When planning your wedding, it’s easy to get caught up in the fun, pretty details like florals and gowns and favors. But don’t forget about the important logistics, like how you’re getting to and from your own wedding! Here’s what you need to know about wedding transportation.
The Couple
You and your fiancé(e) will not be arriving at the wedding venue together, but you will be leaving together (at least, I hope so!). Having a plan in place will save you a lot of headaches. Lucky for you, these days there are abundant transportation options.
If you’re getting married in a city (or at least not too far out into the countryside), Lyft and Uber are the most convenient options. You don’t have to worry about stashing a car anywhere, and you don’t have to worry about driving after drinking all night at your wedding. This is also super helpful if you plan to make multiple stops—say, the after-party, followed by your hotel. Maybe your wedding night is a good time to splurge on an Uber Black car!
If you want to depart in style, considering hiring a luxury auto, such as a Rolls Royce, Bentley, or Maserati. If you’re planning a grand exit, waltzing out and into the waiting car is a fabulous photo op!
If you’re holding your ceremony in a church or other religious institution, it can make sense to have a luxury car or limo bring you to the ceremony location, wait during the ceremony, and then drive you and your new spouse to the reception location. But financially, it does not make sense to have a luxury car sitting at your reception location for the rest of the evening until you leave, so keep that in mind.
The Wedding Party
Depending on how large your wedding party is, you may want to arrange a limousine to drop everyone off at the wedding venue and then pick them up again at the end of the night. This only works if all wedding party members are going back to the same place—like a hotel or the after-party. If your wedding party is very large, you can rent a shuttle instead of a limo.
Group wedding party transportation is especially helpful if your wedding is in a remote location where Lyft and Uber are less likely to operate, or if you’re concerned about wedding party members showing up late. (Granted, they might still miss the shuttle if they are notoriously tardy, but having pre-arranged transportation makes it more likely that they will arrive on time.)
The Wedding Guests
If many of your guests are coming in from out of town and staying in hotels, it’s a nice touch to have group transportation lined up. You (or your wedding planner) can arrange for shuttle buses to make stops at each hotel where you have reserved group room blocks. This requires careful coordination of timing to make sure there’s sufficient time to stop at all hotels, wait several minutes for stragglers, and get to the wedding venue.
It’s possible to have multiple buses lined up to make multiple trips, or if your venue is close enough to the venue, one shuttle can make a run and then go back to the hotels for a second run. In lieu of shuttle buses, other fun options include school buses or street cars/trolleys!
If you are not providing group transportation for your wedding guests, you should let them know in advance what the parking options at the venue are like—whether there’s valet parking or self-parking, whether there’s a parking lot or street parking. Your wedding website is a great place for this information, as are your welcome gift bags.
If you want to provide guest transportation without the hassle of setting up shuttles, Lyft and Uber have the ability to set up an event code. Your guests use the code when they request their ride at the end of the night, and the ride is charged to you. Simple!
Cost
Keep in mind that shuttle buses can be rather expensive. You’ll need to budget at least $1000. The costs increase as you add shuttles or trips. The cost for individual cars is less, but there is generally a minimum number of hours, so it’s best to think through how you can maximize the time to get your money’s worth.
TL;DR here’s a video link
This post was written by Sacramento wedding planner Risa Weaver-Enion. If you're feeling overwhelmed by planning your wedding, we are here to help! Read more about what we do on our Welcome and Packages pages. Email risa@risajamesevents.com if you have questions or want to inquire about getting help with wedding planning. And if you'd like to have future blog posts delivered to your inbox, please join our Insider’s Club on the Welcome page.