How are you transporting your guests?

Good ole' Shanks's pony for our guests! It's only 10 mins up the road though.

As above, we've always made our way betwixt venues, or negotiated lifts with those driving. Most people are happy to car share. Otherwise we've been provided with cab numbers.

The church is about 15 mins from our reception venue, our guests will be making their on way their. I don't think people expect to have transport put on for them, surely?!

Wedding is in central London so I doubt anyone will be driving (hope not as there is literally nowhere to park ?). I feel a bit weird about abandoning them all at the register office while we swan off in a cab! Perhaps I could organise some prepaid taxis. Hmmmm. Thanks for your thoughts anyway.

Our church and reception venues are about 4 miles apart, so we've got a routemaster for our guests, and some pre-paid cabs ordered too (routemaster not quite big enough for everyone!). I totally agree that people don't 'expect' transport to be provided, but if you can fit it in budget, its a thoughtful touch.

Thanks Cette, do you mind me asking how much the pre-paid cabs are? I agree with you tbh - we are having a v low key affair and we are not spending money on a lot of the usual stuff (no bridesmaids/groomsmen for example) so I don't mind spending a bit extra on this to make the day easier for our guests.

Hello

We were going to put on a bus but as our venues are off the beaten track, most people are going to car / taxi share for the whole event because even if we laid on travel from the ceremony to the reception, they still have to get themselves to the ceremony and then home again from the reception venue, so that woudl actually be more complex.

However Foo - I live in central London, have you thought about Addison Lee? They have people carriers and prices for a short, central journey start from £11 per car, plus they have drivers in suits and will even hold up greeting boards like chauffeurs do at airports as they do a lot of executive bookings. They'll agree a price up front and even give you all the driver and vehicle details so they are much smarter than a regular taxi, and depending on numbers, I'm sure you could do it for a lot less than a Routemaster.

Emma

Oooooh, Emma - thank you. That's a really great tip, I will investigate. We only have around 50 guests so it should work out massively cheaper!

We used Routemasters, but you are right, they are terribly expensive! In your shoes I think I'd go for Addy Lee.

I would never expect guests to just find their own way (if it was too far to walk) but that's my personal feelings on the matter.

I didn't but just wanted to say hello as I remember you from before I was a HIB (got married in 2008).

We only have one venue but it's a 50 minute drive away from most of our guests, so I will be probably hire a coach or minibus (dependant on numbers) to take them there and back. We saved a lot of money having it further away, so I don't mind paying - but equally if I was invited to a wedding 50 minutes away I would probably drive, stay in a hotel so I could drink and then drive home the next day ? and if I went to one that was 2 venues I would just drive myself to the next place.

Oh, criminy. I have no idea.

Our venue is 2 and a half hours from the majority of our guests. Hiring a bus to take them there and pick them up the morning after (since accomodation is included) is £700. That's, like, an eighth of our wedding budget. I'm quite happy to have them make their own way, my mother insists that's poor form. I'm looking into if two minibuses would be any cheaper than a coach, but honestly, the vast majority drive, and the venue is happy to pick up stragglers from the train station. I think they'll be making their own way, however they fancy it.

Perhaps I'm tight but I didn't transport my guests. It was about a 20 minute drive between ceremony and reception, and my guests all managed to find their own way there (minus bridal party, we transported them). I've only had transport provided at one wedding I've attended, all the others we have had to find own way, as long as guests know in advance they will cope.

Ooooh, I'm having a all day affair in one place but the parking is hideous!! I had though about hired a fleet of mini buses or a coach but not sure if it'll turn into a logistic nightmare

Bus - steam train - steam train - boat - bus ?

TBH though, if we were having a bigger wedding I'd have let them find their own way. When my sister got married they had to drive to the venue, then to the hotel for the reception. They all went home after and then came back for the evening do. I don't feel it's an issue (other then people wanting to drink) and wouldn't expect transport to be provided for a wedding.

