Module 19 : Wedding
Transport

Why you should book transport well in advance
How to diversify and look at plenty of options

About making sure the rest of the party and the guests have transport About adding extra touches

By the end of this module,
you will know:

Why you should book transport well in advance

How to diversify and look at plenty of options

About making sure the rest of the party and the guests have transport

How to inspect the transport

About adding those extra touches

19.1  : Wedding Transport

When someone goes on holiday,
they often state that the break begins from the moment they set off for the airport.

It's for this reason that people choose good airlines
and stress-free transport
arrangements. Your bride and groom are likely to be no different, so be prepared
to pull out all the stops to find the perfect wedding transport.

19.2  : Book transport
well in advance

Depending on how long you've been given to plan and the time of the year the wedding is being held, you need to book your transport at least six months in advance.

If the wedding takes place during a peak season (depending on your country),
like June to August, book it sooner.

19.3  : Diversify and look at plenty of options

Yes classic cars are cute.

And yes, limousines
give everyone plenty of room to move around in and have fun. If you're going to be a great wedding planner,
you need to diversify and make sure the couple has plenty to choose from.

Other options include:

A Bentley

Horse and Cart

Carriage

Tractors (yes, really)

Sports cars

Party buses

Usually, the type of transport
a couple will choose depends on the theme they're setting. For example, a classic car is likely to work well with a vintage
theme, but a party bus will not.

19.4  : Make sure the rest of the party and the guests have transport

You simply cannot leave the bridal party
stranded when it comes to

transport.

Nor can you do that to the groom's party. Before the wedding, establish
how these people are going to get to and from the church, venue, and other key areas.

You may also find that a lot of guests come from out of town. In addition, couples
holding the ceremony
and celebrations at different locations
might require additional
transport for the guests.

Weddings at locations
in the middle of nowhere are also likely to need additional transport for the guests. When this is the case, you need to look at local private coach companies, calculate
how many guests
need transport, and book accordingly. Again, do this around six months before the wedding
itself, or you might find that all the transport
options you need are already fully booked.

19.5  : Inspecting the transport

As already mentioned,
a lot of couples hire wedding planners
because they don't have time to tend to the smaller details themselves.

As such, you'll be expected
to inspect the transport to make sure it's of a good standard. The bride and groom are not going to be impressed if their guests are shuttled
between locations in a vehicle
that smells of smoke.

19.6  : Allow for 20 – 30 minutes on top of each journey

From traffic through to accidents,
you cannot predict everything that happens on the road.

As such, you need to add 20 to 30 minutes on top of each journey.
Handy tools like Google Maps let you know all about anticipated journey times, and good local companies will already have a rough idea for themselves. Make sure all of this is negotiated before the day.

In addition to this extra time, you also need to plan for waiting.
If there's a hiccup with the dress, someone not making it to the venue on time, or something else that can stall people setting off, the drivers
you hire might expect a little extra. Discuss this with them in advance and factor in the need to add on a tip when creating the budget.

19.7  : Adding those extra touches

You can't just expect to bung your clients in a car and hope they're happy with the end result.

Before the big day, discuss
what special touches they want and then liaise with the transport
firm on their behalf. This might mean champagne, the stereotypical tin cans on the back of the vehicle…whatever it is, it's your job to make it happen. If possible,
find out what these requirements are in advance and make sure the company you're dealing with is happy to meet them.

Other little extras include ensuring
the couple has get-a-way and arrival photos, as well as figuring out whether there's a need for music going
to and from the wedding venue. With these details, you can perfect the wedding transport
process.

Module Summary

If you can't get the wedding transport
right, you might find that there's a big downer on the day.

In this module, you learned about when to book wedding transport
and who to book it for. You also discovered the different types of wedding
transport available. Finally,
we took a look at how to ensure the transport meets the couple's exact needs.