Planning your wedding is exciting, overwhelming, and let’s be honest, sometimes a bit of a logistical nightmare. Between venues, catering, flowers, and everything in between, transport often gets left until the last minute. But here’s the thing: getting your guests from A to B smoothly can make or break the flow of your big day.
We’ve been doing wedding coach hire since 1931 here at Chalkwell, so we’ve seen it all, the good, the bad, and the “Oh no, where’s the coach?” You really don’t want to be that couple scrambling for transport a month before the big day. Here are the seven most common mistakes couples make when booking wedding transport, and how to avoid them.
1. Leaving It Too Late to Book
Picture this: it’s six weeks before your wedding, and you suddenly remember you haven’t sorted transport for your 80 guests. You start ringing around, only to find that every decent luxury coach hire company in Kent is already booked solid. Nightmare, right?
Here’s the reality: Great transport companies get booked up months in advance, especially during peak wedding season (May through September). If you’re planning a Saturday wedding in summer, you’re competing with dozens of other couples for the same vehicles.
The fix: Start looking at wedding coach hire options as soon as you’ve confirmed your venues and guest count. Ideally, that’s 4-6 months ahead. For larger weddings or multi-day celebrations, give yourself even more time. Booking early means you’ll have the full fleet to choose from, better rates, and one less thing keeping you up at night.
2. Going for the Cheapest Quote
We get it, weddings are expensive. When you’re watching every penny, it’s tempting to go with the lowest quote you find. But here’s where it can go wrong.
Budget transport companies often cut corners. Maybe their vehicles are older and less reliable. Perhaps their drivers aren’t experienced with wedding timings (which, let’s face it, rarely run exactly to schedule). Or they might not offer the kind of day-of support you’ll need when things don’t go entirely to plan.
The fix: Look beyond the price tag. Ask about vehicle age and condition. Find out how many weddings they’ve done. Check whether they’re familiar with your venues. At Chalkwell, our modern ULEV fleet isn’t just about looking good, it’s about reliability and comfort for your guests. As a family business that’s been around for over 90 years, we know that your wedding day isn’t the time for transport to become another stress point.
3. Forgetting the Details
You’ve booked the coach, sorted, right? Not quite. One of the biggest issues we see is couples not communicating the crucial details to their transport company.
We’re talking about specific pick-up addresses (not just “the hotel in Maidstone”), exact timings, guest numbers, any route preferences, and those special requests like needing space for wheelchair users or keeping the air conditioning extra cold because Aunt Maureen gets overheated.
The fix: Put everything in writing. When you book your wedding coach hire, make sure your contract includes all the details. Then, have someone you trust, your wedding planner, best man, or mum, call the company the day before to confirm everything. Share the driver’s contact details with a few key people so there’s always someone who can reach them on the day.
4. Only Planning for Arrivals
Most couples focus on getting everyone to the ceremony and reception. But what about getting them home? Or to the after-party? This is where things can get messy.
Your guests won’t all want to leave at the same time. Some will head off after dinner. Others might want to stay until the bitter end. Some might have early flights the next morning. If you’ve only booked one return shuttle, you’ll have guests either stranded or leaving earlier than they’d like.
The fix: Schedule multiple shuttle runs in the evening, spaced about 30-45 minutes apart. This gives your guests flexibility without breaking the bank on keeping a coach waiting all night. Discuss your expected guest flow with your transport provider, we can usually suggest what works well based on similar weddings we’ve covered.
5. Not Seeing the Coach First
Online photos can be… optimistic. That “luxury coach” might not be quite as luxurious in person. Or it might be absolutely fine, but you’d rather have the one with the leather seats.
The fix: Always ask to view the actual vehicle you’ll be getting. If you’re getting married away from home and can’t visit in person, ask for a recent video walkthrough. At Chalkwell, we’re proud of our fleet, we’re happy to show you around because we know our coaches in Kent speak for themselves.
6. Keeping Transport Details a Secret
You’d be amazed how many guests miss the memo about transport. Even when it’s on the wedding website, not everyone checks. Result? Confused guests, frantic phone calls, and people arriving late or not at all.
The fix: Over-communicate. Put transport details on your wedding website, in welcome bags, at the hotel reception, and on those little cards in your invitation suite. Include pick-up times and locations. If you’ve got a particularly large wedding, consider appointing a “transport coordinator”, a friend or family member who can help direct people to the right coach at the right time.
7. Winging It Without a Proper Schedule
“The coach will just follow us” isn’t a plan. Without a clear itinerary, you risk running late, confusing your driver, or racking up unexpected charges for additional waiting time.
The fix: Create a detailed timeline that includes every pick-up location, time, and route. Share this with your transport company well in advance. Include buffer time, weddings always run a bit late (it’s basically a law of physics). When you’re reviewing your contract, triple-check all the dates, times, and addresses before signing.
Having a clear schedule means your driver knows exactly what’s expected, you won’t get surprise bills, and most importantly, you can relax knowing everything’s under control.
Why Choose Chalkwell for Your Wedding Coach Hire?
Look, we’re not going to pretend we’re the only coach hire option in Kent. But here’s what nearly a century of experience (yes, really: since 1931!) has taught us: weddings aren’t just about moving people from point A to point B. They’re about creating a smooth, stress-free experience that lets you and your guests focus on celebrating.
Our modern, eco-friendly ULEV fleet means your wedding transport is comfortable, reliable, and kinder to the environment. As a family business, we take a personal approach: you’re not just another booking number. We’ll work with you to understand your specific needs and make sure everything runs like clockwork on the day.
Whether you need a single luxury coach for 50 guests or multiple vehicles for a larger celebration, we’ve got the experience and the fleet to make it happen. And because we’ve been doing this since before your grandparents were born, there’s not much we haven’t seen or solved.
Final Thoughts
Your wedding day should be about the two of you, your loved ones, and creating memories that’ll last a lifetime. It shouldn’t be about panicking over whether your guests will make it to the church on time or how everyone’s getting home at the end of the night.
Avoiding these seven common mistakes means you can tick transport off your list early, confidently, and move on to the fun stuff: like deciding between the chocolate fountain or the cheese tower (or both, obviously).
If you’re planning a wedding and need reliable, professional coach hire in Kent, give us a shout. We’d love to help make your day run smoothly. After all, we’ve been doing this since 1931, so we must be doing something right.