14.1 Introduction
The choice of wedding transport can make or break a wedding, especially when you consider that the wedding cannot occur if the bride, groom, wedding party or guests have not yet arrived.As a wedding planner, you must be ready to plan for and present the best transportation options for all, no matter what the situation your clients find themselves in. Here are the goals of a wedding planner when it comes to wedding transport:
14.2 Book Transport in Advance
Before beginning the search for the perfect transportation option, you must understand that it must be booked in advance.Most wedding planners will book transport about six months in advance, but if the wedding takes place during the time from June to August, peak season, it is best to book the transport sooner. As a wedding planner, it is your responsibility to not only book the transport early, but make sure that the transport is scheduled to arrive to the wedding venue early. This means it is necessary for the transport to arrive to the home(s) of the couple early, too. When planning a wedding, you will quickly find that it is always better to be safe than sorry, so always book transportation early in every situation.
14.3 Consider All of the Transport Options
Most couples who want transport for their wedding will choose classic cars or limousines, but there are certainly other options that you will want to present to your clients.Yes, there is plenty of room in a limousine for everyone to stretch out, but there are other options to consider too, such as a Rolls Royce, a carriage, horse and cart or even a tractor. Sports cars, classic cars and party buses are also popular choices for couples. It is best, when choosing the best transport, to also consider the theme of the wedding. For example, if the wedding has a vintage theme, a Rolls Royce is an excellent choice, but a party bus might not be. Here are some popular choices when it comes to transportation:
Vintage Cars
Vintage cars are those made from about 1919 to 1939. The most popular cars for weddings in this category are the Rolls Royce brand, including the Ghost, Phantom and Wraith. There are also vintage Austin, Ford and Daimler cars available from most wedding transport companies.
Classic Cars
A classic car is one that was built from about 1945 to the late 1960s, though many cars from the 1970s and 1980s are also considered classic, though generally termed ‘modern classics.’ Some popular choices from this category include 1950s Bentleys and Rolls Royce Silver Clouds.
Modern Cars
A modern car is usually one that has been made in the past 20 years, and most wedding transport companies have several modern cars to choose from. The most popular brands include Jaguar, Mercedes, Chrysler, Rolls Royce and Bentley.
Beauford’s
Many couples like the look of the Beauford, which is a 1930s handcrafted vehicle that is based on the cars of the 1920s and 1930s, such as a Packard Eleventh Series Eight Sedan or Duesenberg. These are highly stylish, and the finesse of these cars fit in with almost any wedding theme. Most of these cars are open top convertibles, and seat two or four people. Many of these models also have a removable front passenger seat, which is perfect for those with large wedding dresses.
American Cars
Many couples are also seeking out American cars for their wedding, and these cars fall into several categories, including modern, classic or vintage. Some of the popular models include Chevrolet, Cadillac, Oldsmobile and Ford, especially the sporty Ford Mustang.
Wedding Limousines
The traditional wedding limousine is a popular choice for those couples wishing to transport their entire wedding party, and most seat up to 8 passengers. There are also larger limousines available, however, such as a Hummer or Ford Excursion limousine. These may seat anywhere from 13 to 16 guests, depending on the size of the car.
Wedding Buses
For couples who want to transport larger groups of wedding guests or wedding participants, a wedding bus is a perfect option. These buses are large enough to get the guests to the church or from the church to the reception venue. Most wedding transport services offer traditional buses, classic buses and even double decker buses.
Unique Transport
You will also find unique transportation options for weddings, including camper vans, taxis, tractors and almost anything you and your client can think of.
14.4 Take Into Account the Number of People to Be Transported
You also need to take into consideration how many people will need to be transported.Will the hired transport only shuttle the bride and groom from point a to point b, or will the entire wedding party be involved? In some cases, the couple wants parents or family involved, too, and when you have all of these people, it may not be practical to choose a smaller vehicle.
You also want to take into account the size of the bride’s dress.
