Wedding car hire with chauffeur

What a wedding chauffeur takes care of

With a chauffeur, neither of you has to drive on your wedding day. The chauffeur picks you up, drives to the ceremony, the photo location and the reception, and is ready when you get back in. Meanwhile the two of you sit together in the back, at the moment the day is usually at its busiest.

• The car itself. A classic drives differently from a modern car: heavier steering, a manual gearbox, sometimes a choke. The chauffeur knows the car and how it behaves in hot weather or in traffic.
• Getting in with a dress and train. The chauffeur opens the door, keeps the train clear of the sill and helps you out, so the dress stays perfect for the photos.
• Parking and waiting. At the town hall or church you are dropped off at the door, and the chauffeur finds a place to park. You don't walk around with a key and a parking ticket.
• Time and route. The chauffeur follows the route in your schedule and keeps an eye on when you need to leave.

What to check when booking

Hours, waiting time and overruns

Ask how the hire company charges: per trip, per half day or per hour, and whether the time the chauffeur waits during the ceremony or photo shoot counts. Also agree what happens if the day runs late. How these choices affect the price is explained in what it costs to hire a wedding car.

Schedule and addresses

Give the chauffeur all addresses and times in advance, including exactly where you get out. In a historic town centre, parking at the door is often difficult; agree on a drop-off point the chauffeur knows. Allow plenty of driving time, because a classic drives more calmly than the satnav assumes.

Clothing, decoration and who arranges what

Ask whether the chauffeur wears a suit or a set outfit, if that matters for your photos. Agree who puts ribbons or flowers on the car and whether the hire company has rules about it, such as no tape on the paintwork.

Which wedding cars come with a chauffeur

With many classics, the owner or a regular chauffeur always drives: the car is valuable, often tricky to drive and insured by the hire company. So when looking at a vintage wedding car, start with the cars that come with a chauffeur. A limousine for your wedding almost always comes with a chauffeur, and a wedding bus for more than eight passengers requires a different driving licence, so it nearly always comes with a driver too.

Would you rather drive yourselves, for example in a modern convertible? Then first read what is involved in hiring a wedding car without a chauffeur.