Wedding Transportation - Wedding Cars
How am I going to get to the ceremony?!
Ah yes, transportation! How are you planning to arrive at your ceremony venue? If you have chosen to get ready at your venue, such as a country house or hotel, then this post won't be relevant to you. However if you are getting ready at home, or need to travel between venues you will need to decide how you would like to do this.
Transportation by car is the usual method. You can decorate a friend's or family member's car with ribbons to help cut costs, but the most popular choice is to hire a car suited to your wedding theme. From vintage Austin to classic Jaguar the options are numerous.
Spirit Wedding Cars - Pixel Wedding Photography
We decided to have a white Beauford as our wedding car. This was supplied by Spirit Wedding Cars, who are based in Nailsea, North Somerset. This is us with our lovely wedding car, with Clifton Suspension Bridge in the background.
Be aware of having a car with the top down! Even at slow speeds, your hair may suffer, especially if it's a windy day. I decided to have the top up to get me to the ceremony, then had a short distance to this location with the top down. The top went back up on our drive to our reception venue, as we had to travel on the M5 motorway!
Ask the Expert!
Fife-based wedding car company, Something Old, currently have a selection of cars available for couples to hire. Three of these stylish ladies are Henrietta, Penelope and Charlotte, and they are kept in immaculate condition by their owners, Clare & Bob Niven. I spoke to Clare about what Something Old has on offer for wedding couples.
Wedding Cars - Henrietta - Something Old
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How many, and which types of wedding cars do you have available for couples to hire? And of these which is your most popular?
At Something Old we have 5 beautiful wedding cars; a combination of vintage, classic and new cars. All our cars have names and characters and we refer to them as ‘our Ladies’. Let me introduce them to you:
Henrietta is our most popular car. She is a 1962 Bentley S2 finished in champagne and black with a cream leather upholstery and walnut trim. She has a real presence about her and when you step inside you are transported back to a time of elegant travel.
Charlotte is the baby of our fleet and she is a new Bentley Arnage. Finished in gold with a sumptuous quilted cream leather interior with lambswool rugs she is a truly luxurious car. Henrietta and Charlotte complement each other perfectly and are often booked together.
Penelope is a 1964 powder blue Daimler 250 V8 with a matching blue leather interior and walnut trim. She is a beautifully presented classic car with sleek lines.
We have two vintage Austins. Florence is an 1934 Austin 12-4 Berkeley with a dark blue body, black wings and a blue interior.
Ruby is an 1935 Austin 12-6 Ascot finished in maroon over cream with a maroon interior. Due to their advancing years, these Ladies are only available for very short journeys or for photographs at the venue.
What is included when booking a wedding car with Something Old?
Our cars come dressed with ribbons and a bow in your choice of ivory or white, and include an experienced driver. We also offer our couples a stop for champagne on route to the wedding reception or, if the wedding ceremony and reception are taking place at the same venue, a short run with a stop for champagne after the wedding ceremony. This is a precious opportunity for the bride and groom to spend a short amount of time alone together while enjoying a celebratory glass of bubbles.
What is the average cost to hire one of your wedding cars?
Pricing is always a difficult subject for all transport providers as much depends on the number of cars, distances and so forth. We do not price our cars individually as the level of preparation is the same regardless of whether it is a Bentley or an Austin. We prefer to ascertain the exact needs of our clients and offer a price accordingly. To give you an idea we would normally charge around £350.00 for one car.
How far in advance of the wedding should a bride & groom secure their booking with you?
I would suggest booking as soon as possible to ensure that our cars are available. We only accept one booking per day as this enables us to focus all our attention on delivering the most memorable experience for you.
Anything else a couple should know, and any tips or advice you can offer?
We have heard horrible stories of brides being left at the side of the road, hitching lifts with photographers or arriving in a police car because their wedding car broke down. We want to ensure this will never happen with Something Old so we always provide a backup car for just in case. We maintain our vehicles to the highest standard, as do most transport providers, but you have to be ready for every eventuality, be it breakdown, puncture or accident. Our cars are up to 80 years old and they can have days when they are feeling a little bit under the weather. We are always prepared for this. Many thanks to Clare for introducing her special ladies. If you would like to find out more about Something Old then visit their website here
(UPDATE SOMETHING OLD HAS NOW CEASED TRADING)
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