Not every wedding takes place in one location.
You may marry in a church before travelling to a country house, hold your ceremony at one venue and reception at another, or get ready some distance from both.
When that happens, transport becomes an important part of the schedule.
Begin with the full route
Rather than looking only at the journey to the ceremony, map out the entire day.
For example:
Getting ready location → church → reception venue
Then consider approximately how long each journey takes and who needs to make it.
Allow for the ceremony finishing late
Wedding ceremonies do not always end at the exact time written on the schedule.
There may be congratulations outside, confetti, group photographs or conversations with guests.
Avoid creating a reception schedule that relies on the car leaving the instant the ceremony ends.
Leave time for photographs
If you have hired a beautiful classic car, you may want photographs with it outside the church or at the reception.
Build that time in intentionally.
Ten relaxed minutes is far more enjoyable than trying to fit photographs in while everyone is wondering why the reception has not started.
Consider the couple's first journey
The drive from ceremony to reception is often the first time the newlyweds are alone together.
You may have spent the entire morning surrounded by people and the ceremony itself focused on everything happening around you.
Then the car door closes.
For a few minutes, it is just the two of you.
It is worth allowing yourselves to enjoy that rather than feeling as though you must race to the next venue.
Think about your guests separately
Your wedding car is not usually responsible for transporting every guest between locations.
If the church and reception are some distance apart, provide clear directions and parking information to guests in advance.
For weddings where many guests will not be driving, you may need separate coach, minibus or taxi arrangements.
Check access at both venues
Historic churches and rural wedding venues sometimes have narrow entrances, unusual parking areas or restrictions on where vehicles can stop.
Sharing accurate addresses and venue details with your transport provider helps everything run smoothly.
Remember the people who travelled with you earlier
If a parent travelled with you to the ceremony but you leave with your new spouse, make sure they have onward transport.
It is one of those tiny details that can otherwise be forgotten.
Make the journey part of the day
Transport between venues is not wasted time.
With the right planning, it becomes a lovely pause between the emotion of the ceremony and the excitement of the reception.
You can breathe, talk, look at your rings and realise that you are actually married.
Sometimes the journey is part of the celebration too.
If you are planning a multi-venue wedding in West Sussex, East Sussex, Hampshire or Surrey, speak to us about your route and wedding transport requirements.