You might have a lot in mind for your wedding, especially if you’re planning it all by yourself. You’re putting together color pallets, decor options and scheduling your dress fittings, but you have to remember your guests too.
When brides think about their guests, they picture serving great food at the reception and including a few popular dance songs. While those are great things that will make your guests happy, part of wedding planning is thinking about the practical aspects of your big day.
Don’t forget to consider how your guests will get to your venue. While you coordinate transportation, look out for these eight wedding transportation mistakes you won’t want to make. If you avoid these common mistakes, your guests will have no problem getting to your wedding to have a great time.
1. Not Suggesting Ride Options
You might know the area around your venue well, but not every guest will. They might fly in from a different state or country and feel completely lost when it comes time to get from their hotel to the venue. Suggest a few ride options for them to try that could fit any budget. Local taxi companies to ride share apps will be helpful for guests who might panic at the last minute.
2. Not Hiring Professionals
When your guests travel with people who aren’t professionals, you never know what they’ll experience. They might jump in the car with a driver who plays music they hate or talks too long and makes them uncomfortable. Reassure your guests that their drivers are held to a higher standard of service when you hire wedding transportation professionals from local companies you meet with before signing anything.
3. Not Reviewing Your Contract
After you’ve found the transportation company you want to hire for yourself or your guests, review your contract thoroughly. It should contain helpful points like:
- Your total rental time
- Model, color and size of the rental vehicle
- Number of passengers allowed
- Any possible cleaning fees
Ask any questions you have before you sign your contract so you know what you’re getting into and what your guests should expect from their ride.
photo by Axioo Bali
4. Not Personalizing Your Vehicle
Renting transportation gives you the option to personalize your rented vehicle and make it match the aesthetic of your wedding. You don’t have to take only what you see on the lot. Ask about different models and colors available to clients, along with interior features like leather seating and drinks.
5. Not Preparing Backup Routes
Even when you’ve planned your wedding day down to the last minute, you never know what will happen when the day finally arrives. The weather and traffic are unpredictable, so prepare backup routes with your arranged travel in case something happens, like ice on back roads or a traffic jam.
6. Not Including Your Photographer
It’s common for brides to want to snap a few pictures of their ride to the wedding. If you rent a large vehicle like a limo, you’ll probably have your bridal party with you and some family members. Don’t forget to include your photographer, who will need a seat to capture every moment.
7. Not Remembering Your Gifts
You might rent a smaller vehicle to get to and from your wedding, but you won’t leave your wedding empty-handed. Leave room for the gifts you’ll bring home by renting a vehicle with extra space in the trunk or backseat. Even a single seat means you don’t need to carry everything on your lap and sit uncomfortably during the ride.
8. Not Planning Your Exit
Think about the end of the wedding and decide how you’ll exit to coordinate with your hired driver. They might need to pull around to the front or back of your venue. You might even drive off in a family vehicle, so they can leave after they drop you off.
Take Your Time
It takes time to plan out wedding transportation. You’ll need to hire a driver to pick up your guests and shuttle them to your venue. You’ll need a ride as well, which is fun to personalize. As long as you don’t rush through your vehicle planning, you’ll avoid making any of these transportation mistakes.
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Kacey Bradley is the blogger behind The Drifter Collective, an eclectic lifestyle blog that expresses various forms of style through the influence of culture and the world around us. Kacey graduated with a degree in Communications while working for a lifestyle magazine. She has been able to fully embrace herself with the knowledge of nature, the power of exploring other locations and cultures, all while portraying her love for the world around her through her visually pleasing, culturally embracing and inspiring posts. Along with writing for her blog, she has written for sites like U.S. News, SUCCESS, Ruffled, and more!
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