Transportation

snoangel79

I have no idea what to do for this and really procrastinating!!

Can you have a bus that has people picked up at the hotel, then to the church, church to reception, and back to hotel after reception or is this very costly? I've seen some packages that only seem to last 3 hours, doesn't obviously sound long enough! I don't want people driving down the winding mountain drunk either.  I really wanted  a trolley but my mom thinks it will break down on the way up the mountain(specifically an Ogunquit trolley but I don't think they'd come down to Massachusetts).

Any recommendations on companies? and ballpark cost?

What are you doing for transport if you are having a church wedding and reception elsewhere??

Areden

Snoangel -
We are doing exactly that, shuttling guests from hotel - /> church -> reception -> hotel.  We're not providing enough seats for every single person attending, instead we're asking folks if they'd be interested.  I assume lots of people would prefer to have their own car anyway so they can come and go on their own accord.  With a guest list of 220 we assume maybe a third or so will opt for the shuttles (mostly the young 20s and many some out-of-towners, not any families, etc.)

I've talked to lots of companies so I feel I have a good hold on the range of prices.  Prices vary depending on what type of "bus" you want.  Do you want a limo (bench seating on the periphery), a trolley, or a coach bus (2-by-2 seating, all facing forward).  Then it varies by coach size as well, they have mini-coaches that seat 20ish or 29-32ish, and then the big coaches which seat 50+.  Also, usually it's an hourly rental rate, so it would depend on how many hours you need the bus(es) -- some companies allow you to split your hours (say 3 hours at the beginning, 2 hours at the end, so you only pay 5hrs total), versus some that won't let you split time so you'd be renting for 8-9hrs total.

We're going for the coach or the mini-coach.  On average I've found the mini-coach to be about $100-$125/hr, (usually ~$1,000 for an 8hr rental plus tax and gratuity).  The bigger coaches are a better value since they fit twice the people -- usually around $1,400 for an 8hr rental.

Some companies I've looked into:
Black Tie Limousine
Local Motion of Boston
Lynette's Limousine
128 Coach
Ritchie Buslines (best rates by far)

I know some girls who've used trolleys called Old Town Trolley in Boston. 

GL!

ebigelow

We got a 55-person motorcoach from McGinn Bus Company for $600 + tip.  We're having the ceremony and reception at the same location though so it's a little different.  They are going from the hotel to the venue, and then will make 2 trips back from the venue to the hotel - one an hour before the reception ends, and one at the end of the night (for a total of 7 hours from pickup to final drop-off).  Technically it's 3 transfers, which is the same as yours. 

jquirke9881

I used a big old yellow schoool bus because it was most affordable and I didn't want my guests driving.  It picked them up at the hotel, drove them to the reception, from reception to afterparty, from afterparty back to hotel.  It held 45 people, I think.  I chartered it through First Student.  It is litereally like half the price of the nicer buses but obviously you have to be ok with a school bus, lol.