A guide for the best wedding car hire in Brisbane and beyond

Your wedding day provides you with the ultimate opportunity to splurge on what would usually be considered ‘dream choices.’ For some, it will be your dream venue, elaborate floral arrangements with an abundance of cascading orchids, for others it may be a string quartet serenading you as you walk down the aisle, but for most, it will undoubtedly be taking the opportunity to arrive, or depart, in an eye-catching automotive. Whether it is a vintage Jaguar, Aston Martin, Bentley or something slightly racier like a Lamborghini or Ferrari the opportunities to roll into (pun intended) your dream day and make a chic and classy entrance or exit are endless. When it comes to the farewell, while you may not be the type to want to leave your reception with the traditional trailing tin-cans or ‘just married’ scribbled on the back, departing in the right wedding car will make the bittersweet moment at the end that much more bearable!

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Where to start...

The starting point when deciding on your wedding car hire for your day is to decide what style of vehicle resonates best while complementing the aesthetic of your venue and celebrations. While nothing says stylish arrival quite like a Rolls Royce Wraith, you may be more inclined to choose something that lends a touch of whimsy, in which case, a VW Kombi or similar may be more your style.

To bring some clarity to the decision making process and make a path through the fog of automotive terms, which at first glance may seem overwhelming, here are the top styles of wedding hire cars:

Vintage

While the terms antique, vintage and classic are often used interchangeably there are distinct differences. Vintage cars were made between 1919 and 1930. Because of their age, they are hard to find in their original condition but think Graham Page or T-Model Fords, all iconic cars from America’s manufacturing twilight.

Something to think about - these iconic cars are ideally suited to Gatsby, vintage or traditional style weddings.

Antique

To be classified as antique the car must be over 45 years old, maintained so that it closely resembles its original design and not be modified in any way. These cars make for nothing short of a full-fledged editorial moment when arriving for the ceremony or for the all-important departure from your venue as newlyweds.

Original and oozing character, charm and class they speak to a previous era of grandeur and are the perfect accessory for traditional, classic or glamorous weddings. Making the backdrop for a perfect portrait session, popular options include Jaguar E-Types, Bentley’s, Aston Martin’s and Rolls Royce Silver Dawns.

Interesting to note: If you are planning a summer or winter wedding be sure to check if the car is air conditioned, some owners are hesitant to make these modifications so as not to lose their true ‘antique’ status or put addtional strain on the original motors.

Classic

Classic cars are between 20 and 40 years old. Like their older counterparts, there is no denying their charm, creating impactful moments upon arrival and departure. Popular options include Mercedes Benz, Daimler, Dodge Vipers and Corvette.

Limousines/Stretch Limousines/Hummers

Providing a little more pizazz to your wedding day these vehicles are the perfect choice for large bridal parties or if the couple chooses to flout tradition and arrive at their venue with the entire wedding party in the same car. Often driven by a chauffeur and including a panel that separates the driver from the passenger these luxury cars can be as long as 8 metres and will bring definite ‘party vibes’ to your celebration.

Wedding Planning Tip: Be sure to confirm that there is adequate parking onsite at your venue for the length of your limousine. Also, ensure that it can navigate any turns or a circular driveway if necessary.

Kombi

Either in the form of an arrival car or a fun photo booth these go hand-in-hand with boho, beach and rustic style weddings.

Muscle Car

Including Hot Rod’s these cars not only turn heads for their looks but also for the noise they make. High-powered vehicles produced in the 1960’s, including Mustangs and Camaros, they are a firm favourite for the arrival of the groom with his groomsmen.

Sports Cars

Modern and sexy, these cars are a clear statement maker for glamorous and luxury weddings. Predominantly two-seaters these cars can be either closed tops or convertibles and look most impressive when arriving in a motorcade. The good part? You can find sports cars also on normal rental car websites.

Something to think about: There can be limited space in the interior and the low-set nature of these vehicles makes it hard to get out of the car for a bride who has a large dress or hoop skirt.

