A Limo Drive Away For the Perfect Wedding

You have every detail imagined: the perfect wedding. You know what food you’re going to serve guests. You know where the wedding is going to take place. You know how good the invitations will look, down to the designs on the inside of the card. You’ve got it all figured out…except that one thing that so many people overlook in this day and age:  what we like to call the “drive away.”

The drive away is simple: it’s that moment the bride and groom drive away as dozens of well-wishers send them off with applause, throwing rice—the whole nine yards. Of course, in this day and age, exiting the wedding simply means heading to take photos with the wedding party or simply heading to the reception hall. But no matter where you’re headed after that, there’s no doubt that the drive away will be one of the most memorable moments of your life.

In short, it’s one of those moments that you want to get right.

What Makes a Drive Away Special?

In modern times, you’ll attend a lot of weddings in which there is no drive away at all; the bride and groom simply slip away after the wedding. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, if that’s what you want. But many wedding parties look for something with that old school oomf that reminds them of a traditional wedding. The drive away is the perfect way to slip in something more traditional—but with modern twists.

What kind of modern twists? Well, you won’t be driving away in your grandparents’ car. You’ll drive away in modern luxury, enjoying the full comforts of what modern luxury has to offer. What makes a drive away special is the fantasy—we offer a Jaguar sedan or a Bentley for this occasion that will have you feeling like the affair is world-class. It’s a small touch on your wedding that won’t make or break the night…but it will make you feel like you’re riding on top of the world.

Additional Wedding Limousine Services

If you want to keep things simple, we recommend working with one limousine that can handle all of your wedding party needs—from managing the wedding party’s mobility to ensuring that the drive away goes off without a hitch. Hiring multiple wedding limousine services, or simply renting a car for the drive away, only adds to your “to-do” list—and we know that when you’re planning a wedding, the “to-do” list is plenty big enough as it is.

Renting a limousine service for a wedding isn’t difficult—just browse around and find the right vehicle to match the size of your wedding party. And when you’re working with a company like Marquee Limo Co., you’ll be assured that you can add the wedding drive away with ease, and comfort, and with spectacular cars that will really make the moment memorable.

How to Surprise Someone with a Limousine

When most people think about limousines, they think about special occasions – the kind of celebrations that involve large groups pooling their money together, or splurging for the one-time expense for a wedding or other special occasion. Many think about limousines not as potential gifts, but as an “occasional” indulgence that can only happen on those major occasions.

You, however, are not most people.

If you enjoy thinking outside the box, then it’s not hard to see how you might use a limousine in your life: as a gift, as a way to give someone a unique experience, and as a way to turn a regular occasion like a birthday or an anniversary into something else entirely.

Setting the Stage: Plan Well in Advance

The best thing you can do is start planning well in advance of the special day. This gives you ample time to sort through a variety of limousine options. You’ll find, for example, that many limousine companies (like Marquee Limo Co.) offer a variety of sizes – limousines and party buses that fit between two people and well, well over a dozen people. You’ll simply need to fit the limousine to the occasion.

If you’re planning a surprise limousine party, for example, you’ll want a party bus. If you’re planning an intimate night out on the town, you can simply rent a car.

Planning in advance also gives you the time to arrange a time with the limousine company itself, letting them know what your plans are. That way you’re more likely to get the day you need – no one wants to work with a fully-booked limousine company that can’t even help its customers.

Making the Day Special

Limousines are a great way to turn an ordinary day into an extraordinary one, of course, but we think that putting in some extra touches can only work in your favor. You might request that your limousine company puts in some of your significant others’ favorite drink, for example, for an anniversary gift. This “extra mile” of thoughtfulness can be easy to arrange; even limousine companies that don’t offer that service will often allow you to pack your own libations.

You’ll also want to think of some great destinations to give the limousine chauffeur well in advance. A night out on the town is about the journey, of course, but it’s also about the destination.