We have a fair amount of family coming from Ireland and Holland so we're laying on a coach (or mini bus depending on numbers) to get people that want a lift from the church to the venue. (30minute drive) We've given them a list of accommodation near the church so they can get a cab or walk there, get a mini bus from church to the venue on us, then cab back to hotel. We put a little tick box on all the invites asking if we put on a bus, would it be wanted. Just getting some invites back already and the total so far is 17 so it may be a coach. A local 1960s double decker costs £400 around here. That's a lot for about an hours worth.

Most of our family are travelling from out of town and will be staying in hotels the night before. I'll be sure they have taxi numbers! MIL and SIL appeared to think this was a big deal until I offered the alternative which was to travel to our house (past the wedding venue from the hotel) and get a lift in one of the camper vans. I did point out that if they were doing this then they'd have to share the cost of hire.... which is about 100 times the amount a taxi will cost them.

Thanks everyone. Driving really isn't an option for our guests, it would be a nightmare. Pretty sure we will go with Addison Lee or pre-paid black cabs. I realise guests might not expect to have transport laid on but I would like to provide it - if nothing else it means no-one will get waylaid in the pub...?

Glad the Addison Lee tip was useful! I have actually never had transport provided at any wedding I have attended but appreciate that central London is a bit different for driving and parking so would probably do the same if we were having ours up here.

Our venue is 1 hour 30 minutes from home so we are putting on a coach for everyone ;-)

I know this is the minority view, but I feel the same. I would want everyone to relax and have a few drinks, not worry about transport. Every wedding I've been to there has been transport for the guests.

We got married in Central London but luckily all in one venue. We had a load of French guests staying in the same hotel in wandsworth, so we used dial a cabs to take them all back at the end of the evening (this was my husband, I thought it was going too far!). We opened an account and agreed a fixed price for the the cab rides which was wandsworth to westminster. I would try them. Transport doesn't need to be funky/flashy if you don't have the budget - just needs to function!

I'm getting married in a small village around an hour and a half from where the majority of my guests live so I'm arranging a coach with two stops, one near where my inlaws live (they get preferential treatment) and another stop in the city centre. People will be making their own way onto the coach. Actually the groom will be coming from that area and I suggested he get on the coach with the guests. I think it would be funny, he's not so keen!

The church is on the same street as the reception hall, less than a 5 min walk which the majority of the guest will do. I'll have a couple 'designated drivers who live in the village to take the some of the elderly/otherwise unable guests to the hall, and the drivers can take their car home then walk back or pick up their cars in the morning.

The coach will then pick all guests up at the end of the night and make the same two drop offs. If we decide to stay at a hotel in the city for our wedding night, I'll happily go on the coach with the guests! I'll be going to the church from my mum's house in the village, and I planned to walk with my brother who's giving me away. Again, apparently I'm not allowed and I've to have a car!

I've chosen to have the wedding out in the sticks, so I feel I have a duty to take my guests there! Most of the wedding's I've been to have had an option of transport for guests, but I do love it when the ceremony and reception are in one place! So much easier!

That's exactly how I feel about our wedding ? could have chose somewhere local and made it easier for those to get there, but we didn't so trying to make it as easy as possible!

Do you have any school teacher friends? They may be able to spin a free mini bus for ya? That or you could order some of those cool covent garden bike riding people...they may offer a deal but would be different/fun!? Good luck!

I said before that I didn't know of any weddings were transport was laid on and actually, I can add that on two occasions I'm aware of, it was offered but then rebuffed. My dad is organising a small coach for some relatives who are all going back to the same place at my wedding and hardly anyone has taken him up on it as they prefer to drive themselves and have the freedom of when to come and go. Similarly at a friend's wedding, a mini bus ended up being cancelled as most people wanted to drive / car share. I think it might depend on whether your crowd are big drinkers because I have a lot of family and friends who are not fussed about booze and would rather have the independence of their own car. If everyone attending wanted a drink then obviously that wouldn't be possible.