Planning Your Wedding Day Limo Ride

In between the wedding ceremony and reception, many wedding parties take a spin in a limousine or limo coach. While this can be nothing more than a functional way to get from the ceremony site to the reception, the limo ride has the potential to be one of the most memorable occasions of the wedding day. With these ten tips, you can plan a limo ride that will not only provide stylish transportation, but will be an unforgettable experience for you and your wedding party.

1. Choose the right limo company. You need to find the most reliable company for the best bargain. Shop around, ask friends for feedback on their wedding limo companies, interview potential companies on the phone, and check online reviews on websites such as limos.com. Timeliness, rates, and customer service levels will all affect your wedding limo experience. Some companies even throw in extra services, such as transportation for the bride and groom to the hotel, or even to the airport the next day.

2. Choose the right limo. Perhaps you want to go the traditional route and cruise around town in a limousine. While this mode of transportation will certainly appeal to onlookers, the wedding party might find themselves cramped inside. Other wedding parties - especially larger ones - may opt for the less classy but more comfortable limo coach.

3. Get the limo company's specifics. Each limo company has different rules and includes different services in the package. Find out how long you have the limo and what overtime rates apply; what beverages you are allowed to bring on board the limo and whether any complimentary beverages or glasses will be provided; whether there are any geographic boundaries restricting where the limo driver will transport you; whether any special "extras," such as a karaoke machine, are available on the limo; and whether the tip is included in the price, or if you have to make arrangements to tip the limo driver on the day of your wedding.

4. Provide detailed instructions to the limo driver. Before your wedding day, be sure to contact your limo company and provide detailed instructions for where and when the limo driver should pick you up. You should also provide a list of stops you would like to make, including addresses. Ensure the driver has the necessary information by putting a member of the wedding party in charge of providing a hard copy of the itinerary for the driver on the day of the wedding. Choose one or two locations for photo shoots and any other fun stops you would like to make, and be sure to indicate the drive time for each stop and the amount of time you would like to stay there. Don't forget to consider the extra time it might take for your wedding party to get back on the limo if they're having a good time. Sometimes less is more when it comes to wedding plans!

5. Get your limo driver's direct number. You certainly don't want to find yourself in the situation my husband and I did on our wedding day. We wanted to spend about ten minutes taking pictures at a sidewalk bench where we got engaged. We expected the limo driver to park and wait for us. Instead, he took off, and when we were done taking pictures, we were left standing in the hot July sun without a ride! My husband had to look up the limo company's number, call the dispatcher, and get redirected to our particular driver. Lots of wasted time! You can avoid this by getting your limo driver's direct number and making sure it is saved in your phone ahead of time, just in case.

6. Know who is invited on board the limo and plan for their transportation home. Who is going with you? Are the flower girl and ring bearer invited on board, or is this really more of an "adults only" limo ride? Make sure everyone who is invited knows they are going to ride in the limo. Furthermore, remember that anyone who is riding in the limo with you to the reception area will not be driving cars to the reception. They should make arrangements to have their cars dropped off at the reception site or for someone to drive them home or back to their vehicles when the reception is over.

7. Bring a mix CD on the limo. We fortunately stumbled across a previous customer's mix CD on our limo and grooved to their tunes while we were on the road. It would have been much more fun if we had made a personalized mix to listen to during the trip! Create a mix CD for your limo ride full of songs that are special to you as a couple, as well as to your wedding party, and bring it on board.

8. Stock up on beverages for the limo ride. Beverages for the limo ride are one of those hidden expenses you might not consider when building your wedding budget, but it makes a big difference for your wedding party. Your limo company might provide you with a bottle of champagne, but depending on the size of your wedding party, that will probably not be enough to tide over your attendants before the reception. Pack a cooler with drinks your wedding party will enjoy and designate someone to load the cooler on the limo before you climb on. Don't forget to assign someone to take the cooler out at the end of your ride, obey any rules your limo company has about alcohol or glass beverages, and provide any cups you might need.

9 Do something crazy during the limo ride. One of my favorite stories to tell about my wedding is that our first stop on the limo ride was at a local Wendy's. Some of our bridesmaids and groomsmen got out of the limo and purchased a mountain of chicken nuggets, French fries, and sandwiches. Do something fun and crazy while you are on your limo ride - within reason, of course. Stop at a downtown area and walk along the streets, run through your college campus, or make a stop at your favorite bar. It's always fun for bystanders to see a wedding party having a good time!

10. Bring a camera on the limo. Chances are, your photographers are not riding in the limo with you. They are probably meeting you at the photo shoot locations. If this is the case, make sure to designate someone on board the limo as your limo ride photographer. Some of my favorite wedding pictures were taken by one of my bridesmaids onboard the limo.

On your wedding day, you want to take the whole day for what it's worth and have as little to worry about as possible. The limo ride should not cause you unexpected and undue stress. Follow these ten tips and you will be sure to have a stress-free, fun, and unforgettable limo ride on your wedding day!