Helicopter wedding hire guide
Make it a day to remember by hiring a helicopter for a wedding, with a helicopter send off being a good way to make use of the chopper.
To hire a helicopter for a wedding the operator will do most of the organising, as it entails tasks unbeknown to most people. Costs can start at $1,500 to $2,000 per hour, but can cost more or much less, with a minimum one hour. Chartering a helicopter could be for a big send off or chauffeuring guests.
Its sure to be a day to remember as the bride and groom are whisked away in a luxury helicopter flight, directly after the ceremony as a special send off.
Organising the process is in the hands of the helicopter operator; all you need to do it find a local helicopter charter company.
Costs associated with hiring a helicopter for a wedding or honeymoon travel is not as much as you may think.
To avoid high costs be sure to hire a 4 seater, Robinson R44 helicopter. However, if costs are not a problem then there are a number of 6-seater helicopters made available.
Number one event an helicopter is used for at a wedding is the big send off. If not, why not use it to chauffeur guests from the ceremony to the venue - after its transferred you as the bride and groom of course.
As a matter of safety, the helicopter would be stationary on a large open field for it to land, while guests are kept way back.
Helicopter wedding hire is a little different to hiring say a limo, as you can get in and out of it like any mode of road transport.
With the helicopter the bride and groom, bridesmaid or groomsmen - whoever are hiring the helicopter - will need to practice.
That will involve arriving at the helicopter charter company offices to run through procedures.
And remember, all this will involve the women wear dresses and, or heels; well the gents will probably be wearing slippery shoes - not ideal for climbing in and out of a chopper.
Organising a helicopter wedding charter
Hiring a helicopter for use in a wedding ceremony shouldn't be much more difficult than hiring a limousine, horse and cart.
That is because you only do so much of the organising, the rest is up to the helicopter operator who will do the fine tuning.
So what is involved and where do you get started?
Well to begin with you should already have your big day planned, with church, venue and other events finalised.
Than you can begin the task of fixing up a helicopter for the wedding.
To do that you need to first search for a helicopter charter company in your city, county or state - whatever relates to you wherever you're in the world.
Often the helicopter company will have a special events page on there site, but if not then be sure to give them a call.
They will want details and lots of them, for example what I have previously mentioned such as church location, venue, etc.
What is more important is the use of the helicopter; be it a send off, a landing in your garden - or perhaps a flight to and from the venue.
Helicopter charter companies can then go away and assess your requirement; all while getting onto the right authorities to see if your requirements can be met.
Booking price for wedding
Price of a helicopter wedding hire will sure dig a deep hole in your wedding budget, so be sure its something you really want.
To hire a helicopter for a wedding day you can be guaranteed a minimum one hour fee will be a requirement.
Then its up to you if you want to pay for another hour or two.
This one hour hire time will cost you in the region of $1,500 to $2,000, give or take.
However, that will depend on many things but don't be surprised if you get it much cheaper, or on a rare occasion, costing you much more.
That is why its important to hire a helicopter for a wedding locally.
If you need to bring in a helicopter charter company from a far; all that additional flight time will need to be covered - even before you've boarded.
Helicopter model in use also plays a vital role with money matters; so again you will need to know a little about that, which I have done so up next.
Helicopter type requirement
Don't get caught out hiring a helicopter for your wedding with all the extra's you do not need - namely a 6-seater helicopter when a 4-seater will do.
I'll give you a nice little tip now; if booking for bride and groom send off only, for example, then it must be a 4-seater Robinson R44.
Its a reliable helicopter that will sit the bride and groom in the back with a spare, empty seat next to the helicopter pilot.
Robinson R44 helicopters are one of the cheapest helicopters to operate, therefore will help keep those costs down.
Don't be fouled into thinking a larger, turbine powered helicopter is what you need unless you intend to cater for your bridesmaid or groomsman.
The Bell JetRanger is a popular choice but is a 5-seater; so unless you plan to fill all seats, it would be a waste of money.
Space is also important, so a small Robinson R44 helicopter requires less landing area than its bigger brothers and sisters.
So there you have it, don't get fouled into hiring a more expensive to run helicopter when a single engine, pistol powered 4-seater helicopter model is all you need.
