Wedding Invitation Transportation: Guide Your Guests Smoothly

When it comes to wedding planning, it's important to ensure that your guests have all the information they need to attend your special day. One crucial detail is transportation, and this can be included in your wedding invitations in a few different ways. You can add transportation instructions directly to your wedding invitations, or you can include them on enclosure cards that accompany your invitations. Enclosure cards are a great way to provide additional details without cluttering your main invitation. Here are some tips and suggestions for including transportation information in your wedding invitations.

Shuttle schedules and pick-up times

When it comes to shuttle schedules and pick-up times, it's important to provide clear and concise information to your wedding guests. Here are some detailed instructions and tips to consider for your wedding invitations:

Shuttle Schedules:

• Specify the shuttle schedule by providing the departure times and locations for both the ceremony and reception venues. For example, "Shuttle service will be provided from the ceremony to the reception. Shuttles will depart at 3:30 pm immediately following the wedding ceremony."
• If your wedding has multiple events at different locations, consider including a map or directions to help guests navigate.
• When creating the shuttle schedule, account for traffic conditions and potential delays, and time for loading and unloading passengers.
• Pad your travel time by including a buffer of at least 30 minutes before and after each event to accommodate for unexpected delays, such as traffic or accidents.
• If your ceremony and reception venues are more than 30 minutes apart, providing shuttle services for your guests is highly recommended to ensure their convenience and timely arrival.

Pick-up Times:

• To estimate the ideal pick-up time for the ceremony, plan to arrive 15 minutes early and work backward. Consider the ceremony time, minus 15 minutes, minus drive time, and minus additional time for traffic and unexpected delays.
• If you're providing shuttle services from hotels to the ceremony, include the hotel names and pick-up times. For example, "Shuttles will depart from the Rose Garden Hotel at 2:00 pm to the Wedding Ceremony at The Brookstone."
• If guests need to be at the venue at a specific time, communicate this clearly. For instance, "Guests are requested to arrive at [VENUE] by [TIME]."
• If you're offering shuttle services for out-of-town guests, provide pick-up times and locations for their accommodations as well.
• In case of any last-minute changes to the shuttle schedule, designate a trusted person to send out mass updates or reminders to your guests.

Remember to include all the necessary details while keeping the wording concise and clear. Providing accurate shuttle schedules and pick-up times will ensure that your wedding guests can seamlessly navigate between locations and fully enjoy your special day.

Map and/or direction cards

When it comes to wedding invitations, it's important to provide guests with clear instructions to ensure your special day runs smoothly. If you're worried about your invitations looking cluttered, enclosure cards are a great way to provide additional information about your wedding.

Direction cards are a great way to ensure your guests can find their way to your wedding venue. These cards should include official instructions from each direction, so guests can easily refer to them when travelling from north, south, east or west. It's also a good idea to include the venue's full address.

If you're worried about older guests who may not have modern navigation systems, or if your venue is hard to find, a map card can be a useful addition to your invitations. This can also be helpful if you have multiple events at different locations, allowing guests to visualise where they are headed.

> From the North: [direction instructions]

> From the South: [direction instructions]

> From the East: [direction instructions]

> From the West: [direction instructions]

If you are providing a map card, it is not necessary to include a separate direction card. However, if you are hosting multiple events at different locations, a map card can be helpful to highlight where each event is located.

Other Transportation Instructions

If you are providing transportation for your guests, it is a good idea to include this information on an enclosure card. Here is some example wording:

> Shuttle service will be provided from the ceremony to the reception. Shuttles will depart at 3:30 pm immediately following the wedding ceremony.

>

> Shuttles will depart from [Hotel Name] at 2:00 pm to the Wedding Ceremony at [Venue Name]. Following the reception, shuttles will return to the hotel at 9:00 pm.

If you are not providing transportation, you can include the following:

> The venue is easily reached from the hotel/hotels, but for those wishing to book a taxi, it is best to reserve ahead by calling [Taxi Name] on [phone number] or [Alternative Taxi Name] on [phone number].

RSVP cards

Names

The first thing to include on your RSVP cards is a blank line for guests to write their names. On a formal RSVP card, you can write an "M" at the start of the line to indicate that guests should include their proper honorific (Mr., Mrs., Ms., or Miss) before their name. This guarantees that you know who is attending and how to correctly spell their names on the seating chart.

Attendance Line

The primary purpose of an RSVP card is to find out who is coming to your wedding. Include an attendance line for guests to accept or decline your invitation. This could be formatted as checkboxes, circling, or fill-in-the-blank lines. You can also include a line for a plus-one if you are allowing guests to bring someone.

RSVP Deadline

It is important to give your guests a clear deadline for sending their responses. Set an RSVP deadline that is around four weeks before your wedding date, and feature it prominently on the card. This will give you and your vendors enough time to finalize the details.

