Mood and style
Practical
The Volvo we feature as a wedding car is the Amazon: a Swedish classic with rounded curves and a dependable character. Read on to see why it suits a relaxed, stylish day. Read more
Mood and style
Practical
Volvo comes from Gothenburg in Sweden and has had a reputation for building sturdy, safe cars since its earliest years. In the late 1950s the brand introduced the three-point seatbelt, an invention that later found its way into almost every car in the world. That emphasis on solidity shows in the classics too: Volvos from the 1960s are known for being robust and long-lasting.
A classic Volvo as a wedding car is a choice for understated style. It is not a flashy American car or a stately Rolls-Royce, but a car with rounded shapes, a friendly face and an honest character. It suits a wedding with a Scandinavian or natural theme, a celebration on a farm or in a forest, or a couple who love simplicity and quality.
The Amazon was built from the mid-1950s until 1970. In Sweden it was called the Amazon, while outside Sweden it was also sold under type numbers such as 121 and 122S. The styling is clearly inspired by American cars of that era, but in a more compact, European size. You can read more about the model on the page about the Volvo Amazon as a wedding car.
The Amazon has four doors and a wide back seat. The bride can climb into the back comfortably, and a dress with volume or a train has room to spread out. There is also a seat in the front next to the driver, for a witness, for example. The roof is higher than in many sporty classics, which is welcome if the bride has an upswept hairstyle.
The Amazon has a simple, strong engine and a solid body. It drives calmly and predictably. There is no air conditioning and no power steering, and the gears are changed by hand, but if you are a little used to older cars it is a pleasure to drive. If you are driving yourselves, ask the rental company to explain everything, and if possible take a short test drive beforehand.
The Amazon is more reliable than many classics from the same period, but it is still a car from the 1960s. Keep the route compact, avoid waiting for long with the engine running on a warm day, and allow some slack in your schedule. Ask the rental company about maintenance and what the arrangements are in case of a breakdown.
For the photo shoot, an Amazon looks great in a natural setting: a forest, a heath, a beach or an orchard. The rounded shapes and soft paint colours, such as white, cream, light blue or red, look lovely among greenery and flowers. The car also works at a modern, minimalist venue, as a deliberate contrast.
Decorate the Amazon sparingly: a ribbon across the bonnet, a bow on the grille or a small bouquet on the parcel shelf. Ask the rental company how the decorations may be attached, because old paintwork and chrome are delicate. White or cream flowers look beautiful on a red or light blue Amazon.
If you would like to compare more classics with the same atmosphere, take a look at the classic wedding cars or the classic cars as wedding cars, where European and American cars from different decades sit side by side.