Ultimate 'Send Off' experience
Many ways to make a beautiful send off after the ceremony, but can any of them beat that of taking off in a helicopter.
Common bride and groom 'send off' methods would normally be one of; waving streamers, releasing balloons or sky lanterns, throwing flower petals or blowing bubbles, for example.
Instead, why not forgot about those traditional, yet highly traditional send off methods by allowing your bridesmaids or guests to greet you as you make your way to the chopper.
No rush either as the helicopter will be in an idle, engines off position so there's no rush as you're saying your goodbyes.
Send offs for the bride and groom in a helicopter will be rehearsed at the helicopter operators airfield or heliport location.
That way you'll know how to enter or exit the helicopter all by yourself.
To make it safe for the your guests the pilot will need help with procedures, well making sure everyone's back before the engines are on.
So it will probably proceed on a nice big green field or meadow you'll be lifting off from, and should make for a safe, no nonsense process.
Send off via a churchyard that is still respectable yet is an open landing place would be perfect, yet the private lands of a manor or hotel where the wedding ceremony could take place would be better.
Helicopter wedding day hire uses
Not only is hiring a helicopter for a wedding limited to one or two tasks; its entirely up to you as the bride or groom, how you want to use the helicopter.
So let's take for example you hired the helicopter for the minimum one hour.
In that time it would be easy to complete the task you hired the chopper for; but with time left over, you'll need to use it for other reasons.
With that in mind, allow me to suggest a few fun, yet exciting uses of a helicopter you originally hired for the purpose of a send of or simple house to church transfer.
You won't be alone making up your mind for types of uses; as the helicopter company is sure to plan a route, suggest activities or gain permission by land owners.
House to church
Very effective method on hiring a helicopter for a wedding is getting the bride to the ceremony location from her home or place of stay.
If you have a large garden for sure it would be absolutely ideal for the helicopter to land in your backyard - as you're the land owner - so no need for permission.
In landing at your home or perhaps a hotel where you may be staying; the helicopter will land, then turn off engines - awaiting for your arrival.
No rush at this stage as the pilot will be patiently waiting, knowing there's lots of things to finalise before you, or the bridesmaids proceed to the church or venue the wedding is taking place.
Church to venue
You may have arrived to the church or ceremony location the traditional way; yet hiring the helicopter to chauffeur the bride and groom to the venue, after the wedding.
Venue I am talking about is a place where the after party will commence; so it could be a hotel or private property.
To make this go as planned the helicopter would land near the church or on a open field where its safe to land a chopper - likewise a safe landing place should be at the venue.
As its to the venue only and not a send off, it won't be unusual to see the helicopter bring the happy couple, and perhaps close friends to the venue also.
Bride and groom send off
Once again I bring you back to hiring the helicopter for the bride and groom send off, directly from the wedding ceremony venue.
No one should be throwing flower petals or releasing balloons at this stage; as the process will be dangerous for the helicopter to lift off.
Therefore, the send off is for the bride and groom to walk out of the ceremony doors, well being greeted by friends and family only.
In that time the happy couple will make there way to the helicopter as the pilot helps you both into your seats.
Send off with use of a helicopter would mean the couple will not return; so there's no after party or event taking place.
Bridesmaid or groomsmen entrance
Quite and fun, interesting way the group of bridesmaids or more commonly seen, the groomsmen arriving at the ceremony is via a helicopter.
Nice, private little landing spot would be reserved by the management of the ceremony location, so the helicopter can land - along with the groomsmen in a safe environment.
Its not a common thing to see the bridesmaid arrive this way as the dresses and heels can be bit of a nuisance.
For the guys they have the luxury of wearing appropriate clothing for a helicopter ride.
Cost of the helicopter ride would land on the feet of the groomsmen; but why not use the helicopter to send off the bride and groom after the ceremony... as a special surprise.
Chauffeuring guests
I've actually seen this procedure myself, its where a helicopter lands at the church or wedding ceremony grounds, to chauffeur all guests to the after party or event.
You will be hiring the helicopter by the hour so this is a grand way for you to bring friends, family and assorted guests to the after party venue, in a once in a lifetime event.
However, the Church or, and wedding after venue will need a grounds person to see people in and out of the helicopter.
