My FI and I are paying for a shuttle to transport guests from the hotel to the church, church to reception, and then (starting at 10PM) from the reception to the hotel.
The shuttle may need to make multiple trips each time since it is only a 15 person van, and we are guessing around 30 people will be at the hotel. We considered a shuttle that would take everyone in one go, but that would require a large bus, and we cannot afford that (it would take the cost from $450 to $1,000).
Here's what we are thinking about putting on the website in the hotel's information section. Does this capture what I said above clearly? If not, any edits that keep it polite, but clear?
The day of the wedding, we are providing shuttle service for guests staying at --hotel name--. The shuttle will take guests from the hotel to --church name-- starting at 3:00. Please plan to be downstairs no later than 3:20 since the shuttle may need to make multiple trips. The shuttle will take guests from --church name-- to the --reception site name-- immediately following the ceremony. Starting at 10:00 PM and every 20 min thereafter, the shuttle will provide transportation from --reception site name-- back to the hotel.
(note: the limo/transport company requested the 3:20 time, even though the ceremony starts at 4. They figure they can do their first trip to the church at 3, be back at 3:20, herd the cats for a 3:30 departure, and still make one final trip to and from the hotel to get all of the late people or anyone who couldn't fit in the 3:30 trip to the church by 4).
Also, is it rude that we are not providing the shuttle service until 10PM for guests returning to the hotel? The reception starts at 6:30, after an hour and fifteen min cocktail hour, so they're being fully hosted starting at 4PM when they arrive at the church. We have a few families with younger children attending that will be at the hotel. I figured since the shuttle service was something above and beyond what we need to offer, that if they need to leave early they can call a cab company and pay the $20 cab fare. But I wanted to make sure I'm not just being a jerk about this. If we need to offer the shuttle the whole night we actually can't afford it so we'll have to cancel the contract :-/