Tips to help you choose the perfect limousine for your wedding. All about premium limos, and what to look for. All the caveats to avoid, questions to ask, scams to watch out for, and what you should have included in your contract.
Many people use a limousine service for their wedding. If you have the budget, consider using a limousine rental. This takes the load off of who is going to drive who where. Plans change at the last minute and now you have to scramble. But with a limousine service, the plans are not going to change. They will pick up anyone you want and take them anywhere they need to go.
Here in the Durham Region the rates are relatively competitive unless they offer coupons, or discounts on multiple cars. Most services charge 10 - 15% gratuity for the driver up front, so be sure you are getting quality before you sign. The biggest complaint we hear about limousine services is the "no show", or late show. When you spend money, you want a professional who knows where they are going. Why do no shows happen? Let's not kid ourselves, we all know why. They didn't forget, everything is written down. They know where they have to be. They over booked on your date or at the last minute needed your limo for a bigger more profitable job, or else they would be there. Airport limo companies are not good to use for weddings as their schedules are too hectic, and there's too many last minute changes in flights and travel plans. You are much better off with a company whose specialty is weddings. The wedding limo is scheduled for you, and cannot change.
When to start Looking For A Limousine Service
A good time is 3-8 months before the wedding. We gave a deposit 7 months in advance because we chose an Excalibur and a Rolls Royce Limo, and wanted to be certain they were available. If you are using a standard limo, then 3-6 months in advance is fine. Allow 1 week to call and interview all the limousine services, and reserve one Saturday to inspect the operation of 3-5 good candidates. Ask people you know who were recently married.They can recommend the limousine service they used if they were happy. They can also warn you about companies they rejected as well. Also, ask your wedding photographer. Photo studios know who shows up on time and who does not. In the wedding industry vendors know each other. Another source is the yellow pages. Pick only the companies who specialize in weddings. Visit the limousine company and view their carsYou must make sure the cars are kept in good condition. If the are in bad shape, you can bet that they'll break down on the way to your wedding. If you plan to use a Rolls Royce, Excalibur, or other unique car, make an appointment with the limousine company at a time when you can see the car. This is usually early on Saturday and Sunday mornings before they leave for a wedding. You want to make sure the car you are going to pay top dollar for is in good condition. Believe it or not, many old fashioned Rolls Royce limousines are in sad shape, because they are too old. The average life of a limo is only about 3 years due to mileage. Some of the fancier old fashioned limousines can no longer be repaired for rips in the seating, or have other parts replaced, so you want to ensure you are paying for a car that is in good shape. If you just want plain Lincoln type limousines, they all look the same. But also ask to see the premium cars listed in their ad and see if they really own it and is it all they touted it to be. One company advertised what we call a "gimmick limousine" with an extra wide "Bridal Door", to allow the bride with a wide dress to easily pass through the door. But we checked it out and found that the car was in terrible shape. So don't just get sucked in by gimmick limousines with the beds and tubs in the back, check them out first. Don't sign the contract for a premium limo unless you have seen it, and sat in it first. This is why you must visit the limousine service to inspect their cars.
Consumer Alert: Rolls Royce Limousines
While shopping around you'll notice many companies in the yellow pages that claim they have have Rolls Royce or Excalibur limos. We discovered that many do NOT own the limousine, they contract it out from another source. In fact, most companies only have standard Lincolns and contract out the Rolls or Excalibur, while claiming in their ad that they have the car. They are just acting as brokers. If you want a Rolls or Excalibur, do like us and avoid dealing with these people. If they don't own the car, they have no control over whether it will show up or not. This is a major root cause of limousines not showing up. Avoid the middleman and go right to the source.
Ask to see their package plans if they have any. Get flyers with pricing and limo photos on them. You Must Have A Clear, Concise, Written Contract!If you end up in court disputing your limo driver, the judge will say is "Where is your contract?" Make certain there is a written contract and that everything you expect of them is in writing. If they refuse or give you nothing but a bunch of verbal claims, get up and leave. Do you think they will remember 10 months from now what they promised you? A written contract will help them remember. You want the contract to state the type of limousine, how many it seats, and what package you chose. The contract must also state how long you have the limousine for. This is very important. You don't want the driver holding out his hand for more money when you least expect it. The contract must also state what the overtime rate is for each vehicle. If they refuse to do this for you, get up an leave. Any reputable business would have this information on a standard contract without question. The contract should also list who your driver will be. Now is the time to pin them down. Then you have a basis for a claim later. If you interviewed any drivers that you liked, then have their names placed on the contract. The contract should show how much deposit you gave, and how much is owed. Most usually require payment in full 2 weeks before the wedding. One week before the wedding, call to confirm the date and time. Fax a precise set of directions to the limousine service, on how to get to your house, reception, church, etc. Any maps or mapquest printouts you include will be helpful. It helps even more to type the instructions, so the driver can't show up late and say you gave sloppy instructions. Get the driver's cellular and pager numbers also. They usually call you from the limo when they are on the way to get you. Keep a copy of the map and directions with you on the wedding day. You may need to give them to the driver if the limo company sends a different driver at the last minute and you don't want to hear "so where are we going?" from the driver. Just give them the map!
Questions to ask the Limousine Company:
How many cars are in their fleet? Some services only have a few cars, but book several weddings, and contract out cars from other agencies. One limousine service we are aware of here in the Durham Region did 17 weddings one day last year and had to contract out extra cars! The wedding we were doing never got their limo and had to use cars from the bridal party and parents………..it was very sad
Ask for a flyer that shows prices in writing. You don't want them making up inflated prices on the fly. You want a rate that is fair. Do they have a flyer with photos of their cars? If they don't have it written down on a flyer, chances are they are unscrupulous, you should scratch them off your list, and move on to the next limousine company.
Can you bring your own champagne? The champagne they give you is barely useful for cleaning hubcaps. You'll want to bring your own maybe water for your ride, you will be thirsty after the ceremony. They should provide the glasses.
Have them describe the worst wedding situations they have been in, and how they handled it. How much is the overtime rate? Some weddings could run longer than expected, and you want to know how much the overtime rate is per vehicle that you use. You want no surprises. This is a huge source of problems for many newlyweds.
If you cancel, can you get your deposit back? Most companies will not refund deposits, so choose one with a low deposit. And remember, if they don't put it in writing, it means they won't do it!
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