Wedding Hive Podcast
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Wedding Hive Podcast
Navigating Wedding Transportation: Options and Costs
Getting your wedding guests safely from point A to point B requires careful planning and potentially significant budget allocation. Transportation options can run thousands of dollars, yet many couples underestimate this expense until it's too late.
• Wedding shuttles cost approximately $375/hour with $800-1000 minimums for one-way trips
• Transportation planning should begin when selecting your venue location
• Consider scheduling two shuttle departures—one early option and one for late-night partiers
• Uber vouchers provide a flexible alternative to traditional shuttles
• Adult guests should take responsibility for their transportation, but hosts often feel obligated to provide options
• Limousines work well for smaller groups like bridal parties or immediate family
• Always verify the quality of "complimentary" hotel shuttles before relying on them
• Transportation logistics become significantly more complicated when guests have been drinking
• Having guests contribute financially to transportation can create day-of complications
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Hey guys, welcome back to another episode of the Daily Buzz. We had a listener send in a question about transportation options shuttles, limos, Uber, voucher codes, all the things, Kelsey, what do you have on those?
Speaker 2:Oh, this is the question of the hour. The question of the hour. Okay, yes, so this is something you want to be thinking through, unfortunately, all the way at the beginning, when you are choosing your venue and what are the nearest accommodations look like, what part of town do you want to stay in? You know, if you're getting married at a resort, obviously people are going to stay at the resort but most venues are not that close.
Speaker 2:So, as far as transportation goes, you can do it whatever way. Unfortunately is not in. Okay, let me back up a little bit. Transportation is extremely expensive and it's a cost that doesn't always get thought through In people's minds. They go, oh, we're just going to grab shuttles and it'll be fine, and then $7,000 later, $7,000. Yes, Shuttles are so, so expensive.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I didn't do any of that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I want to say, um, like here in the Valley, the cheapest one I have found has been it's around $375 an hour, but they have minimums for like a 56 passenger or they'll like run one way between $800 and $1,000 for a one way ride for transportation or for like that shuttle bus. So, as far as shuttles go, if you want to get a shuttle and that is within your budget, go for it. I think they're so fun. Usually I will see two shuttles, typically for family and friends that want to go back and go back to sleep, and then another shuttle bus for, like the party.
Speaker 1:Going out for the party.
Speaker 2:Yep, the, let's go have fun. The one thing you know I love this question because we are being considerate. We don't want people drinking and driving. That is a major issue and there is, you know, lots of catastrophes that can be avoided by thinking through this. So thank you for being a proactive bride and processing all of these pieces when it comes to shuttles.
Speaker 1:So shuttles, I think-. Do you think they should have to pay for them? The bride and groom? Do you think that's like something that guests are expecting, or what would you think?
Speaker 2:I don't think so. I think that anybody over the age of 21, because they are of legal drinking age, they should be cognizant of not only how much they drink but what their ride situation is. I know that it has been very messy in the past when I've had couples say that they're going to make people pitch in for the bus or the shuttle. That turns into a very-.
Speaker 1:I think that's fair if you're going for an after party. If it's in the sense of hey, if you want to come and have a ride to an after party. If it's in the sense of hey, if you want to come and have a ride to the after party, so you don't have to worry about driving, pitch in.
Speaker 2:But I don't see the reason for asking otherwise, then yes, it makes it really hard because I once I had a couple that I took on very, very, very last minute and was given the list of who had paid and who had not and which buses they were on, and then I had three buses to navigate people, which then people started lining up and I'd say, all right, what's your name? All right, you're on bus A, or you're on bus B, or you're on bus C. And then we'd have to turn around and go hold on the note says you haven't paid. No-transcript. It finally hit a point where they did not have a plan B because they were planning on riding the bus and I put them on the bus because I couldn't deny putting them on the bus, and they were that drunk and so if you're doing shuttles, there's a lot of logistics that go into shuttles, but it will make your wedding day very smooth.
Speaker 2:I wanna say that's what I have seen as the most simple on wedding day for people to hop on buses and go to their next location. Shuttle buses, charter coach buses, are really nice, they're fun and then you can also get ones with it's more of the party vibe. I will never forget the day that I had one of my production team kiddos just turned 18 and was so excited and he was loading stuff onto the bus and came out and he goes there's a pole in the middle of it and I said you're fine, I know, and so it was just so cute because you can have super fun party buses. Bless that kiddo's heart. One day he's going to go to college and he'll be like yeah, I know what a, what a pole. I love that.
Speaker 2:Let's talk about Uber codes. There is a way to pay for Uber vouchers on the back end for your party to get a QR code or a discount code and they can Uber out if they need to. I think that is a very kind gesture to offer your guests if you keep it limited to the amount of vouchers you do or you offer it to a certain group of people. Ubers are great, lyfts are great. There was one more on the list Limos. Yeah, limos, limos are fun. I think that have a a smaller count, depending on if you're wanting to do limos for your bridal party or your immediate family. That's great. Obviously, you don't want to limo everybody to and from the venue.
Speaker 1:I know, so I agree.
Speaker 2:I don't know if that was helpful, because I think it was there is. There's so many logistics that go into it. Also and this is just, you know, courtesy kindness of my heart to mention this one but some hotels offer shuttles and just double check who the driver is and what the shuttle is, because nothing is nothing is more funny than a rundown old school bus that was painted white, that has the hotel name on the side of it and maintenance man George, who smells like he just cut all of the grass and drank too much beer pops. In the driver's seat he said, surprise, shut it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that I mean it'll make a good story and be funny, but it might not fit the vibe or the atmosphere for what you are wanting to get Could be a funny story it is a funny story, but just keep in mind, if you are planning on having a very classy event and everybody's in their beautiful dresses and George, the very kind driver, maintenance man who smoked a pack before he hopped on the bus to drive you there, you might want to consider some other options. And that is your daily buzz.