RJ Macready
Whatisaless ostentatious mode of wedding transportation than a limousine but far more impressive? The answer is a bus. It’s also a lot more novel – although that is starting to change.
Just think of that memorable opening scene in the classic romcom
Wouldn’t Hugh Grant have been far less stressed about getting to the wedding on time (and far less sweary) if he’d had the comparative luxury of getting picked up by a vintage double-decker with the rest of the wedding party rather than trying to make his own way there?
Willie Hamilton, coaching and touring manager at Lothian Motorcoaches, has seen the increased popularity of wedding coach hire first-hand since the company began its service in 2018.
“Every single wedding is different,” says Hamilton. “The most popular usage is transporting people from the church to the reception venue, but we’ve even had people use it as a replacement for the bridal car.”
The benefits are clear. The popularity of ride-sharing and ridehailing apps have contributed to a decline in car ownership, as have environmental concerns.
When you take this into consideration with the increased popularity of remote destinations such as country houses and castles as wedding venues then the rise of the “matrimonial bus service” seems eminently practical.
“We’ve taken wedding parties as far afield as Perth and Loch Lomond,” says Hamilton. And it’s with these long-distance love matches that the benefits of engaging an experienced coach tour company become clear. He
Vintage double decker buses are becoming more popular
as wedding transport options
says: “With longer journeys we can often stop off at a nearby site of interest for a brief tour with one of our experienced guides – it really helps break up the journey.”
The sightseeing aspect can be equally of value in a more urban environment. Hamilton has also arranged one or two-hour city tours of Edinburgh and Glasgow for wedding parties – an ideal diversion for restless guests while the happy couple are busy having their wedding photographs taken.
Lothian Motorcoaches offers vintage Routemaster double-decker buses as well as modern coaches. “For weddings the usage is about 50/50,” Hamilton says. “But we’ve seen a real increase in popularity of the Routemasters over the past few months.”
While these vintage buses certainly catch the eye – “people love having their picture taken with them” – it is worth considering that, due to the age of the vehicles, they are not wheelchair accessible like the company’s modern fleet.
“The key to any wedding is flexibility,” says Hamilton, who encourages prospective customers to make whatever demands they see fit.
“We are a transport solution as much as anything else and it can be really useful for clients to tell us exactly what they want. We can pick guest up from meeting points, park and rides, take them home after the reception – whatever you want. Some people even bring their florist.”
If you’re looking at a more intimate wedding and think a doubledecker is is a bit much (maximum capacity: 76), then the company also offers smaller executive coaches with onboard wifi, USB power points at every seat and all-leather interiors. Ideal – and certainly more comfortable – for longer journeys.