This is something that isn’t talked about a lot on a wedding day, it’s not fun like photos, or beautiful like the dress and flowers, but practical.
Travel time – how long does it really take you to get from place to place? We don’t really think about it for most places. I know a gal that knows it takes exactly 22 minutes to get from her front door to the clock-in spot at work, and it takes her 6 minutes at the local drive-up coffee place that’s on the way . . . so she leaves the house 28 minutes before her shift starts.
Well, what happens when the car in front of her has three orders and now her drive up is 12 minutes?
Or there is construction on the road?
Both of them take more time than you think.
On a different thought, how far away are you from your grocery store? Three minutes? Eight? 14?
Now with the thought of a grocery store lets talk about time – the trip there, grabbing your list and wallet and going out the door. Travel time 12 minutes.
Now the trip back – from the time you touch your car and start loading groceries, head home and then unload (not put away, just get inside the house). Now travel time just became 20 minutes. So much for the five minute trip to the grocery store.
Most people forget on their wedding day that “travel time” isn’t just the car/limo ride; it is all the down time attached to the drive.
Grabbing all the bags, rounding up the stray groomsmen that went to give his girlfriend directions to the next location. The run back into the salon to drop a tip, or grab that last item. One more hug, a quick photo by a friend next to the vehicle. The “how do I get into this thing in my dress without flashing the world or tripping over myself”. Bridesmaid running back into the hotel to grab her purse/phone (waiting for the elevator that some lovely child hit every button from 18 to the ground floor). Groomsmen realizing that, yes, he should have all the pieces to his tux before getting into the car to travel.
Time of the year can also be a factor — are you getting married in a college town and there is a big game that day? That can increase time in the car by three or four times. Winter wedding? Snow and ice on the street can cause slow down.
Summer can give its own issues with construction.
Waiting on shuttles — shuttles are wonderful for the guests to have a safe way fr
om the reception back to the hotel, and some offer shuttle service for the bridal party earlier in the day. Work out the times that the shuttles are going to and from, and again if it’s one shuttle round trip, think with 10 minutes to load and unload!
Limo’s — a great way to get everyone to the next location together, just remember most limo’s are required to drive no faster than the speed limit, so if it takes you 20 minutes to get there in your car, it will take 25 for the limo, and then everyone has to get out, sometimes another 10 minutes!!
This is all part of the travel. We recommend that you at least double your drive time to make your travel time at each location. There is nothing worse than feeling rushed on your wedding day!
If you add in the extra time for travel, the worst that happens is you didn’t need it and can spend more time visiting with your friends & family!
Just give yourself time to enjoy the day and not feel rushed going from place to place!