Every bride and groom wants their wedding day to run smoothly and getting to the venue on time and in one piece is a good start. If you want to arrive in comfort and style, keep these tips in mind when booking your wedding car.

1. Read reviews to find the most reliable service

You want to book your wedding car with a reliable company that won’t let you down. Browse the websites and picture galleries of car hire services and have a look to see if people have left reviews and testimonials on independent websites. Every bride’s nightmare is for her meticulously-planned schedule to fall apart because of her transport not turning up on time, so ask around to prevent this.

2. Planning ahead will save you hassle (and possibly some tears!)

You might want to take a particular scenic route, which you can discuss with the company in advance. Think about who will be coming along with you and how many cars you will actually need. Consider the size of your dress, flowers, bags, the makeup artist, bridesmaids, pageboys (and a father in a pear tree). Be sensible and plan your route with the company, allowing a time window for unavoidable circumstances such as traffic or road works. It is good to make a grand entrance and arrive fashionably late, but you don’t want to walk down the aisle to a nervous wreck of a partner who thought you had gone and done a runner out of the bathroom window.

3. Make your entrance in style!

There are two things that create the "wow" factor when you arrive at your wedding venue – what you are wearing and the car you arrive in. Anyone who missed your ride in the morning will catch a glimpse of it when you arrive at your reception or leave to be taken to the airport for your honeymoon. Whether you decide upon a new, sleek model or a classic ride, it will be on the wedding DVD, and at some point you’ll both be posing beside, in front of or even on it, so make it a nice one.

4. Opt for a luxury ride

Seeing as it is your special day, which you only plan to do once, be sure to treat yourself to a luxury, chauffeur-driven car. If you do want to go for the more retro option, check the condition of the vehicle before you book to ensure it won’t have any surprise breakdowns on the way to your wedding. The perks of taking the decadent route to your venue include those special little touches like champagne. You want the interior of the car to be fully valeted when you get inside, partly because you don’t want to ruin your suit or dress.

5. A professional chauffeur will put your mind at ease

Just as the car should look the part, so should your driver. You don’t want some bloke opening the car door for you in a T-shirt with baked beans down his top, puffing away on a cigarette. Hiring a professional chauffeur will ensure your driver is kitted out in formal attire that ties in with your wedding’s theme. The last thing you want is to be greeted by a grumpy driver who relies entirely upon his sat nav. Hiring the professionals will ensure you find a polite and smiling chauffeur who knows the way to the venue, so you can sit back, relax and enjoy the start of what will be a truly memorable day – for all the right reasons.