Be honest: Most of you cringe at the idea of leaving your upcoming nuptials in a horse-drawn carriage with your new bride. While she may have been envisioning riding away from her wedding like royalty with her new Prince Charming beside her, you’re probably thinking that leaving your wedding ceremony in a carriage is only appropriate if you’re an heir to the throne or you belong in a Disney movie. How can you find a solution to your transportation woes that will leave both of you happy (and not stranded at your wedding destination)?

Ambassador Limousine, a premier Tampa limo and luxury car rental service that serves the greater central Florida area, offers advice for several transportation options you should consider before the big day. If you’re looking for a low-cost or eco-friendly option for your wedding day, consider riding off on two bicycles or even a bicycle built for two. Is your fiancée cringing at the idea of riding a bike while wearing her wedding dress? No problem: Another low-cost alternative would be to rent a Vespa or motor scooter, which typically costs between $35 and $60 for two hours.

Not interested in do-it-yourself modes of transportation while wearing a tuxedo? Fair enough. There’s always the classic stretch Tampa wedding limo or vintage car like the Rolls Royce if you want to create that classy, romantic feeling your bride desires without sitting downwind of a horse. And if you’re feeling exceptionally romantic, yes, you can opt for the aforementioned horse-drawn carriage.

While selecting a ride for you and your bride is important, don’t forget about the other people in attendance you’ll need to provide transportation for — your wedding party. Because it’s unlikely your wedding party will be keen on the idea of cycling or scooting around town for your nuptials, make sure you arrange for them to get from the wedding venue to the reception in a fun and safe way. If you decide to rent your pals a stretch limo, throw in a few disposable cameras and ask your buddies to take photos in the limos on the big day. (You might want to ask them to keep it PG-rated, but that’s your call.) If you aren’t keen on having the bridesmaids and groomsmen leave the ceremony in their respective limos, consider renting them a party bus so they can grab a brew or sip on champagne while they’re en route to the reception. If you live in a large city like San Francisco or Savannah and want a more unconventional mode of transportation, see if you can arrange for them to snag a ride on a trolley or a cable car.

Once you select a preferred method of transportation, your planning isn’t over quite yet. With the Internet brimming with photos, it’s easier for companies to take photos from Google Images than it is to take original photos of their transportation fleet, which can leave a big discrepancy between what you see online and what arrives on your wedding day. Before making any commitments, check out your vehicle in person to ensure you’re getting what you’re paying for.

Ambassador Limousine is refining and redefining luxury Tampa limos and car service industry in the Tampa Bay and central Florida area. Whether you have your eye on a vintage or modern Tampa Rolls Royce rentals or a class black or white wedding limo, our expert wedding specialists plan every detail of your transportation so you can focus on the wedding. For more information, visit our website or call (727) 442-9050.

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ambassador limousine is a sponsor of the man registry’s groomsadvice blog

What would your ideal wedding day transportation be? Have you booked yet or are you still on the hunt? Share your answers in the comments section below.

For our wedding, my wife and I went the route of party trolley and Cadillac Escalade limo for transportation. That doesn’t mean I didn’t dream about other, more elaborate options. And I’m not talking about a Bentley or Rolls Royce.

If only I could do it over again…

Tim Burton's Batmobile

Dumb and Dumber "Mutt Cuts" Van

Knight Rider's Kitt (1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am)

The Ghostbusters' Ecto-1 (1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor Ambulance)

The Griswold's Woody (1979 Ford Country Squire LTD)

The A-Team Van (1983 GMC Vandura G-1500)

Bigfoot Monster Truck

Back to the Future DeLorean (1981 DeLorean DMC 12)

1969 Dodge Charger from Dukes of Hazard

James Bond's Aston Martin DB5

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What other famous cars from TV and movies would make funny wedding day transportation? Tell us in the comments below.

Guest Blogger Profile: Jennifer Napier

The last thing you want your wedding remembered for is being the night your friend got a DUI! When looking into transportation for you and your bride on your wedding day, don’t forget to check out the possibilities of shuttles, buses, or trolleys for your guests.

If the majority of your guests are staying at a nearby hotel, you can arrange to have shuttles come at various times throughout the night to take guests safely back to their rooms. If it seems like arranging for transportation is out of your budget, ask the hotel if their airport shuttle is available for rent. At the very least you should ask the venue to make sure taxis are available toward the end of the evening.

