What wedding transportation covers
Wedding transportation is reserved, chauffeured service for the people who have to be in the right place at the right minute on the day: the couple, parents and grandparents, the wedding party and, when you want it, guests moving between a hotel block and the venues. New York dispatch arranges the day through vetted local affiliate operators in the Charlotte area, and every piece of the plan is written on the confirmation before the date.
Most wedding bookings are hourly charter rather than one-way transfers, because the vehicle needs to stay with the group through getting-ready, the ceremony, photos and the reception exit. Hourly service has a three-hour minimum, and waiting inside the reserved block is included.
Building the wedding-day timeline
Share the timeline you already have with your planner or venue, and mark every place a vehicle has to be. A typical schedule looks like this:
- Getting ready. Pickups at the hotel or home where each side is dressing. Give the porte-cochere or front door, and the time you want to leave, not the ceremony time.
- Ceremony. Drop-off at the church, chapel or venue entrance the couple will use. Guests often need a separate, earlier run.
- Photos. A stop or two at public spots such as Romare Bearden Park Uptown, Freedom Park or Latta Park in Dilworth. Check any photography rules with the park or venue yourself.
- Reception. Arrival at the reception entrance, then the vehicle is either released or held for the exit.
- Send-off. The couple's exit car, and late shuttles back to the hotel block for guests.
Allow extra time when the day falls on a Panthers or Hornets date, a Charlotte Motor Speedway race weekend or a big Uptown convention, because those events fill the same streets and hotel curbs.
Choosing the vehicles
| Who is riding | Class to request | Planning capacity | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| The couple | Mercedes S-Class | 3 passengers, 3 bags | $230 |
| Parents or grandparents | Business Sedan | 3 passengers, 3 bags | $120 |
| Family group or bridal party with dresses | First Class SUV | 6 passengers, 6 bags | $150 |
| Full wedding party or guest shuttle | Sprinter Van | 12 passengers, 12 bags | $240 |
Capacity is a planning guide, subject to the assigned vehicle configuration. Gowns and garment bags take more room than rolling luggage, so a group that would fit a sedan on paper is often more comfortable in an SUV. Confirm seating layout and any requested amenities on the assigned vehicle; they are not assumed.
Guest shuttles and hotel blocks
If most guests are staying at one or two hotels, a Sprinter on an hourly block can run the hotel-to-venue loop before the ceremony and bring people back at the end of the night. Send the number of guests, the hotels, and the times of the last loop. Larger guest counts need a coordinated quote with more than one vehicle. For Lake Norman weddings, remember that guests may be spread across Cornelius, Davidson, Huntersville and Mooresville; list each pickup town.
How wedding pricing works
Hourly charter is estimated at $120 per hour for a Business Sedan, $150 for a First Class SUV, $230 for the Mercedes S-Class and $240 for the Sprinter, each with a three-hour minimum. Quoted prices include chauffeur gratuity and applicable service and card fees. Parking and tolls are confirmed on the quote, and so are the cancellation terms, which can vary by vehicle class and date. A single one-way ride, such as a late guest going back to a hotel, can be quoted as a transfer instead.
Related pages: hourly charter, Sprinter van service, Myers Park, Lake Norman and the fleet.