It’s one of the first questions couples ask us, and one of the easiest to get wrong: how many wedding cars do we actually need? Book too few and someone ends up in a taxi in their best suit. Book too many and you’re paying for empty seats. The good news is that it comes down to a few simple questions.
Start With Who Needs a Ride
Before you think about cars, list the people who need to travel on the day — and when. For most Sydney weddings it looks something like this:
- The bride, usually with a parent or whoever is walking her down the aisle.
- The bridesmaids and flower girls, travelling just ahead of the bride.
- The groom and groomsmen, who need to arrive well before everyone else.
- Immediate family, such as parents or grandparents who would rather not drive.
- The newlyweds, from the ceremony to photos and on to the reception.
Not everyone on that list needs a car. Many grooms drive themselves, and families often make their own way. But writing it down shows you who is travelling, from where, and at roughly what time.
Remember the Dress
A Mercedes-Benz S-Class seats up to three passengers, but a full wedding gown takes up more room than you’d think. For the bridal car we usually recommend the bride plus one, so the dress arrives as beautifully as she does. Bridesmaids in fitted dresses travel comfortably three to a car.
Typical Wedding Car Set-ups
| Wedding style | What usually works |
|---|---|
| Intimate or elopement | One black S-Class bridal car, dressed in white ribbons |
| Classic wedding | Two cars: the bridal car, plus a second S-Class or a V-Class (up to 6) for the bridesmaids |
| Large bridal party | Two or three matching S-Class cars, plus a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (8–15) for groomsmen or family |
| Grand arrival | Up to eight matching black S-Class cars arriving one after another |
One Car, Two Trips?
If your venues are close together, one car can sometimes do two runs — taking the bridesmaids first, then coming back for the bride. It can save money, but it only works when there’s enough time between pickups. If the ceremony is more than 20 minutes away, or you’re getting ready in two different places, a second car is usually the calmer choice.
Don’t Forget After the Ceremony
Couples often plan the trip to the ceremony in detail and forget what happens next. Will you stop for photos at the Opera House, the Botanic Garden or a harbour lookout? Does the bridal party need to get to the reception too? Telling us the full plan means your car is there for every part of the day — not just the first ten minutes.
Your Quick Checklist
- Pickup addresses for the bride, bridesmaids and anyone else travelling
- Ceremony address and start time
- Any photo locations between the ceremony and reception
- Reception address and arrival time
- The number of people on each trip
- How many matching cars you’d like for photos
Send us your plan and we’ll suggest the simplest set-up for your day.
Every wedding is different, and there’s no single right answer. Start with who needs to travel, give the bride room for her dress, and leave a little extra time. Then let us take care of the rest.