Weddings have schedules.
At least they do on paper.
The ceremony starts at 4:00. Pictures happen at 5:00. Cocktail hour begins at 5:30. Dinner follows. Everybody dances. Somebody eventually requests a song that hasn’t been played at a wedding since 1997.
Simple enough.
But when the ceremony and reception are held at different locations, another part of the wedding day has to be added to that schedule: getting everybody from Point A to Point B.
Around the Greater New Orleans Area, that’s not always as simple as typing two addresses into a navigation app.
Start With Who Actually Needs Transportation
The first question is usually how many people need a ride.
Some weddings arrange transportation only for the couple and wedding party. Others include immediate family members. Destination weddings may provide transportation for guests staying at designated hotels.
Then there are weddings where nearly everybody needs transportation.
Each situation requires a different plan.
If 12 members of the wedding party need transportation, that’s one thing. If 120 guests need to move from a church to a French Quarter reception at roughly the same time, that’s something else entirely.
Passenger count determines vehicle size, number of vehicles, loading time and whether multiple trips are necessary.
A 15-Minute Drive Isn’t Necessarily 15 Minutes
This is one of the most important things to understand about wedding transportation.
Google Maps might say the ceremony venue is 15 minutes from the reception.
That doesn’t mean transportation should be scheduled for 15 minutes.
Guests first have to leave the ceremony.
Then everybody has to find the correct vehicle.
Then everybody has to board.
Someone will probably realize a purse was left inside.
Someone else will be saying goodbye to a relative.
Uncle Jimmy may have disappeared entirely.
By the time the vehicle actually moves, the clock has been ticking for a while.
Realistic wedding transportation schedules account for loading and unloading in addition to driving time.
New Orleans Traffic Likes Surprises
Transportation planning in New Orleans comes with another consideration: New Orleans.
Normal traffic is only the beginning.
There can be Saints games, conventions, festivals, parades, street closures, construction and special events.
Sometimes several happen simultaneously because apparently the city enjoys a challenge.
Routes that normally work may not work on a particular Saturday.
This becomes especially important around the French Quarter, Central Business District and other busy areas where large vehicles may have specific loading locations or limited access.
A transportation plan should consider what is happening around the venues on the wedding date, not simply what traffic looked like on a random Tuesday afternoon.
The Wedding Party May Need a Different Schedule
Guests and members of the wedding party don’t always leave the ceremony at the same time.
Guests may head directly to the reception.
The wedding party may stay behind for photographs.
Immediate family members may also be involved in pictures.
That means transportation may need to operate on separate schedules.
One group departs shortly after the ceremony while another leaves later.
Photographers, coordinators and other event professionals may also need enough time to reach the reception before key moments begin.
Nobody wants the bride and groom arriving for the grand entrance while the photographer is still sitting in traffic on Canal Street.
Parking Can Change the Entire Plan
Sometimes transportation between venues isn’t primarily about the distance.
It’s about parking.
A church may have plenty of parking while the reception venue has very little. A downtown reception may involve garages, meters, valet arrangements or guests circling blocks looking for somewhere to put a car.
Coordinated transportation can reduce the number of vehicles that need to move between locations.
For destination weddings, it also means visiting guests don’t have to navigate unfamiliar streets.
New Orleans streets can be confusing enough for people who have lived here their entire lives.
Visitors deserve a fighting chance.
Don’t Forget the Trip Home
Getting guests to the reception is only half the transportation plan.
Eventually, people need to leave.
The problem is that everybody doesn’t leave at once.
Some guests are ready to go shortly after dinner. Others will remain until the lights come on and somebody starts stacking chairs.
Multiple return times can help accommodate different schedules.
For weddings with hotel blocks, transportation might make several trips between the reception venue and hotel during the evening.
Those return times should be communicated clearly so guests know when and where transportation will be available.
Accessibility Matters
Transportation planning should also account for guests who need additional assistance.
Older family members may require more boarding time. Some guests may use wheelchairs, walkers or other mobility devices.
Those details should be identified before the wedding day.
Vehicle selection, loading locations and schedules can then be planned accordingly.
Accessibility shouldn’t become something discovered when everybody is standing on the sidewalk dressed for a wedding.
Weather Gets a Vote
Louisiana weather has never shown much respect for carefully planned outdoor activities.
A sunny afternoon can become a thunderstorm remarkably quickly.
Rain affects loading times.
So does extreme heat.
If guests are expected to wait outside for transportation, weather conditions become part of the planning process.
Allowing extra time and identifying covered loading areas can make a noticeable difference.
Communication Keeps Everything Moving
The transportation plan can be perfectly organized, but it doesn’t help much if nobody knows what it is.
Guests should know where vehicles will be located.
The wedding party should know departure times.
The planner or coordinator should have the schedule.
Drivers should have the correct venue information and understand the order of transportation.
When multiple vehicles are involved, everybody needs to be working from the same plan.
Transportation Is Part of the Wedding Timeline
When a ceremony and reception happen at different locations, transportation isn’t just something happening between two events.
It becomes part of the event.
There is a departure time, loading period, travel window and arrival schedule.
Planning those details ahead of time helps keep the rest of the wedding timeline realistic.
Because nobody remembers a wedding fondly because the shuttle departed exactly on schedule.
But people definitely remember standing outside a church for 45 minutes wondering where it went.
And on a wedding day, transportation is usually doing its job when nobody has to think about it at all.
