually needs transportation on your wedding day, and what are the costs involved in booking wedding transportation for you and your guests? Read on as we answer all of your wedding transport FAQs below, including timeline tips, budget advice, and more.
When Do You Need Wedding Transportation?
Unless you’re getting married in your own backyard, it’s highly likely you’ll need to arrange some kind of wedding transport for your special day! But before you start browsing luxury vehicles, you’ll first need to figure out exactly what transport you need, and when it will be required according to your wedding timeline.
Your transportation requirements will ultimately depend on your venue, and how your day is going to flow from start to finish. For example: are you hosting your ceremony and location at the same venue or different locations? Are you taking your portrait photos off-site? Is your wedding at a local venue, or are you hosting a destination wedding?
With this in mind, you may require the following:
- Transport to your ceremony venue
- Transport to your wedding portrait location
- Transport from your ceremony venue to your reception venue
- Transport to your wedding accommodation at the end of the night
- Transport for your guests to and from the venue
It can be helpful to create a rough wedding timeline and use this to figure out exactly where transport will be required throughout the day. This will give you a great starting point when it comes to researching your different transportation options.
Who Needs Wedding Transportation?
Okay, now let’s dive into exactly who needs wedding transportation. Are you responsible for organizing transport for your bridal party, family members, and wedding guests?
This will really come down to your wedding venue and your budget. Typically, couples will arrange wedding transportation to the ceremony venue for their bridal party and parents. You’ll likely be traveling with them to your ceremony, so it makes sense to include them in your transport headcount!
To determine who else may need wedding transportation, consider the logistics of your day and the location of your wedding. You may need to organize additional transportation if:
- You’re hosting a destination wedding. If your loved ones have traveled to attend your wedding, it’s considered correct etiquette to arrange a shuttle bus to and from the venue for them. Some hotels offer a free shuttle service, so be sure to check this out when researching wedding accommodation options!
- Your venue has limited parking options. Some venues may only have parking spaces for a small number of vehicles, which can make transport difficult for your loved ones.
- You have guests with special needs. If you have elderly guests who aren’t able to drive themselves to and from the venue, it’s a thoughtful gesture to arrange some form of transport for them – for example, organizing a lift with a trusted family member.
Different Wedding Transportation Options
Now for the fun part – choosing your ride! When it comes to wedding transportation, there are many different options. The most popular transport options for weddings typically include stretch limousines, vintage cars, and other luxury vehicles, along with shuttle buses for your guests. However, you can also find more unique options like retro Kombi vans, themed party buses, or even a horse and carriage!
The right transport option will ultimately depend on your own personal style and budget, along with the number of guests who will be traveling with you. For example, a stretch limousine is a good option if you have a big bridal party, but a vintage car would be suitable if you’re traveling to the venue with your parents.
Start by doing some research online and seeing exactly what options are available in your local area. Then, reach out to compare some quotes and narrow down your options.
What is the Average Cost of Wedding Transportation?
So, what exactly should you budget for your wedding transportation? Pricing for wedding transport will vary depending on the type of vehicle you choose, and how many hours are needed. Keep in mind that some companies will require a minimum number of hours in order to make a booking.
As a rough guide, a stretch limo may be anywhere from $350 – $500 for 3 hours of transport, while a luxury vehicle could range from $150 to $250 per hour. Shuttle buses can vary from $750 – $1200 in total, depending on the distance to your venue and the number of guests.
When to Book Your Wedding Transportation
Don’t leave your wedding transportation until the last minute! Your transport will be critical to the logistics of your event, so we recommend booking your vehicles nice and early to avoid any last-minute stress. Luxury cars can often be in high demand – and if there are limited options available then it’s first in, best dressed.
With this in mind, consider locking in your wedding transport as soon as your ceremony and reception venue and timings have been confirmed. This is particularly important if you’re hosting your wedding on a weekend during peak wedding season (or even during prom season when cars book out quickly!).
Questions to Ask Your Wedding Transport Provider
As you begin researching different vehicle options and sourcing quotes, it’s a good idea to be prepared with some questions to help you find the best fit. Some important questions to ask your wedding transport provider would include:
- Are you available on our wedding date?
- How many vehicles do you recommend for our guest numbers?
- Is there a minimum number of hours required?
- What is the booking process?
- What is your refund and cancellation policy?
- When do we need to confirm final guest numbers?
- Are there any additional costs (eg: overtime rates, tipping, and gratuities) that we need to be aware of?
- Are you licensed and insured?
Asking these questions upfront will help you avoid any unwanted surprises closer to the day.
Wedding Transport Tips
Ensure you and your guests get from A to B in style (and on time!) with these final wedding transport tips:
- Give yourself a buffer. When adding transport to your wedding run sheet, plan to arrive at your ceremony 15 minutes early, just in case you’re held up in traffic or wet weather.
- Allocate an emergency contact. The last thing you want to be dealing with on your wedding day is coordinating cars! Instead, assign a trusted person (such as your wedding planner, maid of honor or family member) to be your go-to contact on the day for any transportation issues.
- Confirm shuttle bus numbers via your RSVPs. Instead of contacting each guest individually, simply add a question to your RSVP form asking if a seat on the bus is required. Make the process even easier by using online RSVPs so you can store your responses in one digital place.
- Share transport details via your wedding website. If you’ve booked a shuttle bus for your guests, be sure to add these details to your wedding website including timings and pickup/dropoff points. If you haven’t organized a bus for your guests, be sure to provide some details about local public transportation options instead.
- Don’t rely on rideshare services. It may be harder than you think for guests to book a taxi or rideshare service to get home at the end of the night, especially during busy times of the year. In this case, it can be more practical to organize a shuttle bus to ensure everyone makes it home safely.
Build Your Wedding Timeline with WedSites
From wedding transport to speeches and dinner service, we’ve made it easy to build your wedding day timeline online here at WedSites! Once complete, simply download a printable copy to share with your wedding venue and team of suppliers.
You can learn more about our suite of digital wedding planning tools here, or create your free account to get started.