Wedding Transportation Where, when, why and how Figuring out wedding transportation -- how many cars you need, what kind, and when -- can be confusing. Before you book a limo, read this article, especially "questions to ask before you sign." Start off by figuring out how many people you want to transport. This may include the bride and groom, their parents, grandparents, and attendants. If your budget is tight, you may ask the bridal party to drive themselves. A chauffeured town car is frequently less expensive than a chauffeured limousine, and will seat between three and six people. Decide if you want the limo (or other transportation) for the entire event, including taking everyone to the ceremony, from the ceremony to reception, and then home after the reception? This is the most expensive option' There is some money to be saved by having pickup/drop off service only, so that the driver is not waiting for the entire event. Another cost-saving option is to have people drive themselves part of the way with limo transportation for part of the way. Remember that limo companies often have a minimum amount of time - so even if you only hire them for twenty minutes, you may end up paying the same as if you had hired them for three hours. I recommend that you have at least one limousine or town car to take the bride and bridesmaids to the ceremony, and a limousine or town car to take the bride and groom from the ceremony to the reception site. This will allow the girls to get dressed together and will allow your bridesmaids to stretch out, thus minimizing wrinkling of their dresses. It will also allow the bride and groom to have some time alone together where neither of them has to concentrate on the road. Trying to figure out who will drive where, and how to get the cars back to the necessary spots can be a puzzle to figure out. Make sure you do a flow chart of some kind to make sure that no one will be stranded without a ride. Additionally, make sure you have adequate copies of contact information and maps to give everyone so that no one ends up lost. You’ll want to call the limo or transportation companies the day before and confirm all pickup times with them. A typical scenario might be: The bride and bridal party transport themselves to the reception site where there is a room for them to change clothes and get prepared. A limo comes to pick them up, and delivers them to the ceremony site. Meanwhile, the groomsmen transport themselves to the ceremony site, and the best man gives a ride to the groom. After the ceremony, the limo takes the bride and groom to the reception site, while the groomsmen give rides to the bridesmaids. At the end of the evening, the bride and groom are picked up in a getaway car (decorated by the maid-of-honor and best man, natch), and the bridesmaids and groomsmen all have their own cars to drive themselves home. Before you sign a contract, don’t forget to ask these questions: How old are the limousines? What will the chauffeur wear? Is gratuity included in the price? Is it cheaper to get a package deal? What happens if we need to cancel? Are there any extras included in the price, such as a bottle of champagne, decorations, sun roof, etc.?