Wedding Cars and Transport

If it’s got four wheels then it’s man territory. It’s not compulsory to hire special wedding cars for the big day - for example some couples on a tight budget ask their friends to drive them on the day of their wedding, or even drive themselves. But if your budget is higher, there are various transport options.

The main journeys you need to plan for are described below. Check out the wedding transport diagram to see how they all fit together.

1. Getting the bridal party to the ceremony

Traditionally a bride gets ready at her parents’ home on the morning of her wedding day and travels to the ceremony in the same car as her

father. The bride’s mother and the bridesmaids often follow in a separate car. Choice of transport boils down to personal preference and how much you want to spend. Executive car hire companies are pretty good value, so if your fiancee is happy with a couple of large BMWs or Mercedes as the wedding cars then this can be a good choice.

2. Getting you and your best man to the wedding

Strictly speaking, this is your best man’s job. The majority of grooms are driven to the wedding venue by their best man. This journey doesn’t really require a luxury wedding car. You should aim to be at the venue at least 30 minutes before the ceremony is due to begin, so like your bride, very few people will see you arrive.

3. Getting you and your bride from the wedding to the reception

If you are getting married and having the reception at the same venue then obviously you don’t need to worry about this. Otherwise, the three main transport options are: (1) executive car hire - see above, (2) vintage car hire - see above, (3) you drive your new wife in your own car, or one that you have borrowed or hired.

If you go for option (3), then a popular choice is for the groom to hire or borrow a sports car for the day, unless you’re lucky enough to own one yourself. This works particularly well at summer weddings. Just remember to practice starting the car and pulling away in advance. All eyes will be on you when you leave, and now is not the time to stall.

Vintage car hire will cost more than executive car hire. Vintage cars used for weddings are usually very well maintained, but if you are worried about reliability then consider having a convoy of two wedding cars. Even if the second vehicle is less glamorous, it means your fiancee can use the following car if the worst happens on the day. Remember that all your guests are likely to be safely inside the venue by the time the bridal party arrives, so no-one will see the wedding cars at this point. If you want to show off your cars to maximum effect, then plan to use them later in the day as well.

5. Getting you and your new wife from the reception to wherever you will be spending your first night of married life

Bear in mind you probably will have had a drink or two by this stage and so will not be able to drive. It is very uncommon for specially hired wedding cars to stick around until the evening. The most common choice for the end of the evening is a minicab, but if that doesn’t appeal then try executive car hire.

Wedding transport diagram

4. Getting your guests from the wedding to the reception

Your guests should make their own way from the wedding to the reception. However, some couples like to make life easier for people by laying on transport. Red double-decker buses are increasingly popular. In practice, unless there are special reasons why you need to help your guests get the reception venue, it is probably best to give them good directions and leave them to their own devices.

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