As engaged couples know, there are so many things to be arranged for a wedding, and many choices to be made, and somewhere in the mix for many couples is the choice of Wedding Car.
Before getting in to ‘how do you choose a Wedding Car?’, we need to start with ‘When do you choose?’
At White Taxi Weddings, we experience the whole range, from people booking us up to two years or more ahead of their date, to last minute situations, and our current record for a last minute booking, is just 6 days before the wedding!
The one relevant and important factor though is, the closer to the date the decision is left, the less choice you will have!
When it comes to the choice of Wedding Car, unless you’re convinced it’s 100% the right choice, just be wary of the ‘Little Britain’ option – ‘I want that one!’ – instead, the first question you should ask yourself is,
‘What job does it need to do?’
That might seem pretty obvious as it’s to take the Bride to her wedding ceremony, isn’t it?
Yes, but it’s much more involved than that. Is it needed just to take the Bride and the person giving her away to the ceremony? Does the Bridal party need transport too? And if so, is that with the Bride or separately?
If the Bride is staying at the ceremony venue and not needing transport, does the Groom and his party need it instead? After the ceremony, is transport needed to take the married couple on to a reception?
Throw into the mix, the issue of whereabouts the Bride is being taken from and to, and how long the overall hire time required is, and that could make a huge difference to the choice, as some companies charge for extra mileage, and for extra time over a certain period. All of these factors should be borne in mind as they could significantly affect the cost!
It’s very important to determine the above, but having done so you should then ask,
‘Do I want it to match a style or theme?’
This is invaluable in narrowing down the choices, because your overall style might rule out a lot of options. If you’re going for a classic, traditional wedding, then you’d probably want your car to match your theme, and an army jeep or a Del Boy Reliant Robin probably aren’t your first choices.
Alternatively, if your theme is different, unusual, and quirky, then the classic Roller, or the sleek executive limo probably doesn’t necessarily work for you. There’s a huge variety of Wedding Cars available now, so you should be able to get one that suits your wedding style.
Still on the issue of style, the old trap of style over substance still has to be avoided! As owners of a vehicle which may fall into the quirky category, we see all too often the folly of couples choosing something quirky, which might have seemed a fun idea in the planning process, but which on the day turned out to be totally impractical.
A London Taxi is one of the most practical Wedding Cars there is, as its whole concept and design is about transporting people in space and comfort and giving easy access, including for those with limited mobility. There are other vehicles which offer space and comfort too, but it is a very important factor.
Another very important question is,
‘What time of year am I getting married?’
While it’s still true that most weddings are in the summer months, not all are, and December is usually a very busy month for us. A winter wedding would probably rule out the need for a convertible, and this could apply to some summer weddings too, as after spending a lot of time and money on a fabulous hairdo, would you want it wrecked by wind in an open top car?
Definitely in winter, you want want warmth and comfort, especially if you’ve been posing in the freezing cold for photos!
“…we all traveled in comfort (having all that space and leg room was fabulous) and the bride (who is allergic to cold!) was bathed in the warmth of Betty after getting pretty cold having photographs taken.” Sarah Murfin, Derby (Mother of the Bride)
Then we get on to cost
‘How much will I have to pay for my wedding car?’
How long is a piece of string? The average amount spent on Wedding Transport in the UK is £491, according to the UK’s leading wedding app, Bridebook in their annual report for 2019 weddings.
The range of prices for Wedding Cars is huge, depending on the type of vehicle, where you want it to take you from and to, and how long you want it for. Add in the cost of extra vehicles if needed and the cost could soon mount up! Prime dates, such as Summer Saturdays are at a premium, so a weekday, or being slightly out of season could make a significant difference.
We shouldn’t be saying this, but prime dates apart, always ask for a deal, especially if it’s close to the date. As Del Boy himself would say ‘He who dares, wins – Lovely Jubbly!’
Having done all of the above and arrived at a shortlist of suppliers,
‘How do I know which company to go for?’
We car company owners all talk a good game on our websites and social media, and you have to make a judgement, but it doesn’t have to be a leap into the unknown. Word of mouth from someone you know and trust is very important, but one of the best and simplest ways to make that choice easier is to look at a company’s testimonials and reviews from previous couples.
According once more to Bridebook, in their comprehensive 2019 survey, 62% of couples rated reviews/testimonials as the most important factor when choosing a wedding supplier. A cynic might say that they could be worthless as the company could have written them themselves, but that is definitely against the Law! Also, most directories and sites will only accept reviews from real couples and not the company itself.
We hope that this guide will help make your choice of Wedding Car that bit easier, and armed with this information, you should make the right choice for your day!
If you’ve found this guide useful, please feel free to share it to anyone you know who might benefit from it too!
If you want to find out more about Betty, our London Taxi, check us out here
or call Andy on 07967 391387 or email andy@whitetaxiweddings.com for availability and cost.
White Taxi Weddings 