Your Sussex Wedding - April/May 2024 (Issue 108)

TRANSPORT 59 their grounds. Therefore, my top tip is to avoid booking your venue until you’ve first considered how your transport would reach it and confirming with your legal PSV operator. Don’t rely on what the venue owner says, as they often won’t understand the logistics of driving such a vehicle.” SAFETY FIRST Above all else, when it comes to wedding transport, we recommend that you always work with a reputable supplier who can look after the insurance and safety guidance for you. Peter says, “Unfortunately, there are still a few owners of vintage buses and coaches who aren’t operating their vehicles legally. When using them for weddings, by law the operator must hold a Public Service Vehicle (PSV) licence to ensure their safe and proper use. You can check if your supplier has a PSV operator’s licence at www.gov.uk/find-vehicle-operators “On the day, you can check that your supplier is operating legally because there must be a blue or green disk in the windscreen, with their name on it. Also, the vehicle will have the name and address of the operator on the nearside of the vehicle, which must match that shown on the government website.” Remember, as beautiful as vintage cars and buses are, they’re vintage for a reason. This is further cause to make sure you’re booking with a trusted and covered supplier who’ll do everything within their power to ensure that the vehicle they’re providing you with is in tip top condition. Peter says, “All of our maintenance and restoration is done in-house, so we’re in full control of the tender loving care that our vehicles receive. If we don’t get it right, it’ll be us that has to deal with the consequences, so we like to do things properly each and every time.” Southcoast Motor Services The Ashdown Classic Wedding Car Collection FAQ Nick Lacy-Hulbert from The Ashdown Classic Wedding Car Collection shares his most frequently asked questions and answers them for us. What does a wedding car cost? This depends completely on the car, date and locations. Knowing where, when and which car you like will help your chosen supplier to provide an estimate. We don’t charge any extras but do double check with your supplier as this may not be the same for all. How many people can a wedding car carry? Most wedding cars are similar to everyday cars and can take three people in comfort. However, as long as the church or registry office is within reasonable distance of the pickup point your supplier may be happy to do an additional trip before the couple and their escort, as indeed we are. Will the wedding dress fit the car? Cars, like wedding dresses come in a variety of different shapes and sizes. We recommend discussing the style of dress with your transport provider who’ll then be able to suggest the most suitable car for you. Who will drive the car? In our case it will normally be the owner you’ve spoken to who’ll arrive in good time and be suitably suited and booted. What route will they take? Your provider should have discussed the route with you before the big day and made suggestions for timings. We can talk about taking a longer route from the ceremony to the reception giving time for your guests to arrive before you, or indeed allow a photo stop on route, should you so wish. Do you provide Champagne? Unfortunately, we’re unable to provide champagne as it does require a wine and spirits licence to comply with the law. However please talk to us about alternative options, and double check with your own provider. Final tip Don’t leave the booking of the car to the last minute. WITH THANKS TO OUR EXPERTS The Ashdown Classic Wedding Car Collection, www.theashdownclassicweddingcarcollection.co.uk Grange Bridal Cars, www.sussexbridalcarhire.co.uk Southcoast Motor Services, https://southcoastmotorservices.co.uk Southcoast Motor Services Southcoast Motor Services

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