On such a pivotal day, where the goal for many is to resemble modern royalty, it is only fitting to turn to Disney for guidance; and what better character to look towards for inspiration than the rags-to-riches poster girl, Cinderella. Most will remember Cinderella’s remarkable and iconic transformation, but before this, came the carriage – for where would Cinderella be without transportation worthy of royalty? While we don’t have the luxury or convenience of conjuring our dream car with a simple spell, an extensive range of options are still available to ensure you and your partner not only arrive in style, but with pure ease.

Finding ‘The One’

As the old adage goes, ‘try before you buy’ and just like when selecting shoes or clothes, testing the product before purchase is always a safer option to guarantee complete satisfaction. The same principle holds true when selecting your wedding vehicle. While not as exciting as envisioning your dream day and selecting a beautiful car to match, it is important to consider practicalities in order to avoid disappointment. Far too many brides have fallen victim to the cruel fate of selecting a gown and car that are incompatible. “Wedding dresses can vary wildly in size, and typically only the bride and bridesmaids know which dress has been chosen, hence why they are the only ones that can determine the ease of accessing a particular car,” the Smiths explain. To avoid disappointment, the Smiths advise couples “view the cars prior to booking”. “Any company with a great reputation, and a physical location that you can actually visit, would welcome you into their storage facility and allow you to sit in the cars,” the Smiths attest.

As the owners and managers of both Allure Limousines and Belle Classic Limousines, the Smiths have a wide variety of cars to cater to everyone’s tastes. “Having both vintage and modern cars in our fleet allows us to mix and match different cars. So when a bride really wants to have a vintage car but she also has six bridesmaids, we recommend the bride and Dad – or whoever is giving the bride away – ride in the vintage car to the ceremony, and the bridesmaids follow in a modern stretch limo.” For those seeking to consolidate large numbers, or wanting to ensure the spotlight remains on them, selecting a couple of different vehicles is a great way to ensure both bridal party and bride swing into the ceremony in style.

I Adorn You

From flowers to ribbons, for those wanting to personalise their transportation on what is such a truly intimate and sacred day, a plethora of delightful options to add a unique touch are available at your fingertips. Though “less is more when you are decorating weddings cars”, the Smiths caution. As you will have already chosen a breathtaking car, “a nice and simple straight white, or ivory ribbon is enough to dress a wedding car, and you will usually find that your wedding car provider will supply this as part of the package.”

Though many other options are available, recent trends have seen a shift away from flower decorations with people tending to favour the classic ribbon adornment. When asked about decorative window stickers the Smiths opposed the accessory. “We actually discourage [the use of stickers] because couples don’t like to pay for reparation works required after their booking. Often there can be adhesives and marks left behind that need to be cleaned off the car,” the duo note.