Some brides may have form-fitting gowns, but others may have large, heavy flowing gowns. For those who have large gowns, you need to take into account the size of the dress. You also have to make sure that she can get into the vehicle with her dress.
So, before you choose the transport, it is best to talk to the bride about her dress and the logistics of ensuring her comfort during travel.
FACT
54% of couples plan on hiring a form of wedding transport for their big day
Source: hitched-wife.org14.5 Ensure All Guests and Wedding Party Members Have Transport
When it comes to transport, you cannot leave the bridal party or guests without a way to get to the wedding or reception.As the wedding planner, it is up to you to plan on how all of these people will get to and from the church, the reception venue or other key areas. You may also find that weddings attract guests from out of town, which means a lot of guests may not have transport, and in addition, if the wedding is in a remote location, the entire wedding party and guests may require transport. When this is the case, consider hiring a local coach company. You will need to know how many people require transport, book this accordingly, and make sure that this is done a minimum of about six months before the wedding. If you wait, you may be at a loss for transport.
Additionally, you may have to plan on transporting guests from the reception venue to a hotel or other lodging. This is a good idea if the wedding reception is serving alcohol, and if many guests are staying at the same hotel, it is a good idea to hire a bus or large van to transport guests. This not only ensures that everyone gets to the hotel, it also is a good safety measure, as you don’t want people to drink, and then drive.
14.6 Inspect the Transport
Many couples will use a wedding planner because they simply do not have time to take care of the small details on their own.Since this is the case, it is up to you, as the wedding planner, to make sure the transport is a high quality option. The couple, nor their guests, will want to be transported in a rickety old car or in a vehicle that smells like smoke. Make sure that you see the exact vehicle, if possible, before hiring the transport company, or get a guarantee that the vehicles will be clean.
It is also a good idea to look up reviews of the wedding transport company. As you grow within your business, you will soon find out which transport companies offer high quality vehicles and those who don’t. Additionally, you can talk to the companies you already work with for other wedding services, such as catering, and find out if they know of a transport company that they would recommend. Using this network can often help you to find the best suppliers for weddings, including transport companies.
14.7 Consider The Time Factor
Time is extremely important when it comes to a wedding, and when considering transport, you must keep time in mind.You cannot control accidents or traffic, and you cannot predict anything that occurs on the road, which means that you must add 20 to 30 minutes to the estimated transport time. There are tools, such as Google Maps, which will predict the time of the journey, and when you hire a local company for transport, you will find that they have a good idea of how long it will take to get from one location to another.
In addition to planning for accidents or traffic, you will also want to make sure that you are planning on waiting for any mishaps that happen at home, such as an issue with the dress, a wedding party member who is running late or even the groom having cold feet.
Make sure to discuss with the driver what they do in these situations, as they may expect to be paid a bit more when it comes to the tip, and also make sure that this is added to the budget.
14.8 Add Some Extra Touches for Effect
As the wedding planner, you cannot simply expect to load your couple, wedding party and guests into cars or buses and expect that they were happy with the results.Before the day of the wedding, it is important to discuss this with the happy couple, and think about any special touches they may want with the transport. As the wedding planner, you will have to liaise with the transport company about these extra touches. These may include bottles of champagne, sweets or even snacks in the back of a limousine. Some couples also like to plan for specific music in a limousine, they may want to add cameras into the car for candid photo opportunities or even plan for certain people to travel in certain vehicles.
Whatever the case may be, it is part of your job to ensure that it happens for your clients. By planning in advance, you can not only work with the couple on what they want for their transport, you can also work with the transport company to ensure it happens.
Module Summary
If the wedding transport isn’t right, it could put a big downer on the entire day. This is why it is so important to know how to correctly book transport, who to book it for, and understand what types of transport options are available. You also must make sure that you meet and understand the needs of the couple before booking.[Tweet “I just completed Module 14 of the Wedding Planning Course”]
