The short answer
Wedding transportation works as a booking of a vehicle and driver for a set number of hours, billed from a start point to a stop point that the limo or shuttle contract states, with overtime, gratuity and other fees added. Check the vehicle and its capacity, the minimum hours, when the clock starts and stops, each added line, the route, the backup plan and the cancellation terms.
What does garage-to-garage billing mean in a limo contract?
Find the sentence that says when billed time starts and stops. Phrases such as "garage to garage" or "portal to portal" can mean the clock includes the drive from the company's base to your first pickup and the drive back after the last drop-off. Wording such as "from first scheduled pickup to final drop-off" counts only the time with you. Because these phrases are not used the same way everywhere, ask the company to write the exact start and stop events on your order.
Then find the minimum. A contract may say "minimum of five hours" for a shuttle or "three-hour minimum" for a sedan, and the minimum may be higher on certain days. If your trips are short, the minimum may be what you pay regardless of the time used.
How much does garage-to-garage time add? For example
There is no single cost for wedding transportation you can rely on; the rate, the minimum, the billing clock and the added lines set the total. For example, a hypothetical shuttle costs $150 an hour with a five-hour minimum, billed in 30-minute increments. First pickup is 4:00 p.m. and final drop-off is 10:30 p.m., which is 6.5 hours with you. Billed pickup to drop-off, that is 6.5 x $150 = $975.
Now suppose the garage is 40 minutes from both the first pickup and the last drop-off, and billing is garage to garage. The shuttle leaves at 3:20 p.m. and returns at 11:10 p.m., 7 hours 50 minutes, which rounds up to 8 hours. That is 8 x $150 = $1,200, or $225 more. If the order adds an 18% gratuity line on that base, it is 0.18 x $1,200 = $216.
How are limo overtime, gratuity, fuel and other charges added?
Look for the overtime rate, the increment, and whether waiting time counts. Wording such as "overtime billed in 30-minute increments; any portion billed as a full increment" means a 10-minute delay costs a full half hour. Ask who can approve extra time on the day and how it is recorded.
Then list each other line: a gratuity, driver gratuity or service charge, and what base it is calculated on; fuel surcharges; tolls and parking; an administrative or booking fee; and tax. Ask the company whether any line is paid to the driver. If a gratuity line is on the order, you know what is already included; any added tip is your decision.
- Overtime rate and increment
- Waiting time and late pickups
- Gratuity or service charge line and its base
- Whether any charge is paid to the driver
- Fuel surcharge
- Tolls, parking and airport fees
- Administrative fee and tax
What should the route, timing and capacity say?
Give the company a written route: each address, each pickup time, the number of passengers per trip and a phone number for a contact on the day. Ask how long each leg takes at that time of day and build in a buffer. For a shuttle loop between a hotel and the venue, confirm how many loops are included and the time of the last one.
Check the stated capacity against how people will actually ride. A vehicle listed for 14 may be tight for 14 adults in formal wear, and luggage or a wheelchair changes the count. Ask whether the vehicle is accessible if anyone needs it, and write the passenger count for each trip on the order.
- Addresses and pickup times
- Passengers per trip
- Number of shuttle loops and last loop time
- Day-of contact for the driver
- Accessible vehicle if needed
What about cleaning fees, driver breaks and a backup vehicle?
Find the rules on food, drinks, smoking and decorations in the vehicle, and the cleaning or damage fee if they are broken. Note whether the fee is a fixed amount or "at cost", and whether it can be charged to a card on file. Tell passengers the rules before they board.
For a long booking, check whether the driver needs a break or a meal and when, and whether the vehicle leaves during that time. Then read the breakdown clause: whether a replacement vehicle is sent, how quickly, whether it is comparable, and what you pay if the trip is not completed. Ask for those answers in writing.
When is the transportation deposit due, and what if we cancel?
Record the deposit, the balance due date, and whether overtime and fees are charged afterward to a card on file. For example, with the hypothetical $1,200 base and $216 gratuity line above, a $400 deposit leaves $1,016 before tax, fees and any overtime. Put each date and amount on your calendar.
Then read the cancellation terms by date, including changes to the number of vehicles or hours. Whether any money is returned depends on the contract and the law where you are, which varies by state; ask the company to state its terms in writing, and keep the confirmation with your route sheet.
Transportation route and cost sheet
Use one row for a decision or deliverable. Keep unanswered items visible. Download the blank worksheet to open in Excel, Numbers or Google Sheets.
On a small screen, swipe the worksheet sideways to see the remaining columns.
| Trip | Pickup time and address | Drop-off and passengers | Billed time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garage departure | — | — | — | — |
| Getting-ready location to ceremony | — | — | — | — |
| Ceremony to reception | — | — | — | — |
| Shuttle loop 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Shuttle loop 2 | — | — | — | — |
| Last loop or send-off | — | — | — | — |
| Garage return | — | — | — | — |
| Overtime and extra charges | — | — | — | — |
A message you can make your own
Add your document reference and the questions that apply. You decide what to send and send it yourself.
Thank you for the quote. Before we confirm, could you state in writing exactly when billed time starts and stops, for example at the first pickup or when the vehicle leaves your garage? Could you also confirm the minimum hours, the overtime rate and increment, and whether waiting time counts? Please list each other line we should expect, including any gratuity or service charge and its base, fuel, tolls, parking and cleaning fees, and tell us whether any of it is paid to the driver. Finally, what happens if the vehicle breaks down?
Common questions
How much does wedding transportation cost?
Wedding transportation has no single cost you can rely on; each contract sets it from the hourly rate, the minimum hours, when the billing clock starts and stops, and the added lines such as gratuity, fuel and tolls. Ask each company to quote the same route and times in writing, with each line shown, and compare the billed hours as well as the totals.
Do you tip wedding transportation drivers?
Tipping wedding transportation drivers is your decision once you know what the order already includes. Check for a gratuity, driver gratuity or service charge line, note its base, and ask the company in writing whether it is paid to the driver. If you plan an added tip, put it in a labeled envelope and note on the run sheet who hands it over, and at which trip.
Who pays for transportation at a wedding?
Who pays for wedding transportation is a decision for the couple and anyone contributing; no rule sets it. The contract names the client responsible for payment, so if a parent, the wedding party or a hotel is covering a vehicle, check whose name and card are on the order and who receives the final invoice for overtime and fees.
Why is my limo bill more hours than we used?
A limo bill can show more hours than you rode because of a minimum or garage-to-garage billing wording, and either can add hours beyond the time with you. Compare the billed start and stop times with the ones written on your order, check the increment used for rounding, and ask the company in writing to explain any difference.
Do you need transportation for a wedding?
Whether you need wedding transportation depends on your distances, parking at each location, whether guests will be drinking, and how many people must move at the same time. Count passengers per trip, then compare the vehicle capacity, the minimum hours and the number of loops each option includes. For guests, a separate shuttle schedule shows how many loops you would need.
What happens if our wedding runs late and the driver waits?
A driver waiting past the booked time is billed under the overtime and waiting-time clauses, so check both. Waiting may be billed in full increments, and the driver may have another booking after yours. Name who can approve extra time on the day, give the company that phone number, and tell your point person the rate.
Can we drink champagne in the limo?
Drinking champagne in a limo is allowed only if the contract and the law where you ride permit it. Check the contract for rules on alcohol, food and passengers' ages, and for a cleaning fee. Rules on alcohol in vehicles vary by state and by company, so ask the company to confirm in writing what is allowed.