Wedding Etiquette Forum

Do I have to get transportation?

shoogarooshoogaroo member
5 Love Its Name Dropper First Anniversary First Comment
edited January 2018 in Wedding Etiquette Forum
Hello! 
So I have never been to a wedding that had transportation for everyone--or anyone really...& I have been to a lot of weddings  lol Mostly ones where the ceremony and reception are 30 mins plus apart.

However, for my wedding the ceremony and reception are in the same place. The closest hotel is 20 minutes away, but the more affordable ones are 35 mins to 45 mins away. (I blocked 65 rooms at different price ranges between 25 to 45 mins away) Not everyone will be at the same hotel, or even staying at a hotel since there are many cabins in the area.

My question is , Do I need to get transportation ? I am not sure how it would work if everyone is all over the place. Plus----the only transportation around that area is the public school buses---unless I pay for buses from 2 hours away. My venue is in the mountains. 

EDIT** I have some guest who I am worried about drinking and driving , specifically 8 different people...I DO NOT want this to happen ..



Re: Do I have to get transportation?

  • PHEWW. lol 
    I was nervous for a minute
  • No, you don't need to get transportation for people. Your guests have many options of accommodations to choose from and it's up to them to decide what they'll do. 

    Totally agree.  If most of the guests were staying at one or two hotels near each other, then it would be nice, but not necessary to provide a shuttle.  Or you'll sometimes see a shuttle going from the ceremony to the reception site, which is not applicable in this case.

    But since it sounds like your guests will probably be staying at multiple hotels in two different areas, I think it would be more of a logistical nightmare than it is worth and definitely not necessary.

    As far as guests who might drink and drive, here are a couple suggestions.  A good bartender should cut people off anyway if they are getting too inebriated, but I would have a special word with the bartending staff and/or wedding planner/venue to emphasize that.

    I would also put a sign up in the bar area, like you sometimes see at bars, with a message like "Please Don't Drink and Drive" and under that have the telephone numbers for local taxi services.  Perhaps a reminder about Uber and Lyft (double check if either/both service that location).  You all wouldn't be responsible for paying for any of that.  But at least you can hand feed your guests the info.

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  • Nope. You don’t have to. 
  • I don't get why people think this poster doesn't have to but are roasting the other poster for not paying for parking. I don't think you need a shuttle, and I don't think you need to organize a valet or parking. I feel like this is consistent 
  • Are there cabs/Uber/Lyft/transportation options where you are, or are people expected to drive from the hotels to the ceremony/reception? 

    Of youre in the The mountains with unfamiliar roads & no cans/Uber I would think about arranging something. No you don’t have to, but if your crowd is used to partying and that’s the type of reception you are envisioning, and most of your guests are OOT a do think a shuttle (even school bus) isn’t a terrible idea. 

    How are most people getting to the hotels
  • I don't get why people think this poster doesn't have to but are roasting the other poster for not paying for parking. I don't think you need a shuttle, and I don't think you need to organize a valet or parking. I feel like this is consistent 

    On the other post, I didn't think the person should have to pay for guest parking either, unless it was parking specifically for the venue.  Which, as it turns out, is not the case for her particular situation.

    With that said, I do see a difference between providing a shuttle and paying for guest parking.  Although I'm sure there are exceptions, providing a shuttle is over and above what a wedding couple needs to do because guests are responsible for getting themselves to a venue.

    However, once a guest arrives at the venue, they should not have to pay to park there.  If a venue doesn't have a place to park, paid or otherwise, then it goes back to the guest's responsibility to find parking.  Which, tbh, isn't great either.  It's always annoying to try and find parking when it is at a premium, for whatever reason.  **cough, cough** the main reason I rarely visit the French Quarter **cough, cough**.  But it's understandable and often can't be avoided.  Sometimes it's just the nature of the beast for a given area.

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  • I don't get why people think this poster doesn't have to but are roasting the other poster for not paying for parking. I don't think you need a shuttle, and I don't think you need to organize a valet or parking. I feel like this is consistent 
    You noticed that too, huh?

