How to Decorate Your Wedding Car

When it comes to decorating wedding cars there are two distinct ways to do it; dependent upon whether the car is carrying the bride to the ceremony, or whether it’s the vehicle in which the happy couple are making their getaway from the reception! In the first instance the dressing is distinctly formal and in the second it should be as completely mischievous as possible!

The wedding car taking the bride to the church should be decorated according to the wishes of the bride and should reflect both her personality and the wedding theme. For some that will be a serious and sincere statement with elegant ribbons, for others not so formal and with an injection of humour. But, the overriding principle is that the bride should approve; after all it is her last journey as a single woman and she should arrive at the place of marriage in a non-agitated state.

However, unlike the rest of the wedding which is normally planned and executed with the consent of the bride and groom, dressing the ‘getaway’ car is a privilege reserved exclusively for friends and family, traditionally the best man. Done properly, the bride and groom will be the last to know what their honeymoon transport will look like and by then it will be too late to make alternative arrangements.

Designed to draw attention to the fact that the occupants of the vehicle are newlyweds, the wedding car is traditionally adorned by beer cans tied with string to the bumper, a large hand-painted ‘just married’ sign and the obligatory ribbons. But, these days' people tend to break with tradition to write their own unique messages and dress the car in ‘alternative’ ways.

Whatever message is scrawled on the car or the windows, the golden rule is don’t obstruct the driver’s view. After all, when the groom applies for future car insurance quotes, he doesn’t want to have to declare that he lost his no claims bonus because he had an accident on his wedding day. Another good tip is to use liquid chalk to write such messages as that is easily cleaned, as opposed to emulsion paint which is guaranteed to make you incredibly unpopular with the owner of the vehicle.

Specialist companies also supply hearts and other shaped magnets that attach easily to the exterior of the car on which they will print the names of the bride and groom. These are also easily removed with a slight tug once the newlyweds decide it’s time to ‘undress’ their wedding car.

Lastly, don’t forget the aerial. It has to be turned into something humorous with the attachment of a suitable object, or even just a balloon. Use your imagination and remember that the purpose of dressing a newlywed’s car is to draw attention to it.