Transportation trouble should be the least of your worries when you hire a Day of Coordinator. Destination weddings are usually the kind that need some sort of transportation method for guests to get to the ceremony to the reception.

At one of our more recent weddings, the couple hired a shuttle service. The plan was to pick up guests from the hotel and drive them to the church where the ceremony took place, then drive them back to the hotel where the reception would be. All of the vendors used for this wedding were given a timeline to follow to make sure everyone stayed on track. Confirmation calls were made prior to the wedding date to ensure all the times and locations were in sync. But nonetheless, something could and did go wrong.

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The shuttle appeared at the hotel on time to take the guests to the church. The driver strictly reminded one of our coordinators that he would leave the church by 3:30 pm on the dot and that he was on a tight schedule. Fast forward to after the ceremony. Guests are outside of the church, making their way to the curb to be picked up, and they see their shuttle driving away. The best man shouts, “Hey that’s our shuttle!” It was 3:34.

Our lead coordinator called the driver and ordered him to come back and pick the guests up, but was hung up on several times. Next, she calls the driver’s boss and explains her dilemma. She is told to hire a cab for everyone since we were late by 4 minutes. Our lead coordinator talked it out with the shuttle service and explained that the contract signed by the couple states that the shuttle does not leave without the guests even if they are late, the only penalty would be that a fee be paid. Within the next 60 seconds, we see the shuttle turn around! Everyone made it to the reception and no taxis were necessary.

This is exactly why Day of Coordination is so important. Things out of your control may happen, and in this case, a vendor who is hard to work with may cause trouble on your wedding day. Getting stranded at your ceremony is not the ideal scenario you want to problem solve your way out of when it’s your special day.