For a wedding around Modesto, book a white Cadillac Escalade limousine for the bride and bridesmaids (up to 16), a black Hummer limousine for the groomsmen (up to 20), a Lincoln Town Car limousine for the couple and a 28-passenger party bus to shuttle guests. Add a black Escalade for parents and grandparents. Here are the cars, the venues from downtown Modesto to Oakdale, Turlock and Ripon, and how to time the day.
On this page
A wedding around Modesto might start in a 1912 theater on 10th Street, move on to a lavender farm in Turlock, or happen under the oaks by the Stanislaus River in Manteca. However your day goes, somebody has to get the bride there on time, the groomsmen there at all, the grandparents there comfortably and the guests home safely. That takes a few good cars and one clear plan. Here are both.
Who rides in what
| The bride and bridesmaids | White Cadillac Escalade limousine, up to 16 |
|---|---|
| The groom and groomsmen | Black Hummer limousine, up to 20 |
| The couple | Lincoln Town Car limousine, up to 6, from the ceremony to the getaway |
| The wedding party or guests | 28-passenger party bus, between the hotel, the ceremony and the reception |
| Parents and grandparents | Black Cadillac Escalade, up to 6 |
| Family flying in | Cadillac XTS sedan, to and from SFO, San Jose, Oakland or Sacramento |
The wedding-day lineup
Each of these is a real listing based in Modesto: tap a photo for the car's page and a free quote for your date.
For the bride: the white Escalade limousine
White on white: the Escalade limousine matches the dress, and it seats up to 16, so the bride, the bridesmaids, the flower girl and Mom all arrive together. Air conditioning and tinted windows keep everyone cool and the dress a secret until the doors open.
Best for: the bride and her bridesmaids.
For the groomsmen: the black Hummer limousine
Groomsmen travel in packs, and the Hummer takes the whole pack: up to 20 seats in a stretched, gloss-black H2. Its real job is to get them to the ceremony early, rings and all.
Best for: the groom, the groomsmen and the after-party.
For the couple: a Lincoln Town Car limousine
After the "I do," the two of you get a car to yourselves: a classic black stretch with room for up to 6, so the maid of honor and the best man can come along to the photos. At the end of the night, the same car makes the getaway.
Best for: the couple, from the ceremony to the getaway.
For the guests: the 28-passenger party bus
A party bus is the wedding's shuttle. It collects guests from the hotel, runs them from the ceremony to the reception and takes them back at the end, so nobody drives after the toasts. With seats for up to 28, it also carries the whole wedding party between photo stops.
Best for: guest shuttles and the wedding party between stops.
For parents and grandparents: a black Escalade
The people who raised you deserve better than the back seat of a cousin's car. A black Cadillac Escalade seats up to 6 on leather, with air conditioning, and it can take them straight from the ceremony to the reception while the rest of you do the photos.
Best for: parents, grandparents and guests of honor.
For family flying in: the Cadillac XTS
Modesto's own airport has no airline flights, so family from out of state lands in San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland or Sacramento, each an hour and a half or more away. A Cadillac XTS sedan seats up to 5 and makes the run, so your aunt arrives at the rehearsal dinner instead of somewhere on the Altamont. See our Modesto airport car service guide.
Best for: airport runs for family, and for the honeymoon flight.
Wedding venues around Modesto, and getting there
A few of the places couples marry around Modesto, and what each means for the cars.
Downtown Modesto. The Century, a 1912 theater turned ballroom at 927 10th Street, and Nine3One, also on 10th Street, are a few blocks from the historic St. Stanislaus Catholic Church on J Street, whose parish began with Modesto's first Catholic church in 1878. A church ceremony and a downtown reception that close together can share the same cars. The McHenry Mansion, an 1883 Victorian on 15th Street, rents out the whole site, with ceremonies in the garden. See wedding car rental in Modesto.
Ceres and Turlock. South on Highway 99, Evanshire Gardens in Ceres is a five-acre garden estate, Pageo Lavender Farm in Turlock is a working lavender farm with a courtyard and a big lawn, and Alegria Ranch in Turlock has a rustic barn. Farm venues mean country roads and long driveways, so send the chauffeur the venue's own directions before the day. See wedding cars in Ceres and wedding cars in Turlock.
