Terms and conditions for a wedding car hire business

A wedding car is booked a year ahead for a day that cannot be moved, in a vehicle chosen for its appearance rather than its reliability. The terms have to say what happens when that car fails on the morning, how long the driver waits, who may ride and what may be attached to the vehicle, and how a booking that far ahead can be cancelled by either side. I draft those terms for a fixed fee of £995, delivered in five working days.

Who this is for

Wedding car, classic car and vintage vehicle hire businesses in England and Wales providing chauffeur-driven cars for weddings, proms and special occasions, which section 75 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 exempts from private hire licensing only while the vehicle is being used for a wedding or funeral, with customers who are consumers booking months in advance.

What matters in wedding car hire terms

The date, the car and the substitute

The terms should confirm the date, the vehicle booked and the route, and should say what happens if the vehicle is unavailable on the day: a substitute of similar standard where possible, and otherwise a full refund, with your liability limited to the price paid. That limit is what the Consumer Rights Act 2015 allows for a service, and it is the clause that matters most, because a classic car cannot be guaranteed to be available on the day.

Timings, waiting and additional journeys

The terms should state the collection time, the number of journeys included, the waiting time allowed at the ceremony, and the charge for additional journeys or waiting beyond it. Late running caused by the wedding party does not extend the booking without agreement, and the terms should say that the driver may leave to meet another booking after a stated period.

Passengers, conduct and the vehicle

The terms should set the number of passengers the vehicle can carry, say that children travel in the seats and restraints the law requires, and that the driver may refuse anyone who is drunk, abusive or a risk to the vehicle. Food, drink and confetti inside the car should be prohibited or charged for cleaning, and damage to the vehicle by the passengers charged at cost.

Decorations, photographs and the route

Ribbons and flowers are part of the service and the terms should say who supplies and fits them, and that nothing may be fixed to the paintwork without your agreement. The driver chooses the route unless a route is agreed in advance, and stops for photographs are included only as stated. The terms should also say that weather, traffic and road closures are outside your control and that you will use reasonable care to arrive on time.

Deposits, cancellation and payment

A booking for a specific date is excluded from the fourteen-day cancellation right by regulation 28 of the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013, so your own cancellation scale applies and must be fair. A non-refundable booking fee that reflects the date being held, a balance due before the wedding and a scale that increases as the date approaches is the usual shape. The terms should also say what happens if the wedding itself is postponed: a transfer to the new date where you are available.

What it costs

Customer or supplier terms and conditions, £995. One set of terms, customer-facing or supplier-facing, drafted for your business. Five working days.

Review of your existing terms, £495. You already have terms and want them checked and brought up to date. Returned marked up with my amendments and an explanation of the changes. Three working days.

Email me at geoffrey@caesar.co.uk with what you need and any documents, and I will confirm the scope and the fee in writing, usually the same working day.

What you get

• A full set of bespoke terms drafted for your business, reflecting the legal requirements that apply to your business and sector
• A note in plain English explaining the terms I have drafted for you
• Liability, payment, termination and IP provisions that protect your position and are drafted to withstand scrutiny from the other side
• Guidance on how to incorporate the terms properly
• Your questions and comments answered by email or phone
• One round of amendments to finalise the terms ready for use

What is not included

• Negotiating your terms with individual customers (I am happy to quote for this as an additional service if required)
• Sector-specific regulatory compliance beyond the contract terms themselves
• Website privacy notice and cookie compliance, which I quote separately
• Terms governed by the law of another country
• Tax advice

Questions I am often asked

The classic car broke down on the way to the church. What am I liable for?

If the terms provide for a substitute where possible and otherwise a refund, with your liability limited to the price paid, that is the extent of it, provided the failure was not caused by your negligence in maintaining the vehicle. The terms cannot exclude liability for injury, which is a different matter.

Can I keep the deposit if the wedding is called off?

The terms can provide for the booking fee to be non-refundable and for a cancellation scale beyond it. Keeping the fee for a date that cannot be resold is fair; keeping the whole balance for a cancellation a year ahead is not.

The couple want to add a journey on the day. Can I charge?

The terms should state the charge for additional journeys and waiting time and make them payable on the day or with the balance, so that the driver can agree to them without a negotiation on the day.

Related guidance and services

• Terms and conditions drafting, £995, the service this page describes
• Contract review, £495
• Terms and conditions for a chauffeur and executive car business
• Terms and conditions for a wedding planner

This page is general guidance for businesses in England and Wales, not advice on your own circumstances. Last reviewed: September 2026. Email geoffrey@caesar.co.uk.