If you have decided that your preferred vehicle for your wedding day is an American Stretched Limousine, then here are a few tips to help you along your way.
There are a number of different types of limousines available, the more popular one’s available in the UK include the Lincoln Stretched Limousine, the Chrysler 300 stretched limousine, The Hummer H2 and H3 and The Ford Excursion. There are of course others, but these 5 models are the principle 
American limousines available in the UK. The vehicle most people will be familiar with is, the Lincoln Stretched Limousine (see left), although there are however, depending on the age, up to 4 variants available in the UK and it is important that you establish which one you want.
Having established the type of limousine, then you will want to decide on the colour. Whilst most people opt for white or vanilla white, there are a number of other colours available, depending on your chosen limo company, but these could include, black, silver, metallic blue, candy apple red, gold, pink, vanilla white and a few limousines with a two-tone finish. With most limousines, regardless of their size, the maximum number of passengers that can be carried is 8. Once you have decided on the type, model and colour of the limousine, you will want to consider the colour of the ribbons and bows. If you don’t ask, most limousine companies will provide white, but they can normally provide a selection of other colours on request, or you can supply your own.
Cleary the condition of the limousine is critical, a poorly maintained limousine could prove unreliable and, an untidy one will fail to impress anyone. So if you can, it is always a good idea to view the limousine before you confirm the booking. Most limousine companies will be happy to allow you to do this, but it would normally have to be arranged by appointment. If you cannot view the limousine in person, then ask for some good quality, high resolution images of the actual limousine you are being offered. Never allow yourself to be palmed off with generic images. If you are booking a wedding limousine, you are best advised to deal direct with the limousine operator, using third party brokers or agents will almost certainly not be any cheaper and adding a further layer to the process of organising wedding transport is never a good idea. Remember, if you are booking your limousine a long way ahead, then it is important to establish with the limousine company whether or not the vehicle you have been promised will still be on their fleet, or if they change it, you will want some form of guarantee that the replacement will be equal to, or better than the one offered at the outset.
It is also a good idea to ask about the chauffeur. Remember, that whilst limousine companies that exclusively supply their vehicles for weddings do not need to be licensed, all other operators do. This means that the chauffeur will also have to be licensed, which entails a medical and criminal records bureau check, which is no bad thing of course. You may also want to enquire as to what the chauffeur will be wearing, typically this will be a dark suit, white shirt and a ‘conservative’ tie. But because this is your wedding day, you may want to be certain! In addition, most people do not want their Chauffeur to wear a cap, but if you do want your chauffeur to wear one, make sure you let your limousine company know in advance and have it included on your contract or booking form.
Timing is a critical aspect of providing wedding transportation and this responsibility should be considered a joint one. The wedding car provider has a responsibility to arrive on time, but equally the organisers should ensure that there is a margin for error, perhaps 30 minutes or so, built into the plans. Brides are often late and wedding car providers, even though they will build in their own margin, can get caught up in traffic or an unanticipated vehicle problem. It is also worth knowing, that invariably, when wedding cars are booked, too much time is allowed for photographs after the ceremony and too little at the beginning. If the bride can see her limousine waiting for her 30 minutes before she is due to depart, it can certainly reduce the stress of the day.
Price, whilst not the most critical aspect of arranging wedding transport, remains an important factor. Most limousine companies provide a ‘wedding package’, whilst this can vary, it would normally include, at the very least, the limousine, ribbons and bows, Champagne and up to 3 hours hire. If you are seeking to maximise the value, consider, where practicable, using the limousine for other wedding guests, or the bridesmaids, if the church is local, this can normally be completed quite easily and most limousine companies will not charge extra for the additional journey. Also, allow maybe 30 minutes margin at the beginning of the hire, in fact, if it makes you feel more comfortable, make it an hour. Remember, even if you have booked for 3 hours, few limousine companies will end the hire the minute the 3 hours are up, if you are still taking photographs. Another thing worth knowing, is that most wedding cars are sent home early, so why not just bring the hire forward? If you want any extras in your limousine ask before you book and remember to have it included in the paperwork. Extras may include a particular Champagne, your own music or DVD, chocolates, fresh flowers, balloons etc.
Don’t assume your limousine company only offers stretched limousines. If you are going to need additional chauffeur driven cars, or people carriers, then ask your limo company if they can provide them. Most will provide a discount if you book more than one vehicle through them, of course they may not volunteer this information, but it costs nothing to ask. Some companies may even have matching cars and limousines, once again, if this is your preference, it is worth asking, conversely, they may be able to recommend an alternative local company for other wedding transport. Tipping is always appreciated, but should only be offered for impeccable service.
It is also worth remembering that the chauffeur is not a taxi driver and therefore, may not have an intimate knowledge of the area. There is also the possibility that the chauffeur may be subject to a last minute change, so it is always a good idea to provide directions to the limousine company and if you wish, provide a detailed itinerary or notes for your chauffeur. 99% of weddings transport will be provided without any problems, but if you end up being the 1% on your special day, percentages will mean absolutely nothing. A refund will not make things betters, so make sure that your limousine company knows precisely what is expected of them, build in some margin on timings and have everything written down and confirmed.
So, confirm everything, ensure that the details are correctly included on your contract or booking form and provide any additional information that you consider relevant, such as directions etc. A week or so prior to the hire, call the limousine company and confirm everything, including any additional instructions you may have given them. Test their understanding and be resolute. Remember, no-one can promise 100% satisfaction, the purpose here is to ensure you do not become a 1% statistic!
Remember that the busiest time of the year for weddings is the summer, and as a consequence, limousine companies, or at least the best, get booked up very early. It is also worth bearing in mind that if your wedding is on a Saturday and finishes late afternoon, or early evening, you will probably pay a premium, because the company will be less likely to be able to use the limousine for any long Saturday night hires. Another sensible precaution is to pay your deposit on your credit card, provided it is over £100, this will aid you, in most cases, to recover your deposit if the wedding car company ceases to trade for any reason. Unlikely perhaps, but if these things never happened, we would not need insurance companies. And, on the subject of insurance companies, it is always worth considering taking out wedding insurance.
Cars for Stars is an award winning company offering a wide range of chauffeur driven wedding cars, chauffeur cars and limousines. Cars for Stars is a franchised business, with offices in major locations throughout the UK and, all Cars for Stars businesses are licensed for private hire by the relevant local authority. Cars for Stars offer standard and enhanced wedding packages. If having read this article you would prefer vintage or classic cars, there are various directories that list companies providing this service listed under wedding cars.
