Emerald Coast weddings are filled with details – and to get to those details, you and your fiancé will undoubtedly be making decisions upon decisions, hopefully with nothing but love in your hearts. After all, at the end of the day, this wedding is a celebration of the life you’ve chosen to build together.But in an effort to help you with some of the decisions you’ll be faced with, 654LIMO decided to focus in on one particular category of wedding planning - our expertise - Emerald Coast Wedding Transportation!Have a look at our beautiful cars, read our testimonials and give us a call at 850-654-5466 (LIMO) for a no obligation quotation. We would be proud to be part of your special day and we promise to make your journey an experience to be remembered and cherished.
1. Book a Car Company at Least Six Months Out
You should hire your car company with about six months to go (after you’ve settled on your date, ceremony and reception sites, and wedding party size.) If you’re getting married in May or June - prom and graduation season - formal vehicles will be in high demand, so you’ll need to book your transportation even earlier - around nine months is a good benchmark. The same goes for special rides like vintage cars, which are in shorter supply than your typical town car.
2. Think Beyond the White Stretch Limo
A limo works well with a traditional glam wedding, but if that’s not your style, get creative and match your ride to your taste. Whether you want a unique getaway to express your style, or a fun way to give your bridal party and guests a lift too, there are lots of options for your wedding wheels. Some ideas to get you started: A sleek black Mercedes works for a chic modern wedding, an exotic Hummer H2 Limousine goes perfectly with a hip hotel affair and a classic convertible makes sense at a charming vintage celebration.
3. Give Your Bridal Party a Ride
Technically, you're not required to provide transportation for your bridesmaids and groomsmen for the entire night. But they're working hard for you - give them the chance to celebrate without having to worry about how to get around. If you're not traveling to the ceremony with them, consider getting them their own limo, luxury SUV or shuttle bus. Once the ceremony is over, duck into a dream ride with your entire entourage for the jaunt to the reception. Then at the end of the night, after the two of you make you getaway, the group can pile into a guest shuttle home or back to the hotel.
4. Don't Leave Your Guests Stranded
If you're hosting a lot of out-of-towners, consider providing them with a ride from their hotel to the wedding and back. That way, no one has to worry about navigating an unfamiliar city or choosing designated drivers. A bus or shuttle service will usually do the trick (it can take a couple trips). Or, you could go the extra mile with something with character to match your wedding – like exotic stretch limousines.
5. Make Your Reservation in Person
Research companies online and chat with a few over the phone, but make your final booking in person. You'll be able to get a look at the car you'll be riding in (or at least a very similar one). And while the company may not be able to pinpoint the exact car you'll have on the wedding day, you can avoid any unwelcome surprises by making sure the fleet looks like it's in good shape before putting down a deposit.
6. Add 20 to 30 Minutes of Pad Time to Every Trip
You never know - with traffic, unexpected delays and the task of getting excited people into multiple cars, it's a good idea to add 20 to 30 minutes to each trip you'll be making. If you want to be extra cautious, take a test spin of each route at the same time and day of the week of your wedding to use as your guide. Research any irregular events (think: sporting events or festivals) that might be going on during your wedding day that might cause interruptions and add extra travel time.
7. Plan to Pay for Wait Time
Most car rental companies charge by the hour and require a minimum time period, typically three hours, or offer specially designed “Wedding Transportation Packages.” In most cases, this means that you'll contract them for the full day. Either way, you should calculate the total hours needed from the ceremony pickup to the end of the reception to determine whether it's worth it to pay for the wait. (Our opinion: Just pay for the wait. It'll save you stress because your driver will be there for you all day.)
8. Be a Diva
Wedding transportation is supposed to be luxurious. Special requests, like the type of champagne you want on hand, a certain type of music player you need (like an iPod connection) or a specific dress code for the driver, can usually be accommodated. Just ask your car rental company about adding these extras into your contract before you sign.
9. Get a Cute Getaway Photo (without breaking the rules)
We hate to be the ones to break the news, but many car rental companies don't permit decor on their wedding vehicles (especially the vintage variety). So before you get attached to the idea of a decked-out wedding getaway car for that classic wedding photo, ask about it. The companies that do allow it may require you to take the trimmings off for safety reasons as soon as you drive out of sight. If you want the whole shebang - the cans, the signs and the flowers, verify with the car company beforehand.
10. Make the Day Playlists
Don't ride to the wedding in silence - and don't let there be a lame song stuck in your head as you roll up to the church either. Make a few mixes of your favorite mood-setting songs for your trips to the ceremony, reception and home at the end of the night. If you're hiring shuttles for your guests, create playlists for their rides too, to get them in a party state of mind.
Source: The Knot
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