Bringing it All Together

Planning a surprise limousine gift is about one final touch: the reveal. You can coordinate with your driver and know what time at which they expect to pick you up; try to make sure that your gift recipient has that time free and, if you’re really ambitious, that they’re looking the right way when the limousine drives up. When you say “Happy Birthday!” or “Happy Anniversary!” you can expect to see their eyes light up like you’ve never seen before. There’s a little magic in a limousine ride, after all, and the ones you love will cherish the surprise.

Pick the Quality Limousine Every Time with These Principles

What’s the secret to avoiding buyer’s remorse when you hire a limousine?

One word: preparation.

Whether you have a lot of money in your budget to set aside for limousine rides or need to set aside a little money to save up for a limousine service, it’s easy to have buyer’s remorse if the experience doesn’t live up to the hype. If you don’t already have a limousine company that you know and trust picked out, the process of hiring a limousine for the first time can be, appropriately, a little daunting.

Until now, that is. With a little preparation and these principles in mind, you should be able to avoid ever picking the wrong limousine company again:

What Do the Wrong Limousine Companies Do?

This is an important question because once you recognize the habits of bad limousine companies, you’ll begin to recognize them as soon as you start inquiring about their services. Here are just a few of the bad habits of limousine companies that don’t quite pass the “smell” test:

  • Charging inordinate upfront fees. Typically, a limousine company will charge a 25-50% upfront fee or deposit for their services. If a limousine company goes far above that—even as high as 100%–that can be a good sign that you need to move to the next candidate.
  • Offering no “preview” of your choice of car. If a limousine company has quality vehicles to provide, they’ll be happy to let you come down and check them out in person before making a decision. Other limousine companies…not so much.
  • Insisting upon their drinks. A cheap bottle of champagne can run you as much as $50-$100…if the limousine company is ripping you off. Avoid this by checking with the limousine company first to see if you can simply bring your own drinks. Most legitimate limousine companies will be happy to allow you to bring your own drinks as long as they’re legal! Quality limousine companies will earn money on the service they provide, not on the exorbitant fees they charge for drinks.
  • Skirting basic certification. An individual doesn’t up and start a limousine company by deciding to drive people around in their car—there’s a process to building a legitimate limousine service that requires certification and licensing. Make sure to check up on the licensing and certification of your limousine service before agreeing to hire them.

Seeking Out Good Limousine Service

With these principles in mind, you should start to recognize the familiar “hints” of bad service. But what about finding good service? The best thing you can do is search around, seek out referrals, and follow up on limousine companies by getting in touch with them to see how much they’re willing to talk with you about their offerings. Generally, the better the limousine service, the more willing they’ll be to tell you all about their fleet, their experience, and their chauffeurs.

Don’t get ripped off: do your due diligence, recognize the signs, and make a confident decision the next time you hire a limousine.

Why You Need a Limousine This Summer

Summer is a time associated with fireworks, hot dogs, backyard barbecues, and fun with friends. So where, you might ask, does a limousine enter the picture? Or even, should a limousine enter the picture?

Well, call us biased as a limousine company, but we don’t think a limousine should exactly be out of your plans. But we’re not going to waste your time telling you that’s the case: instead, we’re going to tell you why.

Don’t Let Anything Mess with Your Travel Plans

With the Fourth of July weekend and summer vacation plans upon us, you know exactly how hard it can be to coordinate travel plans on a holiday weekend. That’s true on Independence Day as it is any other major holiday. Traffic’s going to be frustrating, the airlines are going to be stuffed, and you’re going to be left wondering how you’ll manage it all.

If you have a trip to the airport in the cards, then a limousine shuttle service is just the thing you need: not only will it allow you to transport the entire family comfortably, but it will give you the peace of mind that’s so sorely needed whenever a holiday rolls around and you spend most of your time simply managing schedules.