Entree Selection

If you are serving a plated meal at your wedding reception, you may want to collect your guests' food preferences and any dietary requirements or allergies. Include instructions for how to make a selection, followed by a list of options.

Transportation Instructions

If you are providing transportation for your guests, include an area on the RSVP card for them to select this option. This will help you determine the size and number of vehicles you will need. Specify any transportation details, such as shuttle schedules and pick-up times from the hotel to the ceremony and reception venues.

Special Requests

You can also include a special request line on your RSVP cards. This could be song requests, drink preferences to help you stock your bar, or a request for a favourite memory of the couple or relationship advice.

Accommodation cards

Hotel Block Information:

If you have reserved a block of rooms at a nearby hotel, include the hotel name, address, and contact information on the accommodation card. Mention any discounted group rates and provide a reservation code or reference that guests should use when booking. Inform guests of the deadline to book to receive the special rate. Here's an example:

> For your convenience, we have reserved a block of rooms at the Comfort Inn & Suites, located at 2918 Route 15 South, Lewisburg, PA 17867. Please call 800-493-5555 and reference the "Smith-Johnson Wedding" when booking. Reservations made by June 3rd will receive a special group rate.

Recommended Hotels:

If you don't have a hotel block, list 2-3 recommended hotels in the area, especially if accommodation is in high demand. You can also include a line about early booking being advisable. Here's an example:

> A selection of hotels near the venue includes the Hilton Hotel and the Rose Garden Hotel. As accommodation is in high demand in the area, we recommend booking early.

Shuttle Service:

If you're providing a shuttle service for guests, include this information on the accommodation card. Mention the pick-up and drop-off locations, as well as the shuttle schedule with departure times. You can also include a line about where to find more details. Here's an example:

> A complimentary shuttle service will be provided for guests between the hotel and the ceremony/reception venues. Shuttles will depart from the hotel lobby at 2:00 pm and return every half hour, with the final shuttle leaving the reception at 10:00 pm. Please visit our wedding website for more transportation details.

Travel and Transportation Options:

Provide information about other transportation options for guests who prefer not to use the shuttle. Include taxi company names and contact numbers, or public transport options if applicable. Here's an example:

> For those wishing to arrange their own transportation, we recommend reserving taxis in advance. Taxi services in the area include ABC Taxis ( [TELEPHONE NUMBER]) and XYZ Cabs ( [TELEPHONE NUMBER]).

Map and Directions:

While most guests will rely on GPS, providing a map and written directions can be helpful, especially for older guests or if your venue is hard to find. Include the full address of the venue(s) and step-by-step driving directions. Here's an example:

> Our wedding ceremony and reception will be held at [VENUE NAME], [FULL ADDRESS]

>

> Directions from the North: [DIRECTIONS]

>

> Directions from the South: [DIRECTIONS]

>

> A map of the area is enclosed for your convenience.

Remember, the key is to provide clear and concise information that will help your guests with their travel plans and accommodation arrangements. You can also direct them to your wedding website for further details and updates.

Attire suggestions

If you want to give your guests an idea of what to wear to your wedding, it's a good idea to include the dress code on your invitations. This could be on the lower left or right-hand corner of the invite, or at the bottom centre. Alternatively, you could include it on a separate information card, or on your wedding website.

• White tie or full evening dress is the most formal dress code. Men wear long-tail tuxedos, and women wear full-length ball gowns.
• Black tie usually indicates an evening wedding. Men wear tuxedos with black bow ties, and women wear formal floor-length gowns. You could communicate this dress code with the phrase: "Black tie (tuxedos and formal gowns)".
• Formal or Black Tie Optional means that guests can wear black tie, but they don't have to. Men can wear a dark suit with a shirt and tie, and women can wear a floor-length gown, knee-length cocktail dress, pantsuit, or dressy separates. You could use the phrase: "Formal, black tie optional (suit and tie and dresses)".
• Lounge Suit or Semi-Formal is suitable for a daytime wedding. The wedding party will be in formal attire, but it's optional for guests. Men should wear a classic suit or tux with a tie, and women should wear formal evening wear. You could say: "Semi-formal (suit and tie and cocktail dresses)".
• Cocktail attire is less formal, and guests have more flexibility with hemlines, colours and patterns. Men can wear a suit and tie, and women can wear a short formal dress or an elegant jumpsuit. You might say: "Cocktail attire (suits and party dresses)".
• Smart casual means guests should dress neatly, without being too dressy or too casual. Men can wear dark denim, chinos or suit pants with a neat shirt, and women can wear a skirt or smart trousers. You could communicate this with the phrase: "Beach or garden party attire (summer suits and summer dresses)".

Frequently asked questions