Horse-drawn carriage

Nothing signals fairytale vibes like arrival in a horse-drawn carriage. Carriages are driven by a chauffeur and can be either open or closed roofed and decorative in nature. Depending on the grandeur of the day and the desired effect they can be drawn by as little as two or as many as twelve horses!

Wedding planning tip: Be sure to confirm that your venue has the space for a horse float and for the animal to be stowed both pre-ceremony and until your portraits have been completed. Also, confirm if the driver is able to assist you in getting out of the carriage or if you will need to designate somebody on the day to do this.

Five essential questions to ask yourself when hiring a car for your wedding day:

Now that you’ve determined your ideal style of transport there are several important questions you’ll need to tick off your list to make sure your wedding car hire is the perfect fit for cruising into your dream wedding:

1. Who will need transport on the day of your wedding?

Some couples may choose to have the bride and her father arrive in the wedding car only, ready to be escorted down the aisle, or they may choose to have the whole wedding party arrive in a motorcade. People you may consider organising transport for are; bride and groom, maid of honour, best man, bridesmaids, groomsmen, flower girls, page boys, and parents of the couple.

If transporting children consider if you will need car seat anchor points - something which older cars may not be fitted with. An alternative to this is to have the children meet you at the venue and be transferred to the wedding car just before the big arrival.

2. How long will I need to hire the car?

Consider what moments of your wedding you would like to include the car in. Do you purely wish to use it for the arrival or would you like it to be present for the all-important portraits? If planning a ‘memorable moment’ exit from your reception consider hiring the car for the duration of the wedding and for a truly cinematic experience, you may even opt to exit via a firework lined driveway.

3. Will this car compliment my vision for my day?

While it can be tempting to get caught up purely in the aesthetics of your wedding car choice, there are also practical elements to consider. Factors like hairstyle, dress style and weather will affect your choice. If the fabric on your dress is easily creased a vehicle with more space will be a better choice as will a closed top as opposed to an open-top car if you have to travel a considerable distance to your venue.

Wedding Planning Tip: Do not book until you have met the operator and seen the car. Ask to sit in the car and determine if it is the right fit for your gown, the right height for the groom and if it is comfortable if you have a long ride home.

4. Does the style of car suit my budget?

If, when flicking through Pinterest, your fiance keeps pointing out photos with cars in them then this might be an important item to add to your planning spreadsheet. However, like all wedding day choices, budget and priorities will be a consideration. There is no point swooning over a Bentley if a taxi is as far as your budget will spread. Be sure to reach out to several wedding car hire companies and obtain quotes on a range of cars exploring varied hire times to help determine the best option for your wedding day.

5. Is this the right wedding car hire company for me?

Equally important to ‘what’ car is best suited to my wedding day is ‘whose’ car is best suited to your day. Not all Brisbane wedding car hire companies offer the same level of service and experience. Whether you’re sticking with a traditional or slightly more bespoke option, you’ll want to be confident that the car you have chosen is the car that will arrive to collect you on your wedding day!!

Wedding Planning Tip: When paying your deposit ensure that the specific car is listed along with the date of your wedding. Most couples will book their car 12-18 months in advance so you want to be sure that the car you booked the year previous is the car that arrives on your wedding day.

20 All-important questions to ask your wedding car hire company before booking

1. Is the company licensed to operate as a wedding car hire company?
2. Is there a chauffeur provided with the vehicle, if so, what is their experience and what attire will they be wearing?
3. What type of insurance cover is included with the car (and what is the excess if you are not hiring a chauffeur)?
4. If I book now, will the price be fixed or is the quotation subject to change before my wedding day?
5. Are the vehicles that you inspect the same ones that will be used on my wedding day?
6. How many people does the vehicle comfortably seat?
7. Are the vehicles used for other weddings on the same day or just mine?
8. Can we organise multiple pick-up locations and are there distance restrictions or time length restrictions?
9. What extra fees will be incurred if we use the vehicle for too far or too long (and do they need to be paid in cash on the day)?
10. Are the vehicles heated or air-conditioned?
11. Are there any food or beverages included with the hire?
12. Will the chauffeurs carry umbrellas and assist the bride out of the car?
13. Does the car have tyre covers to prevent the dress from being marked?
14. What happens in the event of a vehicle breakdown?
15. Will a replacement car be guaranteed as available and what will that be?
16. When are deposits, instalments and final payments due? How much will they be?
17. Are there any cancellation fees or postponement fees (say if my wedding is postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions)?
18. Does the car have child seat anchor points (if required)?
19. Do you have a summer, winter or mid-week discount?
20. Are we able to decorate the car with a ribbon, just married sign, florals etc?