    In most circumstances, I don't think the couple needs to arrange transportation for guests, pay for parking, pay for valet service, etc.

    "Love is the one thing we're capable of perceiving that transcends time and space."


  • If the closest hotel is 20 minutes and others are 30-40 minutes, it would be really nice if you did get a shuttle. Not required, but very helpful. People are presumably traveling already to get to these hotels; it's not the same as me driving myself from home 30 minutes to a venue.

    You can pick one or two hotels of your variety and put on your website that those hotels only will have shuttles at x time. Then, if people don't want to drive, they can take advantage at one of those hotels. If they don't mind driving they can choose another cost-effective lodging option for themselves. 

    Not required- just nice if you can afford it. 
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  • I don't get why people think this poster doesn't have to but are roasting the other poster for not paying for parking. I don't think you need a shuttle, and I don't think you need to organize a valet or parking. I feel like this is consistent 
    Because this question involves transporting yourself to the venue and the other involves once you're AT the venue (you've already gotten yourself there). 

    The reason I'm answering differently is because I think guests are responsible for getting themselves TO the venue but once they arrive, they shouldn't have to pay for anything (e.g. parking). 
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  • I didn't think of a special word for the bartender---I am so doing this--- Also , my venue comes with valets and plenty of parking. I am only expecting literally 8 people to party hardy. Everyone else is pretty responsible. 

    Unfortunately literally none of the hotels offer shuttles,
    I can't even get my bridesmaids to stay in one place the night before lol 
  • People are driving to the hotels, cabins, and/or staying with a relative 30 mins away. 
  • Jen4948Jen4948 member
    First Anniversary First Answer First Comment 5 Love Its
    edited January 2018
    I don't get why people think this poster doesn't have to but are roasting the other poster for not paying for parking. I don't think you need a shuttle, and I don't think you need to organize a valet or parking. I feel like this is consistent 
    In the other thread, the issue is that there are three blocks between the parking area for the reception venue and the actual venue, where everyone is going to be. In this one, the ceremony and reception are at the same venues, and the guests are staying in different places, so the issue is how to get from the ceremony/reception venue to their own lodgings.

    I think it's fair that since the guests in this thread are going from the same venue to their own lodgings to work out their own transportation (although the OP helping out would be a nice gesture), while in the other thread, it would again be a nice gesture to arrange some sort of transportation if possible. Yes, people can take cabs or Uber, assuming that such services are readily available in the area.


  • Once the guests set foot on the property, they should not have to pay for anything, including valet parking.  When the guests leave the property, they are then responsible for their own transportation.  If it was me, I would tip the valet, though.
    httpiimgurcomTCCjW0wjpg
  • A good host should try to make the event convenient for the guests. If the host expects their guests are able to drive to-and-from the venue (or car pool, or get a taxi) then the host doesn't need to get a shuttle. However, if the host expects, for example, that their guests are flying into the city, then taking public transportation to get to their hotels, and won't have a way to get from the hotel to the venue without renting a car, then a good host will provide a shuttle. It's not "one size fits all". It's about good hosting.

    The same as on the other thread--if the host expects that most of their guests will be driving and won't be able to park without a significant walk, it would be good hosting to get a valet service; whereas if the host expects most of their guests to be taking an uber/taxi anyway, then valet isn't necessary. Again, a good host things about their guests. 


    As a side note, are any of the hotels near each other? I went to a wedding once that had multiple hotel blocks in the city (note: the bride expected almost all of her guests to fly in and take a taxi to their hotels; no one was expected to have to rent a car), and the venue was a ways away on a mountain. She arranged a shuttle from one of the hotels...if you weren't staying at that hotel, it was a quick walk or uber to get to that hotel to get the shuttle. 
  • @MandyMost
      Two of the hotels are next to each other, two are not. The rest of the guests are staying in cabins, airbnb, staying with family, or driving from home. I already spoke to some people I  was concerned about and they set aside DD's. I will keep that idea in mind to have people drive to one hotel where there would be a shuttle. 
  • Thanks all!
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