You and Your Wedding Car Driver

The one thing guaranteed on every wedding is that neither you nor your driver will have a clue as to your emotional state as you depart for your wedding ceremony. The last thing you want is a driver who is so in love with himself and his car you become just a product.

So much is written about viewing the vehicle - which is a must with unique vintage wedding cars - but how much is written about 'interviewing your driver'

A fantastic car driven by a disinterested driver may look good in photographs, but can make your day so much less relaxing and enjoyable.

To be fair most brides do very well in 'keeping it together' on the journey from house to wedding ceremony.  That said most brides have that 'bottom lip quiver' as they arrive at their wedding venue.

Relaxed timings and bridal arrival times - which we would chat to you about weeks before - can ease this last minute nervous emotion.

When I knock on the Bride's door I very much expect Dad to come out with a relieved look on his face to get out of a house full of women and have another bloke to talk to - sensible move by Dad.

Mum will often welcome me in mild panic - "She has not got her wedding dress on yet" No problem I always 'go with the flow'. Weddings are not military operations so some slippage in timings has to be expected and allowed for in good grace. 

Well I arrived the normal ten minutes early to be greeted by the bride still in her dressing gown, champagne in one hand and chocolate in the other. The bride was even more relaxed than me even though we had a one hour drive down to Loosely House. 

No chance to even get out the White Taxi and walk up the path.  This bride flew out the house and just wanted to get going. No problem by the time we had taken a couple of slow drives round Richmond Park she was very happy and relaxed when we arrived - on time- at her wedding venue.

So relaxed she was out in full wedding kit, glass of champagne in hand, chatting to neighbours. It was a fantastic summers day and she owned that wedding dress.

Well this bride was the first of three similar situations which really tested my ability to calm and relax a bride. Taking the bride on her own as Dad was due to meet her at the venue.  Again Richmond Park on a lovely summers day came to our rescue. A trip round the park and some enjoyable banter and it all worked out a treat.

Well Dad is outside chatting to me, bride comes out and shuts front door BUT alarm is set and house keys and Bridal Bouquet are inside. Mum has another set of keys but she is already at the wedding venue.

Well we got that sorted on the day, but I have always ensured it never happens again on any other wedding I am driving on.

Everything I see done well on a wedding, I will suggest to future Brides and anything that has gone slightly wrong, I will always ensure it never happens to any of my girls in the future.

This was a lovely bride with no Dad on the scene to give her away. Everything was running rather later than desirable when the Mum came out of the hotel and said "her daughter was in tears because her Wedding Dress  was to long and she could not walk in it".   

It took me ten minutes of 'deportment lessons' in the hotel foyer (head up girl, shoulders back, chest out) now walk - plus a round of applause from those watching plus a bit of eye makeup and off we went to her wedding ceremony.

It was an absolute joy to watch that girl swish about in her wedding dress after the ceremony without a care in the word. The big hug from Mum nearly cracked me up.