Buick Roadmaster wedding car hire

A 1950s Roadmaster as your wedding car

For decades, Roadmaster was the name of Buick's top model, the brand that sat just below Cadillac within General Motors. The cars from the mid-1950s are what many people picture when they think of American cars from that era: a wide chrome grille, large bumpers, a panoramic windscreen and often two-tone paintwork. On the front wings are the round portholes that gave Buick its own distinctive look in those years.

As a wedding car, it is mainly the classic Roadmasters from the 1950s that are in demand; the name returned briefly in the 1990s on a much more ordinary car. The wide bench seats have room for at least five people. It is a car with a generous, friendly presence that draws attention at a wedding straight away without feeling stern or formal.

Getting in and sitting in a Roadmaster

An American car from this period is spacious. The back seat is wide and continuous, the floor is fairly flat and the doors are large. A bride in a full skirt can sit comfortably, and a train can rest on the floor or be laid across the seat. The front usually has a continuous bench seat too, so the two of you can sit side by side if you wish.

A heavy car with a relaxed pace

A Roadmaster is big, heavy and softly sprung. It drives smoothly, but braking and steering feel different from a modern car, and the pace is slower. That suits a wedding day when nobody is in a hurry. Do allow plenty of time, including for parking and turning, because the car is long.

Hot weather and rain

A 1950s classic has no modern air conditioning. Park it in the shade between journeys and keep the trips short on a warm day. In the rain, a closed saloon is actually handy: you stay dry and so does the dress. Ask the rental company how the windscreen wipers and heating work, as these are less powerful in old cars.

A Roadmaster on your wedding day

The Roadmaster suits a wedding with a 1950s theme, a rockabilly party or a couple who love American classics. It also makes an impression at an ordinary wedding, precisely because it is so different from a modern car. For photos, a straight view from the front works well, showing the grille and chrome in full, as does a side view that shows off the two-tone paintwork.

There is plenty of room for decoration on the bonnet or the boot. Use ribbons and flowers that match the colours of the paintwork, and discuss with the rental company how to fix them in place. Other models from this brand can be found on the Buick wedding cars page. If you are looking for a Buick from the following decade, take a look at the Buick Electra 225. More classics of this age can be found under classic cars as wedding cars.