Here’s the situation: your wedding day is coming up quickly and it’s up to you to figure out how you are going to leave your old world (late nights with the guys & waking up checking your outgoing texts) and enter your new one (when watching The Tonight Show is a real late night treat).  This may sound a little strong, but give it a year and you’ll see.  The good news is that you get the responsibility of figuring out how to make a memorable and stylish leap into marriage.  That’s right – we’re talking about wedding day transportation.  We’ve got the usual “how-to” article on TMR regarding limo and car rental, but I wanted to share my personal story..

I knew this was my one opportunity to put a spin on the day, and I wanted to make it fun while keeping it classy.  The Budweiser Clydesdales weren’t available, so I picked the next best thing – a vintage 1973 Corvette.  This car has been in my family for over 30 years and is in perfect condition.  In addition to that, it’s a great pearl orange, a rare color for today’s cars. This baby definitely makes a statement.

I had it all planned out… after we walked out of the church, everyone would gather in front (we got lucky that our church happened to sit on a major street).  We quickly went around the corner where our chariot was waiting.  The trickiest part of this was getting my bride’s dress in the car… once that catastrophe was diverted, it was time for my favorite part.  I hopped in,  turned the key, and the beast came to life (this car has some aftermarket exhaust that sounds like a million bucks).

The Beast

And away we go...

We started to pull out onto the street and I felt like this marriage thing wasn’t going to be so bad.  I may actually get my way from time to time.  The big question was, “Am I going to do a nice little burnout that this car is begging me for?”  As we approached the crowd of people and everyone started clapping, I felt the adrenaline really start to rush. Hundreds of horsepower were at my beck and call.  I looked at my new bride with speed in my eyes, as she looked back I slowly pulled my foot away from the gas pedal and we slowly drove on.  I had just realized my first lesson in marriage: it’s not just about you anymore, but compromise isn’t always a bad thing.

Cheers!

-Jimmy Horner (co-founder of TheManRegistry.com)

Bruce Wayne's wedding day transportation

Finally — something about the wedding that doesn’t involve what color the flowers should be or how many tiers the wedding cake should have! One wedding-related issue that should get most grooms very excited is cars. It’s the groom’s financial responsibility to arrange transportation from the reception site to the hotel, airport, or wherever else the married couple will be headed after the wedding festivities have ended. Because there are a lot of options when it comes to wedding transportation, we’ve broken it down to help simplify the decision. Here are some of the most popular options.

Traditional Limousine — You can’t go wrong with this traditional and always classy option.

Stretch SUV — Popular models include the Cadillac Escalade, Ford Excursion, and Hummer limos. Just be sure to book early because these choices tend to go fast!

Sports Car — Check your local phone book for companies that specialize in renting high-end sports cars such as Ferraris and Lamborghinis. Or if you happen to know someone who’s a car collector, you might even be able to borrow one for the occasion.

Classic Car — This is another classy option. Rolls Royce, Packard, or Bentley limos are usually available through a limo service.

Horse Drawn Carriage — If you want to make your bride feel like she is in a fairytale, this could be your best bet. These are very popular for summer weddings when you can count on the weather being warm. If you or someone you know owns a horse, this could be the perfect opportunity to include pets in the wedding.

Want to Stand Out from the Crowd? — Use your imagination. On your wedding day, the world is your oyster. If you want to fly off in a helicopter, make it happen! Batmobile? Why not?

How soon should you book? You should reserve your transportation no later than four months before the wedding. This is especially important if you’re getting married during the popular spring and summer wedding months. If you wait too long, you could end up calling every limo service in the state to find exactly what you want.

Typically, your costs will include a flat hourly rate, fuel, and gratuity. Most limo services that specialize in weddings can also provide champagne, wine, or flowers in the vehicle (at an extra cost). However, if you really want any of these extras, we recommend buying it yourself and dropping it off beforehand to save you a few bucks.

GroomsAdvice Recommendation: It’s pretty tough to go wrong with any of these choices. If you’re a car lover, go with something that represents your style, and surprise your bride with some champagne waiting in the car. This ride can often be some of your first alone time as a married couple. Have a toast in honor of each other.

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Groom’s wedding gift of the day: Maxam 2 Person Tent This tent is great for any couple who enjoys camping and spending time outdoors.

Maxam 2 Person Tent

Totally awesome non-wedding link of the day: Top 10 Super Bowl ads of all time (stay tuned to GroomsAdvice later this week for our Super Bowl pick)

Create a wedding registry, purchase groomsman gifts, and research weddings all at TheManRegistry.com