Oakdale and Escalon. Fine Venue in Oakdale has three acres of countryside and its own little restored steam train, and Del Rio Vista Garden in Escalon is a waterside garden with a waterfall and a koi pond. See wedding cars in Oakdale and wedding cars in Escalon.
Ripon and Manteca. Spring Creek Golf & Country Club in Ripon has a banquet room and its own catering, and The Rustic Ranch in Manteca is a barn and farm venue on 34 acres along the Stanislaus River, shaded by oaks. See wedding cars in Ripon and wedding cars in Manteca.
Lodi wine country. Visit Lodi counts more than 85 wineries around Lodi, about 40 miles up Highway 99, so a vineyard wedding is within easy reach of Modesto. The party bus is the way to bring guests up from their hotels and home again. See wedding cars in Lodi.
Photos on the way. Two local backdrops worth a stop: the statue of two teenagers on a '57 Chevy at George Lucas Plaza, for a nod to American Graffiti, and the 1863 covered bridge at Knights Ferry, east of Oakdale. Build the stops into the cars' schedule, not the reception's.
The day, car by car
- Morning. The Escalade limousine collects the bride and bridesmaids after hair and makeup; the Hummer collects the groomsmen.
- Before the ceremony. The groom's side arrives first and the bride last, with a few minutes to spare for the photographer.
- After the ceremony. The couple takes the Town Car limousine to the photos, the party bus brings the wedding party along, and the Escalade takes parents and grandparents straight to the reception.
- The send-off. The Town Car limousine waits for the getaway.
- Home time. The party bus takes the guests back to their hotels.
Prefer a classic or a luxury car?
For a vintage look or a grand arrival, these are live listings of wedding cars you can book around Modesto, and they change as cars come and go.
Mercedes-MaybachSeats up to 4 passengers
Mercedes-Benz S-ClassSeats up to 5 passengers
1957 Ford T-BirdSeats up to 2 passengers
Mercedes-Maybach First-Class SedanSeats up to 2 passengers
2015 Rolls-Royce GhostSeats up to 3 passengers
1967 Pontiac Firebird
1977 Beetle ConvertibleSeats up to 2 passengers
1967 Ford Mustang ConvertibleSeats up to 2 passengersSee every option: Wedding Car Rental in Modesto
Tips for booking wedding transportation in Modesto
- Book the cars when you book the venue. Weddings, proms and quinceañeras all want the same Saturdays.
- Count every seat. Flower girls, ring bearers and the photographer who wants to ride along all need one.
- Allow for the drive. A ceremony in Ripon and a reception in Turlock means a run down Highway 99, so build the travel time into the schedule.
- Put it in writing. Every address, any gate code, the run of the day and a contact on the day who isn't the bride.
- Keep the car cool. For a Valley summer wedding, ask for the car to be cooled down before the bride gets in.
Questions couples ask
How many cars do we need for a wedding in Modesto?
Plan on one for the bride's side, one for the groom's side and one for the couple after the ceremony. Add a party bus if guests need moving between the hotel, the ceremony and the reception.
Can a party bus shuttle wedding guests in Modesto?
Yes. The 28-passenger party bus can run guests from their hotel to the ceremony and the reception, and back again at the end of the night.
Do you have wedding limos in Turlock, Oakdale and Ripon?
Yes. The cars in this guide are based in Modesto and cover towns up to about 50 miles away, including Salida, Ceres, Turlock, Oakdale, Escalon, Ripon, Manteca and Lodi.
How far ahead should we book wedding transportation?
As soon as the date and the venue are set. Spring Saturdays are shared with proms and quinceañeras.
What is the best wedding car for photos?
A white limousine next to a white dress is hard to beat, and the white Escalade limousine seats up to 16. For a vintage look, book a classic car.
Can the limo do our getaway at the end of the night?
Yes. Book the Town Car limousine through the send-off, and give the chauffeur the hotel or airport address ahead of time.
Sources
Venues: Here Comes the Guide, Zola, The Knot, Eventective, Green Bow Tie and the Turlock Journal; the McHenry Mansion; St. Stanislaus Catholic Church. Wine country: Visit Lodi. George Lucas Plaza: the Stanislaus County Library. Knights Ferry: Wikipedia. The airport: the City of Modesto.
