How to Deal with Chicago Traffic for your Wedding Day
As we approach the Chicago marathon weekend, there are plenty of things to consider with your wedding day but one that many couples forget about is the traffic. The traffic in Chicago can really throw a massive wrench into your wedding day if you aren’t planning accordingly, so it’s important to make sure that you have thought through everything in this area. To make sure that your wedding day runs relatively on time, here are the things to consider when it comes to the Chicago traffic.
Checking the Area for Events
Chicago is a unique place to have your wedding because of all of the things that are always happening. When you have picked your wedding day or you’re starting to put together your timeline with your coordinator, it’s good to gear up for potential events that are happening at the same time or in the same area. Looking on Google for any upcoming events and checking if they are close to your wedding venue or that traffic will be heavier is essential.
Check the Times for Nearby Events
Along the same lines, if there are any overlaps for the times of nearby events it’s good to note that and plan accordingly. If your out-of-town guests are going to be heading to your ceremony at the same time the traffic might be heavy for a football game at Soldier Field, there may be some difficulty for them to arrive on time. We recommend letting any of your guests know about these potential issues in advance so that they know to plan for extra travel time. The goal is that we can start your wedding on time and factoring in the potential pitfalls will help us be as prepared as possible!
Plan your Transportation
One thing that is crucial to plan ahead is how you are getting to each location and who you are going with. We always recommend getting a party bus or a mode of transportation for you and your wedding party to all ride together because it eliminates lateness and traffic for everyone. If that isn’t in the cards, you can carpool in your own cars or Ubers to make sure you are ready to go. We recommend scheduling your Ubers in advance instead of calling them the day-of so you aren’t waiting on them to arrive after you need to leave. It’s typically much simpler for you to have a party bus or two to make sure everyone is all in the same place and you’re not waiting on one rogue groomsmen that didn’t get the memo it was time to leave!
Add Travel Time into the Timeline
In our timelines, we always make sure to factor in travel time. Anticipating and planning for it makes sure that even with the latest expected timeframe, we are still ready for you to arrive on time to where you need to go. It’s always easier to work with you arriving early than it would be if you are late! If you need help planning your timeline, you can also read our blog post about creating a timeline to make sure you have this all covered.
Planning your wedding in Chicago can prove to be rather difficult if you aren’t considering all of the factors for your day. The traffic really can make or break your wedding timeline and wedding schedule in Chicago specifically, so it’s really important to plan accordingly so you aren’t stuck in a bad spot for your day. If you need more help planning for your wedding, you can reach out to us at our contact page and we can talk more about your wedding day timeline and plans.
