One of the many areas of organising your wedding is how you and your wedding party are going to arrive for the ceremony. It’s important that you arrive in style and there are some great choices available such as limousines, vintage sports cars or even a stretched Hummer. There are many hire companies competing for your business and you need to know you’ll choose one which will live up to their marketing claims. To know you can relax and that the transport will take care of itself, take some time to look around before choosing a company and check them out thoroughly before handing over any cash.
Licences
All limousine companies have to have a license number by law. It’s State-issued and means that the company is allowed to operate. If they are a reputable business, they will often belong to a relevant organisation such as the NLA. Talk to the Better Business Bureau; ask questions about whether there have been any complaints about any of your shortlisted limousine hire companies.
How many years have they been in business?
It’s important that the company you want to use has a number of years’ experience in the business. Don’t automatically discount new companies though as it may be they are managed by those who are experienced with larger companies and have decided to open their own service.
Insurance
It’s a legal obligation for all commercial vehicles to have the correct insurance. If the vehicle is classed as a Town Car, it needs at least $750,000 in coverage and if it can carry over eight passengers it has to be a minimum of $1.5 million liability insurance.
Inspection
Don’t rely on images on the internet. Visit the company and ask to see the limousine you are interested in hiring. Check out the overall condition of the vehicle both inside and out.
Reviews
If you have friends or family who have used a limo hire company, ask about their experience as word of mouth is always a good way to find out about a good local company. Check out online reviews, but remember that first hand reviews are always the most reliable.
Opening hours
The best limousine hire companies will have someone who can take a call day or night. Businesses which handle airport transfers work 24 hours a day but if they only deal with events such as a wedding or a prom, ensure they still have an emergency number. It doesn’t matter what the situation is, they should be available in some way if something doesn’t go to plan.
Fleet Size
Quantity and quality don’t necessarily go hand in hand but it gives you a chance to look at the range of type of business they carry out. A smaller business may be one which specializes in specific services such as airport pick-ups so they probably aren’t geared up for weddings. A medium business will probably handle corporate accounts and the largest will have a wide range of vehicles from stretch limousines to party buses.
Know your driver is safe
It’s law that a chauffeur working for a limo company has to undertake a drugs test. They also have to submit to a physical and those businesses which operate within the law will be able to show you evidence of this. The most reliable companies also check out their drivers for any criminal record so ask about the driving record of the person taking you to your wedding.
Any reputable limo hire company will be happy to answer your questions in full without hedging around the answers. They will be open to your requests to view vehicles, talk about safety issues and show you the necessary documentation to back up their claims.
Once you’re happy with the choice, you can relax and know that they will turn up on time and you can carry on with all the other preparations you need to make for your big day. When the date of your wedding arrives, be ready to be transported in the vehicle of your dreams and to arrive feeling a million dollars.