Make a Night of It

A backyard barbecue is great and all, but everyone knows that the real fireworks start – quite literally – when night rolls around. If you live near a large metropolitan area and want to make sure you have a front-row seat to the biggest fireworks show in town, it will help if you have a limousine company doing all of the driving – and the thinking – for you.

Any decent limousine company worth its salt has plenty of “night on the town” experience and can help you navigate through the traffic, the logistics, and the stress of getting downtown to simplify the experience and ensure that you celebrate summer in style.

Pack ‘Em In

Sometimes, you have ambitious party plans…but the logistics of transporting everyone to the right place at the right time never seem to work themselves out. We say, let a limousine company worry about the logistics of transporting an abnormally large group of people from point A to point B via a party bus. This is especially convenient if you’re transporting a family to the lake, gathering up a family reunion near a campsite, or merely want to get together with friends to celebrate summer in your own way.

A Nice Gesture

If you’re working and you have a meeting with someone else, it can be a great gesture to send a driver. Heck, you can order a limousine for a loved one just to give them a nice touch and ensure that they know they’re being thought about even while the world around them is celebrating. Not only is it a great way to break up the monotony of work, but it’s a great way to show you care.

Five Advantages of Using a Professional-Grade Limousine Service

When it comes to any business, there are two essential grades that customers have to choose from: amateur and professional. True, many technically professional services might be able to call themselves professionals, but you’ll often find that professionalism is sorely lacking in some small companies.

This is often true in limousine companies, where it’s easy to tell between the two-bit amateur operations and the larger companies that truly care about the experience of their customers. Marquee Limousine Co, of course, prides itself in being the latter. But we wouldn’t do that without telling you what exactly separates our services from all the rest:

Advantage #1: Flight Tracking.

When you schedule a limousine service to pick you up to or from an airport, you’re usually used to telling the company the time you’re expected to arrive or take off. With Marquee Limo, we’ll track the flight for you so you can rest easy knowing that your chauffeur will pick you up promptly even if your flight gets delayed. We offer that service in our airport transportation offerings, allowing you to travel with ease.

Advantage #2: Wedding “Driveaways”

Your wedding is supposed to be a magical day. Yet so many people are focused on having everything go off without a hitch that they forget about the little touches that makes a wedding magical in the first place. One of the most important details that a good limousine service can help you with is the wedding “driveaway.” Contact us at Marquee Limo Co to see how we can add a final special touch to your magical day.

Advantage #3: Tours and sightseeing.

If you’re visiting Charleston or simply want to see the same city in a new light, we take pride in being able to show you something you’ve never seen before. At the very least, you should expect a limousine company to be able to give you a treat when it comes to destinations, particularly if you’re having an impromptu celebration or out enjoying a night on the town for a romantic holiday or anniversary.

Advantage #4: Friendly service.

Sometimes, you just want someone to be friendly to you–to treat you like you belong where you are. That’s what a good chauffeur can do for you. If you’ve ever had an otherwise fun limousine experience ruined by a surly, uninvolved limo driver, you know how annoying it can be. Friendly service is important. A good limousine driver is neither a chatterbox nor are they unable to respond to basic questions. Instead, they make an effort to offer you an enjoyable time and a pleasant limo experience.

Advantage #5: Complicated routes.

A good chauffeur is able to accommodate your needs, even if you have a lot of stops along the way. And a good limousine company will work hard to make sure that we fully understand those needs before getting started. This makes for a smooth ride and gives you the time to enjoy yourself in the back of the limousine.

Contact Marquee Limo Co. when planning your next big event or simply want to experience a fun evening around town without worry. We are ready to provide you with exceptional service and strive to make the special moments a little extra special for every occasion.

The Top 10 Reasons to Use a Limo this Summer

It’s summertime. That means there will be beach parties, celebrations, weddings, and fun events all over the landscape in Charleston. It also means that there’s never been a better time to get around in style by using a limousine.

