Not Etiquette related: transportation question

lavenderfields13

I'm in the process of booking 2 school buses for transportation from the hotel we blocked rooms at to the ceremony/reception venue. It's about a 20 minute drive and right now I'm thinking of having the ceremony at 6pm. What is a good time to have the buses scheduled to leave the hotel? I know a lot of people are usually running late and I don't think many would be ready early. I want to avoid guests sitting at the ceremony site (outside, weather permitting) too long especially since it will be June and could be really hot. I also don't want them arriving too late. I was thinking 5:20-5:30?

I'm concerned with having a good scheduled time for the buses so most people will be ready and use the buses since we're paying a lot for them!

eta words

thisismynickname2

I just attended a wedding where the hotel was about 20 minutes from the ceremony/reception space.

The wedding started at 5:30 and the buses left at 4:30 and 4:50. 

Surprisingly enough to me, a full bus load was ready for the 4:30 run.

So for you, try 5pm and 5:20pm for a 6pm ceremony. 

Can you have a table set up with water and juice in case it is really hot without any shelter? 

lavenderfields13

Thank you for the input! I could talk to the venue to see if setting up water, etc is an option.

Is it OK to put the bus info with the accommodations info in the invitation? I'd like people to be aware early on that this will be available.

Maybe I could do 5:10 and 5:20. My biggest worry is people missing the first one (if we do 2 separate times) and then everyone can't fit on the second one and there's not enough time to go back and forth. Or just have both leave at the same time so people know if they're not there at that time then they miss it? The whole transportation issue is really stressing me out!

penguin44

I set water bottles in those big galvanized buckets with ice for my outdoor ceremony. I think people drank them. 

Also, I put the shuttle info with the hotel info on an accommodations card. So yes put it on your invites so people know. I didn't have a wedding website, so I had to fit everything in the invite envelope. haha. 

I'm not sure what to do about the timing issue. Luckily my venue was only 10 minutes away from the ceremony, so it was easy for the bus to go back and forth. 

southernbelle0915

We went to a wedding like this in September. The buses only made one trip though. There were two and they both left at the same time. If you missed it, you missed it. They made it clear there would only be one trip there and one trip back, so that was helpful info when making plans whether to drive or not.

Their ceremony was at 5pm and the buses were scheduled to leave st 4:15pm. I think they actually left between 4:20 and 4:25 and we got there at 4:40 or so. 15-20 minutes was enough time for people to fine their seats and get he show on the road. There were about 125 people.

lc07

PPs have given you great advice. Also, keep in mind that buses generally travel more slowly on all types of roadways. Plus you need boarding and unboarding (is that a word?) times built in.

lavenderfields13

Thank you ladies. that is a good thing to keep in mind @lc07 , thank you!

MandyMost

I think it's rude to drop your guests off at the ceremony site well before the ceremony is expected to go off. I'd think a 5:30 departure for the busses, for a 20 minute ride, and a 6pm ceremony would be perfect. It's not like people need time to find their tables or anything, they should seat themselves quickly. Plan to start at 6pm, or as soon as the buses arrive and people take their seats if it's running a little late due to traffic. 

It's fine to put this kind of information in an invitation insert, but not on the invitation itself. There's often an info card in invitations.