It might not be an option as its comes at cost, but it might be the only way to proceed as instructed by the local authority.
Flight rehearsal
Its not who is responsible for hiring the helicopter for a wedding ceremony, but more so the people who will be taking the helicopter flight.
It will involve the couple or group to practice how the events will unfold on the day, as to make sure it goes off without a hitch.
If you're hiring the helicopter for the bride and groom send off; then both of them will need to know what that means.
It will take place at the helicopter operators offices; so here you'll be instructed how to safely board and exit the chopper.
Out on the tarmac, you'll be shown around the helicopter well practicing how to get in and sit, or exit without help of the pilot.
If its a pilot assisted procedure, then he or she will work with you through the whole process, making sure nothing goes a miss.
Having said it all that, the bride and groom - or if you're hiring as a bridesmaid or groomsmen - will need to practice what is a regular process, only you'll be wearing attire not really suitable for a helicopter ride.
Therefore, the bride or bridesmaids will need to know how to hold there dresses well entering and exiting the helicopter - as to avoid flashing everyone.
That also needs to be done well you'll probably be wearing high heels or flat pumps in many cases.
Not an easy process climbing up the skid of a helicopter in such attire, so all that will need to be considered, to make sure there's no unturned stone on the day.
Make sure operator is prepared
Its quite common to see the pilot or ground staff who're part of the helicopter company arriving unprepared.
By that I mean they turn up in everyday clothing - such as jeans, sweater - with no relation or care to the event taking place.
Pilots or ground staff need to wear what is comfortable to carry out there duties in the safest possible way.
To do that the pilot will wear what he or she commonly wears while piloting a helicopter; well the ground staff - if you need one - will wear a high visibility vest.
However, in case of the pilot it won't hurt to make sure he or she does arrive in a suit that is in keeping with the wedding.
Not as important if they remain in the helicopter at all times, but if they need to exit to help the bride or groom enter the helicopter... its not a nice look in photographs.
To make sure that does not happen on your big day, its imperative you ask personally that the pilot dress for the occasion - with a suit, shoes and a tie.
Never will a helicopter charter company reject such a fair request, but If they can't then think about using a different operator.
Helicopter Honeymoon hire
One more use you can get out of a helicopter is not so much for the wedding or after party event - but when you set off for your honeymoon.
This could be directly after or during the after party event, where the bride and groom set off in the helicopter - never to be seen for a week or two.
However, hiring the helicopter for air travel to another country would not be possible in most cases.
You will need to hire the helicopter if the honeymoon location is within your country - or at least near a country border crossing.
Example of that is if you hire a helicopter for a wedding in the UK; then you can use the helicopter to travel over to France or Ireland.
Likewise, If you're in Hawaii, you could hire a private helicopter in Kauai to take you to your honeymoon location in near by Oahu or Maui, for example.
Bad example of that is attempting to hire a helicopter to a destination that is out of range.
Hiring a helicopter for a honeymoon is a marvelous way to get to your hotel or place of stay in one of the most romantics way possible.
It could coincide with a nice blue sky, but if your lucky it could be a sunset helicopter flight.
Summary
Hiring a helicopter for a wedding should not be any more difficult then hiring a limo or horse and carriage for the ceremony.
That is because the responsibility lies on the hands of the helicopter operator.
All you need to do is find the service you want to use, let them know the purpose of your helicopter charter - then let them do the legwork.
That means the helicopter company will then proceed with seeking permission from land owners, or going through the hassle of phoning up local authorities or the council.
Where else permission will be needed will be organized between them and your wedding ceremony location or, and after party event, if any.
Prices to pay for a minimum one hour helicopter hire would be in the region of $1,500 to $2,000 - but it can cost more or far less.
That is if you book a pistol powered, 4-seater Robinson helicopter; as its the cheapest to run, yet one of the most reliable helicopters in the world.
Whatever helicopter charter companies you decide to use, you can be sure they operate a Robinson R44, or in a position to meet your request.
One major use of a helicopter can be used to take the bride and groom away on there big send off.
Other uses can be for transferring bride or groom to the church from private land or your backyard.
Then its possible to use up the whole hour to two by chauffeuring guests from the church or ceremony location to the after party, if its a short flight away.
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