Choosing and Accessorising your Wedding Getaway Car

So, you’ve done it. You’ve stood up at the altar, you’ve said your ‘I do's, danced the night away and now you and your new spouse are ready to ride off into the sunset together. The question is, what are you driving away in?

The iconic image of the wedding getaway car, complete with streamers, tin cans rattling away behind it and a huge ‘Just Married’ sign in the back windscreen, is something that a lot of us are familiar with. Accompanied by your friends and family chasing the car down the road with sparklers or throwing even more confetti, for many, it’s the ideal way to close out the wedding and signal that everyone should clear up and go home.

The thing is, that made sense when the happy couple went straight from the reception to the airport for their honeymoon, or off on a road trip, or even to a different hotel for their wedding night, but increasingly that’s not the case. So, with that being said, how should you choose what your wedding getaway vehicle should be and how should you decorate it? Let’s find out.

Think about the era

When you’re choosing your wedding getaway car it doesn’t necessarily need to be similar to your arrival transport. Often, brides might opt for a classic Rolls Royce or a carriage and for a getaway car, this doesn’t always hit the spot.

The classic wedding getaway car is normally something sleek, sexy and convertible – obviously depending on the weather! Think about those vintage Mustangs and 1950s to 1970s era cars that feel like real road trip, Cagney and Lacey style rides. The idea is that you’re riding off into the sunset like in an old movie, so these kinds of cars tend to match up with the traditional vision of a wedding getaway car.

This being said, it’s your day and if there’s a style of car or era that you’re using for the rest of your wedding, then it might be a good idea to try and match your getaway car to the rest of your era-appropriate, vintage feel.

Tin cans: pros and cons

Okay so let’s talk about the classic accessory for a wedding getaway car – the tin cans that clack away behind the car often attached by streamers. The idea is that it draws attention to thenewly married couples so that everyone knows and can offer their congratulations. As a gesture, there’s nothing wrong with this tradition, really, but practically it’s not ideal.

If you are using your wedding getaway car to, you know, get away to the airport or a secondary location that’s further than like ten minutes down the road, these tin cans are driving hazards and they’re likely to cause an accident. So either you have it for the drive away from your reception, perhaps down the wedding venue driveway and stop before the main gate to take them off the car, or you forgo them all together in favour of some other kind of decoration.

Signage

Of course, the traditional signage that sits in the back windscreen of the wedding getaway car reads ‘Just Married’ – it’s a classic for a reason, but honestly, any wedding related pun works well. From ‘Put a Ring on It,’ to ‘No More Single Ladies’ and more, it’s up to you as to what you put on your wedding getaway car sign.

The thing to consider here is the car itself. If you have a convertible with the roof down, you’re going to have to attach the sign to the back of the car where you tie the roof material down. Make sure that the sign is secure, after all, you don’t want the sign to fly off when you’re driving, causing havoc on the road!

Does it need to be a car?

Another thing that you can consider is does your wedding getaway car even need to be a car? It just has to be something that gets you away from your reception in a fun, quirky and attention-grabbing way. Especially if you’re staying nearby, you might not even need something that goes the distance.

From motorbikes with sidecars to tandem bicycles to rickshaws, to VW campervans and even riding off into the sunset on horses, there are so many fun transport options that you and your new spouse can choose from.

Whatever it is, make sure you’re in a state to operate them – it should go without saying that if you’ve had a few drinks throughout the reception, you shouldn’t be hopping on a motorbike, same for pretty much any form of transport. That is the benefit of getting a car with a driver, so neither of you need to worry!

Final tips

Let’s wrap up this article with a few final things to consider when choosing and accessorising your wedding getaway car

• Look at the size of the transport and the size of the seats. If you’re wearing a giant meringue style princess dress and you’re trying to stuff yourself into a motorbike sidecar or an old style car with no adjustment, you might be in trouble.
• Think about how far you’re going. If you want to have your getaway on a tandem bike and you’re going to the airport and need to take luggage on a freeway, not a great idea. Similarly, hiring a flashy car to just go across the resort to your hotel room might not be worth the money.
• If you’re opting for a vintage convertible, make sure you check the forecast. The roof doesn’t have an electric pop-up option and you don’t want to have to pull over to spend twenty minutes trying to get the roof up in the pouring rain like you’re in The Princess Diaries. It’s also worth noting that unless you have one of these cars, it’s pretty tricky to get the roofs up and secure so check this out with the rental company before the big day just in case!

Wedding Getaway Car

If there is one classic image of a wedding it’s that of the getaway car; tin cans and streamers hanging from the bumper, a ‘just married’ sign in the rear window, and the couple being driven away as they embark on their new lives together. Grooms and groomsmen have traditionally taken care of the getaway car, but times have changed. Not only that, but it’s a little archaic to call it a getaway car anymore since you need one for your entire event!

Limousines scream 1980s and unless you’re having an 80s themed wedding you’re going to want to look for something else. For a posh upscale wedding style like that shown in this inspiration board you may want to consider a Rolls Royce Phantom hire. Why? Because you’re not going to want to be driven to your ceremony, from Your ceremony to your reception, and away into ‘happily ever after’ in your brother’s dinged up dirty old cars. Let’s face it – there is a certain confidence and energy that comes from a luxury car, whether you’re driving it or being chauffeured in one and confidence on your wedding day is a must have. It’s your big day – live a little!

Credits: photo credits: Roll Royce via Find a Phantom  – hire Phantom for wedding in London // black and gold invitation suite from Style Me Pretty, photographed by Ed Osborn Photography, designed by BerinMade // champagne with blackberries from Style Me Pretty, photographed by Jennifer Lindberg // bouquet via Style Me Pretty, photographed by Ed Osborn Photography, designed by Mimi Nicole Events // chairs via Ruffled, photographed by Adam Barnes Photo // London Royal Exchange reception from Rock My Wedding, photographed by Ann-Kathrin Koch.