Guest shuttle

EKobrenski

For those of you that did this, what did you use?  And if you don't mind, how much did it cost?

KBackus12

I'm debating getting a shuttle also.  Has anyone used a trolley as a shuttle?

erilouboston

We were going to do this, but nixed it. The best price I got was from Local Motion, who were the only ones I could find who were willing to break up the time block. I think they quoted me $500 or so? That was for some pickups/dropoffs in the beginning of the night, and at the end of the night. Everyone else was $1000 or over for the Boston area. My cousin got married out in Sudbury and she got a bus from First Student for the whole night for only $200 I think? I called them, and for the Boston area he wanted $700, and wasn't nice (can't remember which office I dealt with, they have them all over the place). We have an open bar, so we're considering getting the shuttle again - but really, I want my guests to act like adults and be responsible. Or call a cab. Or take the T. Ha!

KTen09

We used First Student Bus Company. Its just yellow school buses but we are paying $375 and they are picking guests up at the hotel before the wedding and bringing them to reception site and then after wedding are doing mulitiple trips for an hour shuttling people back.  My coworker used them for her wedding and they were great! 

erilouboston

(I should add, the reason I didn't want to pay the extra $500 is because I wanted to buy a second dress to dance in at the wedding and some hawt shoes. I'm a bad, bad bride...)

jkepros

Well, most of FI's family is from the Merrimack Valley, so we are getting a bus from Silver Fox Coach to bring the guests from Methuen to our ceremony in Boston, and then make 2 return trips in the evening.  It's $825 over about 9 hours (pick up guests at 3pm, first trip back at 9/9:30pm, and second trip back at 11pm).

EKobrenski

jkepros- FI and I are both from Methuen...do your FI grow up there?  I would say 85% of our guest list is from the MV.

w8tilucme

We did 2 55 person buses from 3 different hotels on the north shore.  They went to the church in Georgetown, then after the ceremony they went to the reception also in Georgetown and made 3 different trips back to the hotels throughout the night.it was expensive $3000 but we had an open bar and I wanted my guests to not have to worry about 1) getting lost or 2) getting arrested.  We had a lot of out of town people and even the locals got confused on how to get to the church.

jkepros

No, but like 95% percent of his family lives in Methuen, Lawrence or Andover (or another surrounding town).  And his grandma used to babysit him in Methuen all the time when he was a kid, so he grew up with friends in her neighborhood and is around there all the time (he tries to visit his grandmother at least once a week, and sometimes we bring her with us to Foxwoods).  They are all very upset that we are having our wedding "SO FAR AWAY" because it's in Boston.  We decided to just do the shuttle after a few people said they didn't know if they'd be able to make the 30 minute drive--meanwhile my closest relative is in Toronto :P  Hahaha...  I guess it's all relative. 

EKobrenski

Ha, that's the Methuen-Lawrence mentality, what are you gonna do?  They'll love it once the get there!  That's really nice that he's so close to his grandmother.  I grew up in the Valley (worked at Piro's for like 8 years) and FI grew up in West Methuen.

jkepros

Yeah, that totally seems like the mentality.  It's fine with us though.  Everyone in that area seems so close-knit, that's pretty nice.  We both agree that once they get there--they will have a great time and forget about the distance.  His grandmother was first trying to dictate everything: she wanted us married at her church with a Catholic mass, dinner at the place that used to be Pat's Beef House, a huge shower planned by her, but instead we just planned what we wanted.  I think she didn't really like me at first because I wanted something "different"--but now according to the other relatives she has nothing but great things to say about me & is even excited for our "different" wedding.  Even her "grouchy" sister (FI's great aunt) is so friendly and smiley to me--at his cousin's wedding last week she totally ignored/by-passed FI's sister to beeline to me and say hello!  The blue-hair politics are hilarious. 

w8tilucme

my mom lives in methuen. *putting my 2 cents in when not asked once again* :-)

EKobrenski

Yeah I hear ya on the politics...we have a retired priest and I'm totally lying and telling my grandfather it's a real priest.  Terrible, I know, but save a lot of grief.  He's threatened to baptize my cousin's baby in a sink, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have been too happy lol.

jkepros

That's too funny!  I am sure we will definitely be stretching the truth on a few things.  FI's grandmother just about died when FI told her we were PAYING A FEE to get married in a church--and not just making a suggested donation.  I totally think that generation is just more into tradition and doing things the way they did them.  It's sweet though that they are concerned about us doing it right.

KBackus12

omg! My fiance's grandmother was shocked by the church fee also. Especially because his family goes and has gone to that church for years. We're having a decon (aka a catholic priest that can get married and have kids) marry us. He's an old professor and we're still close to him.   My 2nd question- I'm getting married at St Mary's in Scituate and the reception is at Barker Tavern and guests are staying at the Inn at Scituate Harbor.  (If you don't know Scituate these 3 places are about a quarter mile from each other and I've done the walk numerous times) Should I get a trolley/shuttle?

jquirke9881

I used 1st Student and I cannot remember the exact price but it was under $300 for 5 hours.  I booked them about 3 months in advance.  I think the price and policies are different depending which office you deal with.  I was very happy with their service and my guests were singing "The Wheels on the Bus" for months - they loved it.

jilliannoel88

I have been thinking about using a shuttle as well.  One of the ideas I have (but might not do b/c I am not sure if it's too informal/cheap) is to rent a 15 passenger van from a rental company and have one of my sister's co-workers drive it.  I saw a van from a rental company for $150  and then I would probably give whoever drove like a $100 or something like that.I would like to have a shuttle bring the guests from the hotel to the ceremony, from the ceremony to the reception and from the reception back to the hotel - so it's a lot of time for a regular transportation company that will probably charge a lot.Just an idea!

sprinkles2003

I got two Old Town Trolley for $830 together. Its just for one hour, I'm shuttling everyone from the church to the reception.

jesibel14

Hey Ekobs- Have you asked Laura about the shuttle service at the Andover Wyndham? Not sure if you were planning on your guests staying there, but she mentioned to me they do like 20% of for SE weddings and also will do the shuttle (plus an after-hours-party room). Its like 4 miles away and the rooms are already cheap (under $100). I haven't looked into it yet, but hopefully will go with that. Good Luck!