So, you are getting read for your big day. We realize that there are many plans to be made and decisions that go along with those plans. You also have all of your vendors to hire which means some that pop out at you right away. The sexy vendor that you have to think about right off the bat is your wedding venue for your reception. There are also a number of vendors related to your venue like your caterer, cake designer, and live band. But one of the vendors that many people completely neglect is valet parking. Depending on how many guests you are going to have and how far away the parking is from your venue, this can be an essential and very important hire. In fact, we would go as far as to say that if you really care about your guests, this is a must hire. You shouldn't have any problem finding valet services in the Charleston area, you just want to make sure that the parking service that you hire is reputable and professional. And with that in mind, we have provided you with some critical questions that you definitely must ask any prospective parking contractor that you interview and consider for your wedding day.

Start asking your family and friends to see if they have ever hired a valet service before. If they have and if all went well, get the name of the contractor. Also, do a Google search for “valet service in the Charleston area.” Ask one of your wedding vendors that you have hired if they have any connections in this regard. From these sources, you should be able to come up with a number of candidates that you will want to check into further. Set up some dates and times to meet and talk about the possibilities. When you meet with a representative, find out how long they have been in business. Longevity is a great sign in terms of stability and the service that they have been providing. You might as well get the price out of the way early in your conversation. Most vendors will give you a quote based on per hour and then per attendant. You will also have to figure in insurance costs so make sure that they provide you with that information when you are trying to get a handle on what the bottom line is. How much training do they provide to their associates? Are their employees well versed in safety as well as customer service. How well do they screen their valets? This is very important because these are people who will be handling your guests cars.

Are they properly insured? This is essential. They should be able to provide you with a copy of their certificate of insurance. If they cannot then they are not properly insured and you need to move to the next candidate on your list. What happens if one of the valets causes damage to one of your guests vehicles? Does the company have an in-house claims department? There is some information that you will want to provide to the valet service. You will need to tell them the number of guests you are expecting. They also need to know if there is sufficient parking close the the venue. And tell them the time the reception begins and ends.

Have a discussion about how many valets do you suggest you have available. There are different rules of thumb, but in general valet services will provide 1 uniformed valet for every 10 cars. How do they operate inclement weather? For instance, if it is raining, will the valets have umbrellas? Ask for references and check each one out thoroughly. These are people who have experienced the valet company's service first hand and know how good or bad their service really is. Doing your due diligence now will pay off in the long run because one thing you want to make sure of is that your special guests are treated just that way, special.