Getting your guests to your wedding in the Hamptons will be more difficult than your average wedding. You will therefore have to rent a bus or two to take them from their accommodations to your ceremony and back. The Hamptons are spread out over a fairly large area, so the ceremony and reception venues could be several towns apart. Some couples choose to have their wedding on the beach in Montauk or Hampton Bays. The reception might be at a vineyard in Bridgehampton or an estate in Sagaponack. Guests may be staying in three different towns for the festivities.
Getting from one venue to another is easy and efficient in New York City because of cabs, ride-sharing, and the subway, but in the Hamptons it is anything but easy. Guests can’t be relied upon to drive their own cars to weddings in the Hamptons. There simply is not enough parking capacity at many estates. Also, in the summer, traffic can be horrific on weekends. And out here ride-share is thin late at night and at remote estates. There’s a lot of drinking that happens at weddings. Getting a bus or two therefore provides a safer option than giving guests the choice of getting behind a wheel.
For guests travelling from NYC, just getting out here might be tricky! There’s a possibility of using the Long Island Rail Road’s seasonal Cannonball express to reach the Hamptons. It cost $33 per person in summer 2026 - it may run again next summer, so be sure to check! Or consider using Hampton Jitney’s charter service for wedding shuttles which starts at $1,500 according to their listing on WeddingWire.
Guest Shuttles
The day will probably be a loop involving the hotel, the church or beach where you’re having the ceremony, then the estate or vineyard where you’re having the reception. If most of the guests are staying in one or two hotels, running a simple loop with posted pickup times works better than ad hoc rides that keep guests standing at the curb and unsure when their ride will show up. But if guests are spread across rentals, you can pick one or two central pickup points and arrange for guests to meet there. Post the pickup locations in your wedding program or website to make sure everyone knows where they need to go.
Leave extra time between the ceremony and reception to allow for photos, hugs, and church doors to open and close. You should allot at least 30 to 45 minutes between the end of the ceremony and the time you expect guests to arrive at the reception.
The number of shuttles you need depends on how many guests you have, and how far apart the ceremony and reception venues are. If you have fewer than 40 guests, and the venues are close to each other, you might be able to get by with one shuttle doing several runs. For 50 to 100 guests, if the venues are 20 to 30 minutes apart, two shuttles running at the same time typically works. If you have more guests, you might need three or more shuttles. Keep in mind, though, that many venues may not be able to accommodate full-size coaches in their driveways, so you might want to opt for 25 to 29 passenger mini-coaches or Sprinter vans.
Guest shuttles are usually quoted separately from the couple’s car, and prices are based on the number of vehicles, not on the number of guests. One Sprinter operator in NYC charges from $200 an hour, with a three-hour minimum, and Hamptons trips are quoted based on the full schedule.
Legal to Operate in New York
When you hire a company, check it is legal to operate in New York. In New York State a carrier generally needs NYSDOT Passenger Operating Authority to carry passengers for pay, but there are exemptions, such as for sedans, station wagons, and minivans. For-hire stretch limos that seat more than 10 people including the driver must have NYSDOT operating authority and be inspected. As of April 20, 2026, you can’t drive a New York-registered stretch limo on the road if it’s older than ten years or has more than 350,000 miles on the clock, whichever comes first. If a stretch limo seats nine or more including the driver, the state says it can’t do U-turns. Buses from out of state must also have a USDOT number and FMCSA operating authority. FMCSA’s ”Look Before You Book” search shows if the company has the required authority and insurance, and their safety record.
Staging and Hold Areas
Where and how the vehicles wait matters. Remember that many estate driveways are single-lane, so make sure there is space for large vehicles to turn around, and that they won’t block the driveway. Confirm with the venues ahead of time what the staging and hold areas are like, and whether there are any one-way driveways, noise or idling rules, or off-site parking requirements.
If your wedding is at a remote estate, make sure you have two or three staggered departure windows to transport everyone back to their accommodations or home. This is preferable to one specific departure time, as it will help avoid a last minute bottleneck at the end of the night. Include the information in your program or on a sign. You can also have someone on site to direct guests to the right vehicle.
For the bridal party vehicles, reserve with the same company if possible to simplify logistics and minimize confusion. Different vendors can create communication gaps on the day.
All the guests will remember the views, flowers and first dance. No one will remember how or when they arrived at the reception. When transportation is planned well in advance, they don’t need to spend any time thinking about how they’ll get to and from the wedding.