Transportation

Island Weddings94

Transportationwedding on the Island abounds with romantic ideas to incorporate into a

wedding, and transportation is no exception. Imagine a picturesque drive past the harboror up Main Street to the church or reception in a horse-drawn carriage, a ride in an antique car or the entire wedding party being driven to the reception on an antique fireengine. These are just a few of the many possibilities that exist on Nantucket.

A popular reason to choose the Island for a wedding is one of simple geography. Nantucket allows for a feeling of remoteness, of being away from all the hassles andstress of the mainland. However, this specialness requires extra planning from the couple. Unless they are familiar with the Island, wedding guests will need to know transportation details. This includes how they can reach the Island, as well as information for transportation once they have arrived. Including travel informationwith wedding invitations is a good way of giving out this information. Guests shouldknow that they have two options of getting to the Island, either by flying or by taking aferry (fast ferries are one hour trips, the traditional ferry is a two-and-a-half hour trip)from Cape Cod.

Planes depart from Hyannis and from other major airports, so include the names andreservation numbers of airlines that service the Island. This information can be obtained from Island travel agents or by calling the airlines directly. A trip to the Islandby air from Hyannis is quick, convenient and a beautiful way to see the landscape. Trulythe way to arrive on Island unless there is fog, which, of course, keeps the planes on theground.

The other mode of transportation is by boat. Longer, but definitely relaxing and a wayto unwind slowly. The Island is served by the Woods Hole, Marthas Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority, which carries automobiles and passengers. There are otherboat lines that carry passengers only, and they operate seasonally. Guests need not makereservations for the traditional boat (two-and-a-half hours) unless they are planning tobring their car, which is entirely unnecessary, as there are many car rental companies.Also remind guests that the ocean breezes are quite cool, even in the summer, but moreso in the fall and spring. Therefore, appropriate clothing is recommended for the outdoordecks so guests can enjoy the beautiful seascapes.

Another piece of information to pass along is the amount of time travel will take, as thismay determine the mode of transportation a guest chooses. Plane trips vary accordingto your place of origin, but if you are leaving from Hyannis, the trip to Nantucket takes20 minutes.

A final note of information is to consider the weather. The boats do not run when thewind is too strong (30 miles per hour or more), and fog keeps the planes on the ground.This should not be a deciding factor on how to get to the Island; however, it may changetravel at the last minute.

Once everyone has made it safely to the Island, transportation for guests is somethingto plan for. Remember that guests may want to explore the Island in their free time.Most Island weddings are three day events (Friday the rehearsal dinner or cocktail reception for guests, Saturday the wedding and Sunday the farewell brunch), so gueststend to have a lot of time to sightsee and shop. This will make your wedding a romantic adventure for your guests as well. Information and rates for rental of cars,four- wheel drive vehicles, mopeds and bicycles can be obtained through the many rentalcompanies that serve each Island. Rental companies may even have group rates available;be sure to ask.

Arrangements and information regarding travel will take a little extra time, but it mayallow more friends and relatives to attend your important day.

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