WEDDING LIMOUSINE RENTAL GUIDE
How To Rent A Limousine For Your Wedding
WHEN TO START LOOKING FOR A
WEDDING LIMOUSINE
Many Limousine Rental Companies are booked a year in advance so it is wise to
book your wedding limousine service well in advance if you want to get a better limousine or specific
style of limousine. If you are planning to rent a limousine for your wedding during
Prom season or high demand wedding season, don't wait. Book it as soon as you are
certain that you want or need a limousine.
WHERE TO START LOOKING
The local yellow pages, local newspapers and special event publications and
online sites are good resources. But remember, the largest ad or most impressive web
site doesn't always mean the best limousine or the best deal.
HOW TO START LOOKING
First, determine what your needs are, i.e. the type of limousine, desired color,
the number of passengers it needs to accommodate, etc.. Then make a list of limousine
company names and telephone numbers and call a number of limousine companies to determine
the available types and colors of limousines, the vintage of the limousines, associated
available features and services and the costs involved. Be sure to write down the
information you receive so it will be easier to compare costs and features after the
impact of the sales presentation wears off.
QUESTIONS TO ASK
THE LIMOUSINE RENTAL COMPANY
Each limousine rental company will probably offer different prices based on the year, make
and features of the limousine and the associated services offered. Some even offer bar or
champagne service (usually the cheap stuff at a high price) while others allow you to
provide your own beverages. (Keep in mind that in some areas, alcoholic beverages
in a motor vehicle are prohibited by law.)
Although price is a consideration, a better price does not always mean the most reliable service so it is
a really good idea to actually visit the limousine
rental company before you decide to rent - to actually look at the limousine and and view
their operation. I really mean LOOK AT THE LIMOUSINE you will be renting for
your wedding so there will be
no *unexpected surprises.
One more time...LOOK AT THE LIMOUSINE
THAT YOU WILL BE RENTING!
SMART QUESTIONS
TO ASK THE LIMOUSINE COMPANY
Following are a few examples of questions you may want to ask of the limousine rental
companies...
How long has the limousine company been in business?
Unfortunately,
there is a high turnover in new limousine rental companies who go out of business within
the first 12 to 18 months of business. This means that the limousine company you contract today may not
be around when you need them. If they have been in business for a few years and have
newer limousines, odds are good they will probably be in business in the future as well.
Do they have any recent references or
letters of recommendation they can provide?
If not, you will
probably want to look elsewhere.
How many limousines do they have
in their fleet?
Vehicles do break down from time to time and you will want to make
sure that they will have a similar replacement should a breakdown occur.
What types/colors of limousines are
available for your specified date?
Again, it is a great idea to look at the actual vehicles.
What year(s) are their limousines?
Do the vehicles have air conditioning/heat
that can be controlled from the passenger area? This is a really handy
thing to have and believe it or not some have air conditioning/heat in the
driver's area only - which does not circulate very well to the rear passenger area.
Some older model limousines
also usually only have one air conditioning compressor which will not do much to cool
things off on a hot/humid day.
Do they carry "commercial"
liability and medical insurance for their passengers?
If the limousine
"company" has "personal" liability coverage on the vehicle (like you probably do
for your own vehicle) rather than commercial liability coverage there may be no insurance
coverage for the passengers since the vehicle is being used for commercial rather than
personal purposes. (You will want a copy of the business "certificate of insurance" when
you rent to make sure there is insurance.)
What are the costs?
Some
limousine services have
minimum hour requirements while some have a package price for pickup and drop off only.
Some also have hourly plus mileage charges. You will have to determine which pricing
option best suits your needs.
What is included in the cost?
Some charge "portal to portal" which means that you pay
for driving time to and from the limousine rental company to your location to
pick you up while other companies charge only
from the time that the limousine arrives at your location. Some limousine companies also offer
extra services, i.e. champagne service, a red carpet rollout, etc. either with or without
additional cost.
How are the driver's dressed?
Some
limousine companies have a uniform standard while others do not. If the driver is
going to be seen, the appearance of the driver is just as important as the appearance of the
vehicle.
Is gratuity included in the rental cost?
Some
limousine services include the gratuity in the rental cost, some allow you to set the amount of the gratuity
and others automatically tack on gratuity charges ranging from 10% to 20% of the rental.
Are you able to have alcoholic beverages in
the vehicle?
This may or may not be an important factor to consider.
If you want to display a "Just Married" sign, can it be attached to the
vehicle? If so, is there a cleaning/polishing charge?
BOOKING THE LIMOUSINE
Assuming that you have narrowed the limousine rental company selection down to
the one you think you want to book for your wedding, you will want to reserve your limousine.
You will want to visit the company to look at their vehicles and
specifically at the
vehicle you will be renting. You will most likely be required to pay a deposit to reserve
the vehicle and you will want to have a "RENTAL CONTRACT" that guarantees that
you are going to get what you ordered. The contract should specifically outline the date
of service, the arrival time(s) and locations, the color, make, model and year (and
license number) of the vehicle, and the costs of the rental as well as cancellation and
deposit refund policies. You will also want a copy of their "Certificate of
Insurance" to make sure that you and your passengers are covered in case of an
accident. Payment of the deposit by credit card can give you more leverage should something go wrong if
the fault of the limousine rental company.
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Planning Information
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