Some finer details to consider and organise in the lead up to your wedding day:

• Ensure your hire company has either been to your venue before or alternatively provide them with a map with specific drop off and collection points. Wedding venues will often have multiple entries (some for guests, service vehicles and for the couples themselves) so ensure the driver's GPS has the correct entry point.
• Ask your venue to call the company a week prior.
• Leading up to your day make sure everyone is on the same page! Exchange numbers with the driver, photographer, videographer and venue - that way your vendors can communicate with one another if you happen to be running late.
• Carefully plan your run sheet and allow extra time for arrival by car, getting out of the car and for the photos. Allow up to an extra 15 mins to get the arrival photos, which include hopping out of the car, and doing the final touch-ups and dress touch-ups before getting ready to walk down the aisle.
• If you fancy a drink on the way to calm your nerves, steer clear of red wines or coloured drinks, opt for white wines or champagne.
• Prior to your wedding day, confirm where the driver can park their car.
• If you are driving the car yourself, or have a family member driving, do a practice run the week before on the same day at the same time to ensure your timing is correct. If a family member or guest is driving ensure they have no alcohol at the wedding.
• Be aware of any touchpoints that may mark your dress or suit - especially the tyres if the photographer asks you to lean against the car for portraits.
• And last, but not least, have your driver be the last point of contact for checking if you have the rings. You don’t want to make a mad dash back to your accommodation!

A list of the best Brisbane based wedding car hire companies

Waratah Park Limousines

Third and fourth generation Rolls-Royce enthusiasts themselves, the proprietors of this family-run business realise the importance of providing exceptional service and reliability for your wedding day. With a range of Rolls Royce and Bentley Limousine options to choose from their fully-uniformed chauffeurs pride themselves on being professional, attentive and courteous, attending to your every need on the day of your wedding. Servicing wedding locations in Toowoomba, Darling Downs, Warwick, Gatton, Lockyer and Brisbane Valleys, Ipswich and Brisbane they will even roll out the red carpet if you desire.

Review: All I can say is amazing! From the moment we contemplated booking, to making the booking and then the lead up to the day… and not to mention on the day! Flexibility and communication were perfect. Greg was amazing to deal with. His love and care for the cars and making a couples day that little more special is obviously a passion and a huge part of his life. We could not recommend him highly enough! Thank you to the team at Waratah Park Limousines.

Meg & Mitch

Wheels to Weddings

Awarded Queenslands Best Wedding Transport Company for 2020 and 2021 ‘Wheels to Weddings’ specialises in classic, vintage and modern car hire. Their large fleet of 20 lovingly restored classic vintage wedding cars and limousines are available to create wedding day memories that will last a lifetime! Offering the option of either viewing their cars online or in their showroom couples have the opportunity to touch, feel and take a moment to imagine themselves arriving in one of them on their wedding day. An impressive collection of Luxury Jaguars (including convertibles) and Rolls Royce’s means you will be spoilt for choice when deciding on your ideal car for your wedding day.

Review: My husband and I hired the Jaguar Black Mark IX Convertible and the Jaguar White Mark IX for our wedding day. Our drivers were so incredibly professional and lovely. We had the best time driving around Brisbane city with the top down! Would highly recommend it to everyone.

James & Bianca

Birti Classic Wedding Cars

With a range of packages available to Brisbane couples, Birti Classic Wedding Cars provides an impressive catalogue of cars to choose from including their signature, airconditioned ‘Birti’ and ‘Betty’ with both Bentley’s having luxurious leather interiors. For couples still wanting an elevated, but modern, mode of transport the family-run company also specialises in luxury brands such as Audi,BMW and Mercedes people movers.

