GMC wedding car hire

A classic pick-up for a countryside wedding

GMC is the commercial vehicle brand of General Motors. Where Chevrolet built cars and pick-ups for a broad public, GMC made trucks and vans, often on the same base but with its own grille and finish. In the 1950s, GMC and Chevrolet pick-ups largely shared their bodywork: rounded wings, a broad nose and a separate running board between the wheels.

A classic GMC as a wedding car is a choice for atmosphere and simplicity. It suits a wedding on a farm, in a barn, in an orchard or on a campsite, and a party with an American or country theme. Even at a rugged city wedding a pick-up like this stands out, precisely because it is so different from a limousine.

The GMC 100 as a wedding car

The GMC 100 is a light pick-up from the early 1950s. It is a working vehicle in the original sense: sturdy, simple and built to be driven. At the same time, with its rounded shapes and large grille, it has the charm that makes so many classic American cars so popular. You can read more about the model on the page about the GMC 100 as a wedding car.

The cab: room for two

The cab has a single wide bench seat. There is room for two people, and with a big dress that bench fills up quickly. You get in over a high sill and a running board, so a helping hand is welcome. A sleek or softly flowing dress is more practical in a pick-up than a ball gown with a hooped skirt.

The load bed

The best thing about a pick-up is the load bed. You can dress it with flowers, hay bales, fairy lights, a sign with your names or tin cans on a string. For the photo shoot you can sit on the edge or in the bed while the car is parked. Nobody should ride in the load bed while the car is moving, but as a backdrop it works wonderfully.

What to look out for with a classic GMC

A pick-up from the 1950s has simple technology: no power steering, no air conditioning, a manual gearbox and brakes that need more force than you are used to. If you are driving yourselves, it takes a little getting used to. Ask the rental company to explain everything and take a short test drive beforehand.

Keep the route short and relaxed. A country lane, a dyke road or a tree-lined avenue suits this car better than the motorway. Allow plenty of time in your schedule between the ceremony, the photo location and the party, and ask the rental company what happens in the event of a breakdown. A well-maintained classic usually drives perfectly well, but it is still a classic from the 1950s.

If the weather is bad, the couple will stay dry in the cab, but the load bed with its flowers and decorations will take the brunt of it. Bear this in mind when choosing your decorations, and consider bringing a tarpaulin.

If you are looking for more rugged American cars, take a look at the American wedding cars. A modern pick-up with air conditioning and a roomier cab is the Dodge Ram as a wedding car. If you want the 1950s feel in a different form, you will find plenty of choice among the classic cars as wedding cars.