Transportation for Your Family & Wedding Party

Make sure everyone gets home from your wedding reception safely

By Jonathan Croswell

Photo by Michael Graham Photography

An important aspect of wedding planning is transportation. Make sure everyone has a safe ride between the ceremony and reception, and when the night's over. But transportation can be especially complicated for family and wedding party members who oftentimes will ride in a limo or party bus from the ceremony to the reception and, as a result, leave their cars behind somewhere. You'll want a plan in place to make sure everyone can get where they need to go safely.

• What You Need to Know
• Make a comprehensive list of where each member of the wedding party will be picked up and where they will be dropped off.
• Call the transportation company in advance to arrange for a "voucher" system that allows the wedding party members to use their vouchers instead of paying their own transportation fee. The company will send you a bill.

Step 1:

Select the ceremony and reception venues as well as what hotel you will recommend for out-of-town guests. Create a map of where each member of the bridal party is staying and a chart of who needs to get where after the reception ends.

Step 2:

Decide whether you will provide some type of recreational transportation from the ceremony to the reception. It is common for bridal party members to take a fun vehicle, like a limo or a party bus, to the venue. Set a specific itinerary for the driver, and meet him beforehand to set a definite schedule.

Step 3:

Ask the hotel if it offers free shuttles to and from its location. Many upscale hotels do this, and your loved ones can use this to get to the hotel safely after the reception. Even if it isn't free, a hotel shuttle is the most efficient way for getting out-of-town members of the wedding party back to their rooms safely.

Step 4:

If the reception venue does not offer a shuttle service, or if your wedding party isn't staying in a hotel, consider a driver-for-hire. Pay the driver to deliver guests to their required destinations.

Step 5:

To save money, you can pre-arrange rides with other wedding guests. Assign designated drivers among your guests with available cars, and match them up with guests who need rides. Try to match drivers with guests who live in close proximity.

Step 6:

Designate one person to be the last to leave the venue. This person should make sure that all members of the bridal party have a safe ride from the reception to their home or hotel room.

• Tips & Warnings
• Rent a van and ask a friend to escort family and bridal party members for a flat fee. This is cheaper than a driver-for-hire service.
• If you live in a city with good public transportation, provide maps and/or passes to use the options available to them.
• Anticipate your guests drinking too much to drive by creating a plan before the reception begins.