Of course, a phrase like “getting around in style” is a little vague. What exactly do we mean by that? And what advantages will you realize by using a limousine this summer? We’ve put together a list of our top ten reasons to use a limousine service in the summer, and we think you’ll agree: they make a pretty good argument.

#10: Affordability. You’d be surprised at how affordable limousine services can be – even the high-quality ones that you wouldn’t necessarily think might be in your price range. If you’re vacationing this summer, remember that adding up cab fares, car rentals, and other associated costs can be surprisingly high. Sometimes, it’s best to simply use a limousine.

#9: Convenience. If you’re traveling somewhere on summer vacation, then getting to the airport can be a convenience as well as a major comfort, as your chauffeur takes care of everything you need between your home and the airport.

#8: Parties. Of course, there’s simply no other way to transport guests at a party – be it a bachelor/bachelorette party or a birthday celebration – unless you’re using a limousine service. Individual cars simply won’t do.

#7: Comfort. In the summer heat, comfort is always a priority. Ensuring that you get from Point A to Point B in comfort isn’t always easy when you’re driving yourself and have a million things to do. In a limousine, comfort is the priority.

#6: Sports. Getting to a sporting event is always a trouble, particularly when football season starts up in late summer here in Charleston. But getting to sports events in style is always possible if you have a great limousine company to work with.

#5: Concerts. Summer is concert season; if you want to see the biggest names visit your town and enjoy the show, a limousine can be exactly what you need.

#4: Enjoying the scenery. Taking a limousine allows you to enjoy more of the drive than you would otherwise because you get to sit back and relax with company.

#3: Removing stress from a vacation. If you’re headed on a vacation then relaxing is the name of the game. Don’t stress about how you’re getting around, just sit back and let someone else take care of the itinerary.

#2: Pampering yourself and your family. Sometimes, breaking up the grind requires that you get outside of your usual routine.

#1: Because they’re fun. Summertime is all about fun, even if you’re still working. It’s a time to get out and enjoy the proximity to the sun. It’s a time to host parties, meet with friends and family, and live life to its fullest. And a limousine isn’t just a way to get you there, but to enjoy the ride along the way.

Contact Marquee Limo today to schedule a luxurious limo for your next night out. With a fleet of limos that includes Town Cars, stretch limos, SUVs, and party buses our selection is the best for limo service in Charleston.

Seven Occasions That Call for Limousine Service

When’s the last time you had a great time in a limousine?

Chances are, it was an occasion that you’re about to spot on this list. And if those odds hold out, the chances are that the next time you’re in a limousine, it will be during another one of the occasions on this list. And when in a limousine is a special occasion, you’re going to want to make sure that when you have the chance to enjoy one, you always do it right and get the most out of your investment. Here are a few tips to ensure that’s exactly what happens:

  1. Corporate meetings and transportation: Treating a client to a great time means thoroughly vetting the limousine service you’ll be employing—we recommend trying a limousine service out yourself before offering it to that next big client.
  2. Weddings: If you’re planning a wedding, it’s important that you’re sure your limousine company is up to snuff—and that they’re completely aware of your itinerary! You don’t have to plan the schedule down to the minute, but we recommend writing down a list of all the amenities you’re looking for to ensure everything goes smoothly on the big day.
  3. Airport transfers: Treating the family to a limousine before a vacation or simply getting things done on the go means having the right limousine service to link you from A to B. How to make the most of these experiences? If you’re alone, bring your tablet with you to get work done or even relax before a flight. If you’re with company, live in the moment and have fun!
  4. Bachelor and Bachelorette Parties: If you’re hosting, it’s always critical to have the music lined up—most limousine services will allow you to hook up your own iPod or smartphone easily, so prepare your playlist ahead of time.
  5. Sports and concerts: Getting to a major event in a limousine is a great luxury—but don’t spend all of your fun in the limousine! Enjoy yourself, but make sure to save some energy (and a drink or two) for the event itself.
  6. Birthday parties: A party bus for a birthday party can be a great time—and in fact is one of those occasions when most of the party does happen inside the limousine! If you’re the host, make sure to ensure everyone enjoys their time responsibly with smaller drink portion sizes.
  7. Anniversary celebrations: An anniversary is the perfect occasion for the luxury of a limousine—just make sure to plan an entire evening. A limousine is great, but having a destination at the end of the trip is even better.

