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Skeptical78
Beginner September 2013

Stoopid Wedding Cars...

Skeptical78, 8 March, 2013 at 11:18 Posted on Planning 0 9
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Hey hey.

I am having a right mare trying to sort wedding cars.

We originally had a VW camper lined up which a friend was going to drive us in, but he *sold* it (rude). All other routes of enquiry have proved fruitless.

I looked at a few hire places and we were being quoted anything from £180 to £250 (bearing in mind that we hadn't originally included this in our already tight budget)

I thought I found a winner; very reasonable quote- the ceremony / reception are all within a 2 mile radius of each other so I couldn't understand why the others were so high!- was just about to pay the deposit today, and then I read the T&Cs. They charge EXTRA for additional journeys. We wanted to be picked up from my sister's place, taken to the registry office, then after the ceremony driven to the seafront (about a mile away) for some pics, then onto the reception. If we're hiring the car for 2.5 hours, WHY are they charging extra for this? Surely, when you hire something, you can do what you want with it in the time you have it hired?! Like, if you hire a van they don't tell you that you can only use it for x number of journeys?! If you hire a lawnmower for a day, you can only use it to cut 8 square ft of grass?!

So, basically, apart from the two pick up / drop offs I'm paying for some geezer to sit on his a*se in a fancy car for 2 hours picking his nose, when the actual time we're in the car will amount to 30 mins max?! What a rip off.

Out of principle now I'm going in a normal, tatty taxi. Stuff it. Not the grandest entrance to a wedding ever, but I'm past the point of bloomin' caring now!!! Plus it'll save a stack of cash. ?

9 replies

Latest activity by Randomsabreur, 8 March, 2013 at 15:36
  • F
    Beginner August 2013
    FMG ·
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    I completely agree with you in that I think paying hundreds for a fancy car to take you somewhere for 15 mins is a waste of money. I got my mum and dad to make enquiries amongst their friends and they have come up with a Jag to take me and dad, also a new BMW for the bridesmaids. We only need a ride there as our ceremony and reception are at the same place. Could you do something similar and just pay the driver for their time?

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  • Skeptical78
    Beginner September 2013
    Skeptical78 ·
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    Hang on, STAND DOWN EVERYONE!

    This was me going off half-cocked and getting all ranty again. It was my misunderstanding. Just had a very lovely email from the hire car bloke.

    It is still cheap!

    *klaxon sounds*

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  • F
    Beginner August 2013
    FMG ·
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    Haha! Glad you got it storted!!!

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  • 2013_Bride_
    Beginner August 2013
    2013_Bride_ ·
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    Glad you got it sorted Smiley smile

    I really resented wedding car costs initially, we have paid £700 for two cars.

    1 for me & my Dad, then me & OH, and the other for 5 BMs & my Mum, then just the BMs.

    All its doing is taking us on a 10 minute journey to church then a 15 minute journey to reception venue.

    I am glad we have them though as they are beautiful, but I agree with you that they are a rip off. Isn't everything to do with weddings though? Sigh.

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  • Wedding Photography By Bill Haddon
    Wedding Photography By Bill Haddon ·
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    If I may be a little devils advocate.And slightly push off topic
    People keep saying that things to do with weddings are a rip off, but you could always use a friends nice camper van and not pay the extortionate car cost. But wait where is that "free" camper van now. And that's the point, you book a professional item for your wedding and it will turn up because that's what they do -it is their bread and butter and their future reputation. And that's why it costs more because they will have a spare car, spare driver, and some I know even do a dry run a few days before to time things exactly and NO sat navs. I have seen friends or a bloke down the road with a nice car and they have a sat nav blurting out "turn left 100yards ahead " not quite the romantic time together travelling to the reception.
    So by all means find cheep ways to do things but with each thing you do on the cheep- do what the professional version would of done and have a backup. The issue with the camper van I have had many times with photography where it was done cheep but they were let down at the last minute and then come to me.
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  • Skeptical78
    Beginner September 2013
    Skeptical78 ·
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    Woah! Bit harsh there, Bill my friend!

    OK, let me respond to your Devil's advocacy by opening up this whole can of worms again... ?

    The simple fact is that not everyone has the money for 'professional services' (or the capacity or willingness to borrow money for what are, in terms of an actual 'wedding'- peripheries) so have no choice BUT to see if people can do things on the cheap for them. Some of the best weddings I have been to have been pretty much DIY jobs, calling in favours from friends and family. They've had a lot of heart.

    Yeah, OK, they've not been perfect and probably wouldn't grace the services of OK magazine, but it doesn't matter because- at the end of the day- two people, in love, got married and everyone went home happy and a little bit drunk. They might not have glossy images of the day to reflect upon in their autumnal years, or a video they can play over and over until the husband accidentally records Match of the Day over it (!) but- in the grand scheme of things- does that matter? Lovely things happen, and they will stay in people's brains. I know that I am in the minority thinking this, but...there you go. Be thankful- if the world was full of people like me, you wouldn't have your 'bread and butter'. ?

    I do appreciate your viewpoint as a supplier, I understand that you have a living to make- but, conversely, I think that it's unfair to portray those of us who can't afford to hire professionals as somehow shambolic for trying to make arrangements within our limitations. I'm poor, not an idiot.

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  • Wedding Photography By Bill Haddon
    Wedding Photography By Bill Haddon ·
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    Skeptical78 I actually agree with you, I don't mean to come over harsh, its just that people just think its all made up when we give examples of last min let downs like yours.
    And I did try to give some advice but perhaps it was lost.
    When doing things yourself do as the professionals would of done and have a back up.
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  • Skeptical78
    Beginner September 2013
    Skeptical78 ·
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    Yeah, soz. I do rant on a bit. I don't mean to come off harsh either; despite all the peace and love talk, I love a good ruck!! ?

    That's RUCK!

    ?

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  • mum-wants-a-hat
    Beginner June 2013
    mum-wants-a-hat ·
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    I know where you are coming from hun. I looked at local wedding car companies based literally within 3/4 miles of the church and venue. To get one car to come to mine (5 miles from their base max), run the Bms to church, come back for me and dad, then take me and OH to the venue before going back to base -a grand total of 16 miles!!- was going to cost me just shy of £400!!! I'm on a 5/6k budget!! So I contacted our lay reader who lives over the road from church- he has 2 1920's cars and is fetching them both to do the runs for £175 with some photography thrown in by his semi-pro partner too. I'm thrilled- the cars are nicer than the expensive company, I know who I am dealing with and I'm looking forward to being driven to the ceremony by such wonderful people :0) xx

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  • R
    Beginner June 2012
    Randomsabreur ·
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    Didn't have a car - and so glad not to have. Actually planned things so I didn't need one - hotel walking distance from chuch and venue and tbh would have been happy with a standard taxi if travelling had been necessary. Truely can't see the point of a fancy car that no one will see me arrive in (in church/venue already)

    Also, my taste in cars is not practical for a wedding dress. We did a rock the dress shoot up on the moor. Went in my sports car as it's cleaner than OH's work car (he's a vet, and the dog more or less lives in it!). I have never been so uncomfortable in my life as I was sitting in a boned dress. Plus sitting crumples the dress and I wanted to walk in uncrumpled. Awesome photos walking down the high street as well!

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