So, you’re planning for the big day and wedding cars are on your ‘to do’ list. Let’s see if we can help you with some of the ‘do’s and don’ts’ and make some suggestions that will eliminate part of the stress.
Number of cars required
Both the size of your wedding party and the style of car will determine the number of cars you will need. Most often it’s one sedan-style car for the bride and her father and another for the bridesmaids. Of course, you may decide that one car is adequate if it’s only the bride and two or three bridesmaids. On the other hand, you may wish to provide cars for the groom and his party as well as the parents of both the bride and groom. If you have guests who have flown in from interstate or overseas, do they need transport? You may also choose to have a car available when you leave the reception. The options are many but you need to keep in mind your budget.
Selecting the right style of car
It’s best to book your wedding cars at least six months in advance so you have the widest choice and avoid disappointment. Sometimes it’s left to the groom to arrange the wedding cars but the bride should also be involved in selecting the right cars for the occasion. While a muscle-car with loud exhausts might be the groom’s preference, it may not evoke the right mood for your wedding.
There are hundreds of cars to select from so it’s a good idea to first have in mind the style of cars that you think will best fit with your wedding. Sports cars, classic and vintage cars, stretched limos, even Kombi Vans as well as conventional modern sedans are amongst the choices. A great place to start your search is on the Easy Weddings website <http://www.easyweddings.com.au/WeddingCars/Sydney/>. You’ll find Revel Drive’s luxury zero-emission cars listed there together with dozens of others, all offering different styles and models of cars.
There are a couple of important points to consider when selecting the right style of car for your wedding. Open-top sports cars might be flashy but your wedding is probably months away and you can’t predict the weather on the day. They can also be cramped, more difficult to enter and exit gracefully and can play havoc with a bride’s hairstyle. Also remember that some vintage and sports cars won’t have air conditioning, which is essential if you’re to arrive feeling fresh and comfortable on a hot day. While vintage cars are usually impeccably maintained, breakdowns are not unheard of. Ask the vintage car hire company if they have had any problems with their cars in the past and what car they will supply if the one you’ve chosen is not available on the day.
Now create a shortlist of the providers that offer the style of car that suits you and begin to narrow your search from there. A good place to start is with those companies that are within a reasonable distance of your wedding, but don’t overlook others further afield if they provide exactly what you want. We’re based on Sydney’s Northern Beaches but cover the Greater Sydney metropolitan area as well as the Central Coast, Blue Mountains and Illawarra.
Once you believe you have selected the right car and hire company, ask to inspect one of their cars to ensure you’ve made the right choice before you make the booking and most companies will be happy to arrange a time and place for you to view their cars. Although often overlooked, this is also the ideal time to check that the car hire company has all the necessary licences and insurance, and that their drivers are experienced and fully accredited chauffeurs.
Your budget
Let’s consider your budget. It could cost as little as being driven to the ceremony in a friend’s car at minimal expense, or as lavish as having four, five or more chauffeur-driven cars costing many thousand of dollars. The length of time you require the cars will also be a major factor in the total cost although most providers will offer discounted hourly rates for bookings longer than two hours. Many car-hire companies will have a two-hour minimum and you can expect to pay between $150 and $300 an hour for each car (depending on the type of car and inclusions) for the first two hours then less per hour for longer bookings. Your car hire company will require a deposit at the time you make the booking — anything between 10% and 50% of the quoted price. Also ask about their policy regarding cancellation due to unforeseen circumstances as some providers stipulate that the full fee will be forfeited if the booking is cancelled within a certain number of days before the wedding. Read all the fine-print to avoid any unexpected surprises.
You need to be aware that if your wedding is running beyond the time that you have the cars booked, there may be additional charges. Most providers will have some built-in flexibility but others may immediately start to charge extra in fifteen-minute increments. Ask your provider about their policy regarding running over time when you make your booking.
The vast majority wedding car companies will provide a high-quality service at a fair and reasonable price. But compare prices and make sure you’re not being charged a hefty premium just because it’s a wedding. We have seen hire car companies charge fifty percent more for the same car as another provided offering the same vehicle. Revel Drive is committed to proving you a superior service with the most advanced vehicles and at a cost to fit your budget.
What you should expect
Your cars should come with at least the following:
- White satin ribbons for the car(s)
- Large umbrella(s) in case of inclement weather
- Mist sprayer to freshen bouquets
- Sewing kit and safety pins
- Hair spray
- Tissues and wipes
- Small mirror for that last-minute makeup check
- Lint remover roller
- First aid kit
- Chilled sparkling or still bottled water
A final word
Lastly, a representative of the car hire company should contact you a week or ten days ahead of your wedding to check that there are no last-minute changes. They should also have checked with you about the availability of parking at your departure point and at the wedding venue. The cars should arrive at least ten minutes ahead of time, washed, polished and with spotless interiors. It’s likely that both the cars and drivers will be in some of your wedding photos so it’s essential that chauffeurs are smartly dressed and well groomed.
Revel Drive can provide a wedding package tailored to suite your requirements, see details here Australia Wedding Tesla Limo Service. Call us on 0404 33 77 99, email us at <hello@reveldrive.com.au>, or use the contact form on our web page <https://reveldrive.com.au/contact/> to make an enquiry.
