Wedding Shuttles
We’ll plan it right , you enjoy the night!
Considering transportation for your guests on your wedding day is a thoughtful gesture for guests who may have traveled long distances to join in on your special day and also ensures a wonderful stress free evening full of celebration.
The element of not having to worry about driving to an event allows your out of town friends or family the luxury to forget the consequences of drinking and driving. This reason alone makes a wedding occasion one of laughter and cheers as spirits are always at a momentous high when you are relieved of the burden of having to carry your car keys and drive to and from the party.
Coordinating Wedding Shuttles are not as complex as they may seem and we, the professionals at Limo Ride are highly versed in providing the best shuttle options for each unique scenario. For nearly 20 Years Limo Ride has performed thousands of Wedding Shuttle Transfers and are mindful in the art of large group wedding transfers.
If you’re in the planning stages of your wedding shuttle service, here are some general rule of thumb points that we advise . These tips will almost always apply to your shuttle needs as well so here they are.
Designate a Point of Contact For Your Wedding Shuttle ( POC) –
The last thing you need to worry about on your day of service is the need to call us to advise of a change in your itinerary , always designate someone in your bridal party or family to be the primary point of contact on your wedding day that will be in charge of communicating with the driver throughout the night.
Should I stay or should I go now ?
We are not referring to the song by the “Clash” we are actually expressing the internal sentiments of your Shuttle Bus driver when he is indecisive about departing with a vehicle at half occupancy.
These scenarios are always bound to happen and that is why your designated contact (POC) will come in handy . If your first group is staging slowly , the chauffeur will contact the POC ( Point of Contact) to advise when it’s 5 minutes past pick up time and only half the guests have entered the vehicle while the remaining guests are still inside the hotel getting ready !
Generally this would not be an issue and the driver can wait for the rest of the members of your wedding however if the vehicle you hired is conducting multiple shuttles, the first loop lag in time may jeopardize the second groups timely departure for the reception. It’s also helpful to set up a timeline for departures so that your guests will know approximately what time the 1st or 2nd shuttle is departing, which leads us to our next tip.
Say It like you mean it !
A good rule of thumb is to advise all passengers in advance that are scheduled to board the wedding shuttle to be prompt for all designated pick up times as the vehicle will not wait longer than 5 minutes per leg of the desired shuttle loop.
If your guests are notified early enough before your wedding day these scenarios are generally seamless and work out smooth. Simply send an email blast ahead of time to all members and this should all work out swimmingly !
An example would be as such :
Shuttle Bus Service To the Reception: (We Stage at 4:50 pm ) First Shuttle Departs 5pm >Second Shuttle Departs 5:45pm
Shuttle Bus Service At the End of Reception: (We Stage at 11:20pm) First Shuttle Departs 11:30pm >Second Shuttle Departs 12:15am
Generally we can add a 5 minute buffer as courtesy but won’t wait longer than this or it may cause undesired delays.
Should we hire more than 1 Shuttle Bus For our Wedding Transportation ?
This is basically a matter of choice as well as budget . If the distance from where your wedding celebrants are being picked up ( Mostly a Hotel) to the reception hall is no more than 15 minutes in 1 direction ( add 5 minutes extra for larger vehicle travel time if your google mapping this) then it is feasible to utilize 1 shuttle bus to conduct 2 loops for the transfer. If the distances are farther 15 Minute’s in each direction, it is wise to entertain options for a second shuttle bus or Mini Van to assist as a chaser vehicle .
What happens if we have more guests than our Shuttle Bus will handle ?
Generally if you are booking room blocks at a hotel , you are going to have an overall idea how many people will need the wedding shuttle transportation. Not all guests of the room block you are reserving will opt for transportation as some may wish to drive on their own or uber it, so on average you can eliminate 15% of your shuttle count.
Here is a brief example of planning a wedding shuttle count:
Room Blocks Booked = 40
Average guests per room = 2
Potential total guest count = 80
15% drive on own = -12
Total Guests that need wedding shuttle = 68 (You will need to factor shuttle transfers for 68 people. This can easily be accomplished by conducting 2 loops with a 35 passenger mini coach) .
For piece of mind you can always hire a smaller chaser vehicle like a 10 passenger Van or 6 passenger SUV in case of overflow as well.
Must the shuttle bus stay on site during the entire Wedding ?
This is simply at your discretion . Limo Ride offers both hourly packages for the entire event or 1 1/2 hour front leg and 1 1/2 hr evening leg return packages. Motor Coaches however generally have an 8 hour minimum so they will remain on site parked outside the venue or somewhere nearby. Smaller shuttles Vans and mini coaches offer more versatility too, for example if you need to shuttle guests that wish to end the night early ( Elderly guests, Parents with children etc…) you can choose to hire the shuttle to remain on site and have your Point of Contact ( POC) advise your chauffeur to take additional passengers if and when needed for as many times as needed.
This is a general summary of the art of Wedding Shuttles. It may appear to be information overload however at Limo Ride we believe in offering a full detailed game plan so your guests are transferred on time and hassle free . We will work side by side with you to ensure your wedding night is a success. It’s our job and we love doing it ! We look forward to being part of your most memorable day !