It’s no secret that every little girl dreams of being a bride one day. Standing in front of the altar in a lush white gown with butterflies in your belly, while everyone’s gazes are pinned on you, excitedly anticipating the long-awaited “YES”. The wedding day is one of those days in your life, which you will never forget. That is the reason why couples put so much energy and emotion into going through every detail of their special day – from choosing the perfect venue to sampling 10 different kinds of cakes and spending hours in research on the most appropriate flower decorations for the season. Planning a wedding can take months and while it’s a pleasant activity, you may still feel overwhelmed at times, simply because this day means so much to you that you don’t want to make any compromises. It’s not uncommon for the bride-to-be to even go to extremes when ensuring that everything is perfect for the big day. Transportation is one of the essential points that you need to take into account when preparing for your wedding.

What to consider when hiring a wedding transportation company

It’s crucial to book your personal wedding transport as early as possible, preferably at least 6 months before the big day. Even more so if your ceremony is going to be held in April, May, or June, because then it will fall during the prom season and your vehicle options may be limited. Additionally, if you want to indulge in a fun bridal party a couple of days before your wedding, it may be a good idea to opt-in for transportation services for that occasion as well, and in that case, early booking is advisable as well. As Martha Steward shares, the average bridal party consists of between 5 and 10 members. Therefore, if you’ve also invited that many bridesmaids you should probably rent a minivan or a minibus which has enough room for everyone.

Before you contact the transportation company, however, you should carefully map out your wedding day and create a detailed schedule of all events you need to attend, all activities you should be a part of, as well as of all places you need to go to. For example, you will need to arrange transportation to and from the church, so you have to be aware of the exact time of your ceremony. Although transportation companies have exceptional chauffeurs who know how to dodge traffic jams by following the best routes around the city, getting from one place to another still takes some time. Therefore, you should keep these extra minutes in mind when creating the schedule. To avoid uncalled-for stress and anxiety, leave some extra time in between locations and activities so that you get to each place on time.

Once you’ve done this, it is time to get an official agreement with the transportation company. As bridalguide.com shares, in order to have extra peace of mind, you will need to talk to the company, discuss all details and get a written agreement, that includes the following terms of service:

  • Total cost
  • Required Deposit
  • Refund and Gratuity Policies
  • Arrival and Departure Locations
  • Pick-up/Drop-off Times
  • The Models of The Vehicles
  • Overtime Rate Per Hour

Don’t forget to arrange transportation for your guests

What’s a wedding without friends and family who joyfully sprinkle rice and confetti over your head? After all, getting married is not only about officially declaring your love toward each other, but it’s also a social statement, and a joyful occasion for your closest people as well. As reported by The Knot, the average couple hosts 131 guests, and 72% of the engaged couples say their top priority is to ensure that their guests are taken care of and have a good time. In order to make your guests feel special, you shouldn’t forget to organize their transportation as well. Depending on how many people you’ve invited, you could either hire a full-size coach (often big enough for 50 people) or a smaller van. Additionally, you could always talk to the transportation company and ask them to make a couple of trips from the hotel (or another designated pick-up spot) to the church or the venue. In that way, even if you’ve hired a smaller vehicle, you will still be able to get everyone to your wedding safely. Plus, both you and your guests will be riding comfortably, without having to worry about traffic jams, navigating the city (especially if some of your relatives are not living in Chicago), or finding a parking spot. Instead, you will have the time to actually focus on experiencing your wedding day to the fullest.