Review: ‘I want to say what an important part you played in making the day as special as it was. Most unexpectedly you and Betty became an integral part of the day, a fond memory that will linger prominently whenever the day comes to mind. To say Betty is gorgeous would be a gross understatement, her stately presence made Michelle feel as special as I could possibly have hoped for. Your service, manner and humour were a true delight. It was as if you and Betty drove straight out of a Hollywood Film and into our Wedding. We could not be happier with all you added to our day. Many thanks, Patrick, as far as we are concerned there is only one limousine and Driver we would ever consider using henceforth.’

Brenden & Michelle

Golden Gate Limousines

With over twenty years of experience in the industry and boasting the most extensive portfolio of limousines in South East Queensland, the team at Golden Gate guarantee not only the best range but also the newest range. Ranging from stretch to super stretch, which seats up to 13 guests and includes a 5th door for easy access, they provide inclusive packages with complimentary bottles of Jacobs Creek sparkling wine, ribbon, wheel covers, chilled water and soft drink….everything you could need for your wedding day transport.

Reviews: My new husband and I would like to say a sincere thank you for your wonderful service at our wedding yesterday. John, the driver was absolutely great to deal with on our day. He was patient, courteous, knowledgable, and friendly. We would like John to know our gratefulness for his lovely service and part in our wedding as we did not have much of a chance to do so yesterday. I will be sure to recommend your services to my friends and family who are interested in hiring for the future. Thank you again.

Ti & Lan

Limoso Luxury Transport

With dedicated wedding coordinators on hand to make your car hire experience effortless, the team at Limoso offer luxury Audi, Mercedes and limousine services and aim to provide you with ‘the most prestigious luxury travel experience in South East Queensland’. Packages are based around proposed itineraries, with the option of couples customising their wedding day experience. Working with all the top Brisbane wedding venues and surrounding regions they offer transparent pricing and a great ‘FAQ’ section to answer any of your transportation concerns.

Review: “Limoso have an incredible fleet of luxury vehicles and are highly sought after by Brisbane brides and grooms. Their vehicles have high tech conveniences and the crew are highly professional. Brisbane City Celebrants highly recommend Limoso to any couples looking to arrive in style with luxury classic cars on their wedding day.’

Jamie & Ciara - Brisbane City Celebrants

Our Wedding Cars

Paul and Cathy, along with their team of wedding transport consultants and wedding chauffeurs, are committed to providing the very best in vintage, classic and modern wedding day car hire. Employing a rigorous mechanical schedule to ensure all cars are maintained to the highest standard they excel in delivering the all-important finishing touches to your hire experience, even assisting your photographer if required.

Review: ‘Our Wedding cars’ provided the classic cars for my niece's wedding recently, and I must say that they excel at what they do. The booking process was easy and the office staff very helpful, the cars were immaculate and turned up ahead of time and lastly, the Chauffeur we had was well dressed polite and nothing was too much trouble. He even went out of his way to help our photographer. I would highly recommend them and you won't be disappointed.’

Catherine

Champagne Wedding Carriages

Harkening back to the charm of a by-gone era, consider this your ‘something old’ for your wedding day. Offering the regal choices of Cinderella, Victoria or Landau carriages in black, white or burgundy Champagne Wedding Carriages bring your ‘fairytale wedding’ dreams to life. Catering from four adults and one child right up to 6 adults, all carriages have either a fully convertible or closed roof option.

Review: ‘We would like to express our deepest heartfelt gratitude for all your friendly assistance during the two year period that we had the Cinderella Carriage booked during the lead up to our wedding. The carriage made a huge impression on the day and made the whole event that little more special and fun.’

Gloria-Leigh & Duncan

So whether you are dreaming of an unforgettable experience when you arrive to walk down the aisle or for when you hit the road as newlyweds these Brisbane based car wedding hire companies will ensure your day is one to remember.