It doesn’t take much to enjoy a limousine service to its fullest—that’s what the service is all about, after all: enjoyment. But if a limousine is a rare thing in your life, it only makes sense to prepare for the festivities to ensure that your investment is worth every penny.

How to Ensure Your Wedding Limousine Plans Go Smoothly

It takes a lot to ensure a wedding day goes by smoothly. It takes flowers. It takes delicious food. It takes a good photographer, a crowd-friendly DJ or band, and more. You don’t want anything to throw a monkey wrench into the engine that is your big day, least of all something as simple as limousine service.

We don’t want that, either, which is why we’ve put together a no-nonsense guide to making sure that your limousine will be there when you need it—and with all of the amenities you expect and deserve on your big day:

  • Take a tally of everyone who’s going to be in the limousine or bus. Get your RSVPs in early. Generally, the wedding party includes the bride, groom, bridesmaids, and groomsmen—but every wedding is different. The key here? Knowing exactly who you want in the limousine/party bus so you can make the appropriate arrangements.
  • Arrange limousine services far in advance. When wedding season rolls around, limousine companies tend to “book up” on weekends, which means that you’re going to want to reserve your limousine or party bus well in advance of the big day. Make sure you do your research into various limousine companies and take the time to select the appropriately-sized limousine option well in advance.
  • Mentally “rehearse” your wedding day. If you want everything to go off without a hitch, we recommend getting a blank piece of paper and a pen and writing down how you imagine the wedding day will go. Through this process you might realize that there are some “holes” in your plans that you didn’t think to cover. Write them down so that you can make arrangements to fill those holes.
  • Double-check with the limousine company to ensure all of the amenities you need. You’d be amazed at how many people rent a limousine or party bus only to totally forget that it’s not just a ride you’re after, but an experience. Music, drinks, and entertainment should all be part of the plan. Call ahead to make sure that you’ve got a playlist ready to go, or, better yet, have a bridesmaid or best man handle the work!
  • Coordinate with the wedding photographer. The first stop after the wedding tends to be some place that the wedding photographer picks out, so make sure that your chauffeur understands what the next destination is. This one is an easy fix, of course, but it can’t hurt to double-check and make sure that everyone’s on the same page.

With all of the tips in hand, there should be no need to stress about the quality of the limousine ride when the big day hits. In fact, like all of the other arrangements, everything should simply fall into place as you enjoy your big day and let the people you’re paying to the work for you. After all, that’s what you’re paying them for! So sit back, relax, and enjoy your time with friends and family.

How to Pull off A Seamless Bachelor/Bachelorette Party

As a limousine provider, we’re used to the idea that our service is the key ingredient in what makes a bachelor or bachelorette party special. Nothing quite says “this night is like no others” than the fact that you have a limousine whisking you around town, taking you to all the destinations you’ve always wanted to attend.

But no matter how great the limousine service is, it’s not a 100% guarantee that you’ll have a good time. Sure, we can do our best to provide you with top-quality service. But if you’re a best man or maid of honor and you really want to make sure that your bachelor or bachelorette party goes off without a hitch, it will pay to pay attention to a few basic tips.

