While balancing all the costs of your wedding day, it might seem like hiring transportation for you and your fiancé, other members of the wedding party, and some of the guests would be a budget-buster. But Tom Monson, of Cody Limousines, says it will be money well spent.
Why is it a good idea? You will know that the wedding party and those special guests are all getting around safely, even if they are enjoying some adult beverages in celebration. It also keeps the wedding party together and on time, instead of, for example, your maid of honor running to get cigarettes on the way to the church after you all get your hair done, and not showing up for forty-five minutes, making everyone have to wait around, including the photographer, until she shows up for pictures. And, it gives you an opportunity to provide an honoring treat to special guests, like your grandparents, who may have a hard time driving in strange places. A nice car to pick them up from their hotel and drive them to the church would allow you one less thing to worry about, while also making things easier for them. There are various types of vehicles you can hire. A nice “black car,” which is not a stretch limo but is a comfortable and luxurious ride, might be a good one to assign to your grandparents. A larger bus-type vehicle would be a great shuttle between the hotel where most guests are staying and the church or other wedding venue. A shuttle service gives guests the opportunity to go back to the hotel after the ceremony, change clothes, and return to the reception refreshed and ready to dance. For the wedding party, however, a stretch limo is great to get the ladies to the salon for hair and makeup, and to get the whole party to the location where pictures will be taken, to the wedding venue itself, and to the reception, with maybe a little bar-hopping on the way. Remember: keeping the whole wedding party together gives YOU control over where everyone is, keeps the day’s events on schedule, and allows you all to have a cocktail here and there without worrying about driving safety.
Monson offers three tips if you are considering hiring transportation for your wedding:
Book early. Six to eighteen months ahead is not too soon, especially if you are planning on booking the most popular vehicles.
Go see the vehicles. It’s a good idea to go look at the vehicles in person. Most people have never been in a limousine. Go and see what it is like to make sure it is what you were expecting. Make sure the fleet is in good shape and well maintained.
Check out the company. Ask them and look online to see if the company is licensed, registered, and insured. This will keep you safe and put your mind at ease.
Costs for hiring transportation depend on the size and number of vehicles you’ll need. A larger wedding party will mean higher costs, as will hiring a larger limo. Costs at Cody Limousine range from $65 an hour for a sedan to $650 for three hours for the largest limos.
Monson gives one more reason to hire transportation: “It’s not just a ride, it’s an experience.” Not only will you not have to worry about driving, but it will be fun!