Transport is one of the smaller lines in a wedding budget and one of the easiest to get wrong. Most problems come from timing rather than from the cars. This checklist covers the decisions in the order you’ll make them.
1. List everyone who needs a ride
- The couple, to the ceremony and on to the reception
- The bridal party, who usually travel together
- Parents and grandparents
- Guests, if the venue is out of town or parking is limited
- Everyone’s trip home at the end of the night
2. Match vehicles to people
A sedan or SUV suits the couple. A seven-seat van keeps a bridal party together and gives dresses room. For guests, a bus running one or two loops is usually simpler than many cars.
3. Build the run sheet
Write down every address and the time you need to arrive, then work backwards. Add time for getting in and out of the car in formal wear, for photographs, and for traffic if your date falls on a summer weekend on the Bellarine or the Surf Coast.
4. Plan the photo stops
Tell your chauffeur where the photographer wants to go between the ceremony and the reception. Eastern Beach, the Botanic Gardens and the Barwon Heads bluff are all common, and each needs its own time allowance.
5. Book early and confirm late
Book as soon as the date and venues are fixed, particularly for Saturdays from October to April. Then send the final run sheet a week or two before the day, so the driver has the same timings as your planner and photographer.
If you’d like help working out the timings, call us and we’ll go through the day with you. See wedding chauffeur services for the cars, and bus transfers for moving guests.