An Ounce of Preparation

There’s the old saying that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Well, we like the idea of an ounce of preparation before your big night. It doesn’t take much forethought to make things run smoothly, but it does take forethought. Consider all of the problems that vanish if you take a few minutes and consider your options:

  • Proper planning: If you match the limousine size to the guest list, you’ll end up with just the right amount of space to suit the party. You don’t want too much—that will make it seem like no one’s there, and you’ll end up spending more money than you need to. You don’t want to spend too little, either, or else everything will end up cramped.
  • Music: The best way to ensure that the party gets started on the right note is to ensure that you’ve got a playlist primed and ready to go. Sure, you could always just listen to a radio station…but having songs that you picked out can be just as good—maybe better. Talk to your chauffeur to set the music arrangements.
  • Drinks: Drinks will be expected at bachelor and bachelorette parties, so make sure that you have a popular item that everyone can enjoy—but don’t pack so much that things get out of control!

Playing the Host

As the best man or maid of honor, you’re the de facto “host” of the party. It was you who put it together—and you’re going to have to be the one to ensure that everyone drinks responsibly and has a good time.

A great way to ensure that you’re a responsible host is to provide people with smaller serving sizes when it comes to drinks. You can also make sure to schedule plenty of fun daytime activities so that most of your time is spent having fun—and not drinking. Many people use party buses as a great way to get from one activity to the next. It doesn’t all have to be bar-hopping.

Be a gracious host and make sure everyone’s having a good time. With a little preparation, a lot of responsibility, and plenty of fun ideas, you’ll be on your way to a great bachelor/bachelorette party in no time.

Is Your Low-Cost Limousine Ride Really Worth the Savings? Don’t Get Swindled!

There’s a reason the word “cheap” comes with more connotations than a more innocent word like inexpensive. When you buy something that’s “cheap,” you sometimes have to deal with the consequences of its low price: shoddy service, poor product construction, and more.

If you’re looking for a low-cost limousine ride for your next big occasion, it will help to know the difference between cheap and affordable, between shoddy and inexpensive—between low-quality and high-quality.

When Saved Money Isn’t Worth It

It’s not just penny-pinchers who are constantly on the lookout for a bargain. Anyone who’s remotely budget-minded will seek out limousine services that are as affordable as they are high-quality. But that doesn’t mean you should necessarily look for the lowest-cost limousine service, the same way you might look for a low-cost air fare. After all, the quality of your next limousine ride hinges upon more than the price tag.

Here are some ways that limousine companies cut costs and pass the “savings” onto you:

  • Cheap, low-quality drinks. It’s essentially a scam: a limousine company cuts its prices and then stocks the limousine itself with nothing but low-quality drinks. Sometimes, they don’t stock any drinks at all—which is fine, if they tell you so upfront. But if a limousine company charges you money for drinks and has nothing but low-quality products on hand, your “low price” was really just “cheap.”
  • Poor service. Quality service tends to come with quality companies, and when it comes to limousines, service is paramount. A limousine chauffeur who offers you little in the way of personal service is often a low-paid, somewhat disgruntled employee thanks to the “inexpensive” approach of his or her superiors. A quality limousine company places a premium on service, and it shows.

Once again, it’s important that you are able to pick quality limousine companies by looking at more than just the price tag.

Experience: The Essential Factor

With all that said, it’s important to remember that a limousine company’s affordability doesn’t necessarily reflect on their quality. A well-run limousine service will offer premium limousines and services for affordable prices simply because they’re an efficient organization that knows how to appeal to customers and takes their services seriously.

If you want to discern the pretenders from the truly dedicated limousine companies, experience should be the deciding factor. As Angi’s List recommends, the amount of years a limousine company has been in business is a great indicator of their ability to offer premium services without charging an arm and a leg. Avoid those limousine companies that seem to pop up out of nowhere offering ridiculous rates—those are the ones looking to make a quick buck off of a budget-conscious consumer.

A little research will go a long way in finding the limousine company that suits your budget as well as your expectations. Of course, we at Marquee Limo Co. know a thing or two about limousine experience and affordability as well—so if you’re interested in finding out our rates, be sure that you check out our Book Now page.

Call the luxury transportation experts at Marquee Limo today!

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