Figuring out transportation! PLEASE HELP!

photoboothsmile

Not sure if this is the correct board to post on - let me know if not!

Ok, so I am so confused about how wedding transportation works!  Here's my situation:

- Ceremony & reception venues are about 40 minutes apart and the bridal party & groomsmen are riding in limo from church to reception after the ceremony
- Many of the bridal party (myself & FI included) will have a hotel room close to the reception site for the night of the wedding (so, after the reception)
- Originally my mother offered her house for us to get ready - there is plenty of space for my big bridal party (9 girls + flower girl + myself), but now she has decided it's too stressful for her and she would rather not

So, my original plan was to somehow get a bunch of our cars up to the hotel the night before the wedding so that we have transportation home after the wedding.  I figured that since we would be at my mom's house, we wouldn't need cars anyway.  Now, since we don't have that option, I was considering getting a hotel suite that everyone can come to the morning of the wedding to get ready - but I would do this close to the church, not the reception venue.  I'll be having a hair stylist & makeup artist come in for those who choose to have that done.  However, now what do we do about the car situation?  I'm just confused!

MrsGandthebeag

If I'm reading this correctly, I'd think the SO's/dates of your bridal party would drive directly to the ceremony and then reception.  So, at the end of the night they would have a ride.  For you and your FI could you catch a ride with someone the next day or take a cab or limo to whereever you're going after that?

Viczaesar

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_ceremony-ideas_figuring-out-transportation-please-help?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:10Discussion:f83b0d07-8f38-4aa7-bdde-e65eefa3f9b7Post:66bb118d-e335-4af3-8c12-a2f54adfaa77">Re: Figuring out transportation! PLEASE HELP!</a>:
[QUOTE]If I'm reading this correctly, I'd think the SO's/dates of your bridal party would drive directly to the ceremony and then reception.  So, at the end of the night they would have a ride.  For you and your FI could you catch a ride with someone the next day or take a cab or limo to whereever you're going after that?
Posted by MrsGandthebeag[/QUOTE]
You're assuming that they all have SOs.

gymbugmj2k

where are the guys getting ready?

Here's what we did:
men dropped their cars off at the reception hall, and carpooled with hubbys dad back to the house to get ready. that way the men were taken care of for the night (and hubby and I would have his car at the end of the night)
the girls all got dropped off at my moms house by parents/siblings/SO's, etc and had made arrangments to have their cars (or SO's cars) at the reception.  one bridesmaid drove back home with my mom after the reception to pick up her car and go home.
it all worked perfectly.

For YOU i'd suggest:

the day/night before, all the girls drop cars off at the reception hall with your mom and she takes everyone to the hotel (so nobody has a car at the hotel). the men do the same with wherever they're getting ready.  worst case, you might end up with the 'carpool' car stuck at the 'getting ready' spot if mom/dad can't drive the night before...

[Deleted User]

This is what I would recommend, get a room at the hotel near the reception. You can have the girls drop off their dresses, etc at the hotel & then drive over to the reception hall, leave their cars there & car pool back. This way short amount of time required to get from reception hall to hotel If they have SO, maybe they can drop them off at the hotel directly. Have the limo pick you up at the hotel & take you to the church. Have the guys get ready where they are planning and then drive over to reception hall. Have the limo pick them up from there & bring them to the church. This way everyone has their car at the reception hall at the end of the night. Then bridal party can ride together from church to reception & whereever else you want to stop on the way maybe for photos. This way you don't have to worry about the car situation the night before, no need for the added stress. Plus if it's in your budget you can get the suite the night before so you can have some time alone the night before to relax before your big day.

We did something similar. Limo picked up girls & our dresses from reception hall, we went to church & finished getting ready & dressed while the limo went back & picked up the guys at the reception hall who were already dressed. I had two BM meet us at the church because they live on other side of town & had SO who would be driving to reception, so one of their husbands just dropped them off at the church so they would only have to deal with one car at the end of the night. But it worked out great, everyone had their own transportation at the reception hall & could leae when they were ready.  None of them complained (at least to me) about the arrangment.