Weddingbee boards

I think it is fabulous that you want to provide transportation.  I wish that more brides put it higher on the priority list (above boudoir photos, engagement sessions, favors, photo booths...)  I know it is pricey, but we are talking about the safety of our closest friends and family.

A few things I've learned about transportation:

Most have a 4 hour minimum rental time.  Our event is 9 hours long (from first pick-up at the hotel to the last drop-off).  We only NEED the shuttles for the first hour and the last hour - but you have to rent them for the entire time.

We were going to do luxury shuttles.  We were going to have 6 30-person shuttles.  I would have preferred the large shuttles, but our ceremony takes place in the middle of a vineyard and only 30-person shuttles can make the sharp turns on the vineyard.  This was going to cost us 6000 (6 shuttles for 9 hours).  I had a mini heart attack!

So now we are using the luxury 30-person busses to get everyone from the hotel to the ceremony, and then from the ceremony to the reception.  We are only renting 4 now (2 busses do the trip twice), and for 4 hours (the minimum).  Then school busses will be showing up at the end of the night to take everyone home!

Yes, school busses are not luxury!  But it was 75% less than luxury busses, and  the goal was to provide people with a safe ride home.

How far is the distance from the hotel to the ceremony?  We are shuttling people nearly 30 minutes - so that means we have to have a seat for everyone (otherwise the first and last person would arrive 2 hours apart!).  If the distance is less than 10 minutes, you can maybe rent two large busses (52 person I think is the max), and have the first one leave at 3pm the 2nd at 3:15, and then the first will be back for the final 3:30 pickup.  That means that the first guests will arrive at 3:10, and the last at 3:40... not too bad as that happens when people drive themselves!

Cost: 4 school busses for 9 hours = $2000 (you could do 2 for $1000 total (or less) if your hotel and venue are close.

With my half luxury half school busses plan Ywe've gone from 6k to 4k.  We fit this into the budget by trimming back in other places.

Good luck! 

This was something I just took care if this past week, actually! Mr. Chickadee and I decided very early on that we wanted to provide guest transportation to and from the reception. We looked at the idea of bus-like shuttles, as well as trolleys. In the end we found a great deal on a trolley (7 hours for about $1,000) so we went with that option. However, there seem to be a ton of limousine companies out there that now offer party buses or vans for really reasonable rates...just don't wait to the last minute like me, or some of those options might be gone. :) Good luck!

Just my opinion, but, I would never use a shuttle bus.  We always have a designated driver.  It just seems like way too much logistics to me (as a bride, and as a guest).  I'm a "I wanna leave when I wanna leave" kind of person.  I have never been to a wedding where it was offered, and don't plan to have one at mine.  I will have cards for the local taxis, but I understand this isn't an option in a lot of areas.