Hochzeitoldtimer.ch

Hochzeitoldtimer.ch rents classic cars for wedding drives in eastern Switzerland, always with its own chauffeur. The business is based at Im Weingarten 6 in Oberuzwil, in the canton of St. Gallen, and its fleet page lists five British cars: a Rolls-Royce 20HP Open Tourer, a Bentley GTC, a Jaguar MK2, a Jaguar XK120 and an MG TD. Each has a published half-day and full-day price, which makes this one of the more transparent listings in the category.

The five cars

The site introduces each car with a short tagline in German, and the lines are worth reading because they say what each car is for.

The Rolls-Royce 20HP Open Tourer is headed "Wagen der Könige" (the car of kings). The site says this 20HP cabriolet, bodied by Southern and Compton, exists only once in the world, and that "Er gilt als einer der schönsten Rolls-Royce Cabriolet überhaupt," meaning it is considered one of the most beautiful Rolls-Royce cabriolets of all. It is the formal choice and an open car, which suits an arrival in good weather and a photo stop.

The Bentley GTC is introduced with "Ein wahrer Gentleman rennt nicht" (a true gentleman does not run), followed by the punchline that when he is in a hurry, he takes the Bentley. The site calls it one of the fastest and most refined convertibles in the world.

The Jaguar MK2 gets the tagline "Wolf im Schafspelz" (wolf in sheep's clothing). The site says that at its launch in 1959 it was the fastest production sedan in the world, and that its performance and sound are still thrilling today. The site lists it as its Jaguar Limousine, a closed sedan, which matters on a changeable day.

The Jaguar XK120 is headed "Sehr selten, sehr schön und sehr schnell" (very rare, very beautiful and very fast). The site says theirs is the rarest variant of the model, fitted for racing with a 3.8-liter engine.

The MG TD is the smallest and simplest: light, easy to drive, with straightforward mechanics. The site says the driving fun is probably closer to a go-kart than a car, and calls it "Ein einmaliges Fahrerlebnis 15cm über dem Asphalt" (a one-off driving experience 15cm above the asphalt).

The homepage also says the owners know many more classic cars among their acquaintances and are open to unusual requests, so if none of the five fits, the site invites you to ask.

Prices and how time is counted

The fleet page gives these rates, each for a half day of 4 hours or a full day:

• Rolls-Royce 20HP Open Tourer, CHF 900 per half day, CHF 1700 per full day
• Bentley GTC, CHF 750 per half day, CHF 1400 per full day
• Jaguar MK2, CHF 800 per half day, CHF 1500 per full day
• Jaguar XK120, CHF 700 per half day, CHF 1300 per full day
• MG TD, CHF 600 per half day, CHF 1100 per full day

The chauffeur page sets out the rules behind these figures. The cars are rented only with a chauffeur. They are rented only for half days (up to 4 hours) or full days, and here the page says a full day runs up to 9 hours, while the price list labels the full-day rate 8h; ask which applies. Time is counted from the car's base in Oberuzwil to the agreed place and back to Oberuzwil. The rates include the chauffeur, fuel and unlimited kilometers, and the page says the cost is settled according to the actual hours worked on the day.

The practical upshot for a couple from abroad: the drive from Oberuzwil to your venue and back is part of the booked time, so a venue at the far edge of the region uses up more of a half day than one nearby.

The chauffeur and the day

The chauffeur page introduces "James," and says he always turns up well groomed and in uniform, drives your classic car while you enjoy it, and works in eastern Switzerland and the greater Zurich area. The same page says the business will gladly organize flower decoration and a photographer as well, and the homepage lists flower decoration, champagne and a photographer as extras under "Ein offenes Ohr" (an open ear) for unusual wishes. No prices are given for these extras.

The page also sketches how a wedding drive could run, as an example timeline: the chauffeur puts on his uniform and collects the flowers, sets off with time in reserve, the car pulls up at the ceremony, then a convoy to the restaurant with a photo stop along the way, and finally arrival at the restaurant, where the chauffeur says goodbye and drives home. That is a useful picture of what a half-day booking covers.

The homepage carries two short testimonials. Walter and Leonie Wittmann wrote "Die Fahrt im Rolls Royce gehört zu unseren schönsten Hochzeits-erinnerungen" (the Rolls-Royce drive is among our fondest wedding memories). Jann and Claudia Stalder wrote "Alles hat geklappt von A-Z" (everything worked from A to Z) and said the Jaguar drive gave them a few minutes of calm.

Service area and weather

The homepage names the canton of St. Gallen, Thurgau, Appenzell and Zurich, plus Wil, Winterthur, Frauenfeld, Kreuzlingen, Romanshorn, Arbon, Rorschach, Herisau, Wattwil, Rapperswil and Uster. The chauffeur page frames the area as eastern Switzerland and the greater Zurich area. A wedding in Bern, Geneva or the Alps is outside what the site describes.

One firm limit is stated plainly: "Bei sehr schlechtem Wetter und bei schneebedeckten Strassen können die Oldtimer leider nicht auf die Strasse," meaning the cars cannot go out in very bad weather or on snow-covered roads. The site describes the Rolls-Royce, the Bentley and one Jaguar as cabriolets. For a wedding outside the warm months, or on a day with a bad forecast, ask what happens to the booking and the payment if the car cannot run; the site does not say.

Booking and what to ask

You book by email at info@hochzeitoldtimer.ch, by phone on the number listed on the site, or through the contact form, which asks for name, email, phone, the date of the drive, which of the five cars you are interested in, and a message. The site is in German only, and it does not say whether English is spoken.

The site publishes no deposit, no cancellation terms and no weather policy beyond the rule above. It does not say how far ahead summer dates fill, or whether two cars can be booked together for a larger wedding party. Those belong in your first message.

Who it suits

This suits a couple marrying in eastern Switzerland or around Zurich who wants a rare British classic with a uniformed driver and a clear price before the first email. The range runs from the MG TD at the lower end to the one-off Rolls-Royce, so the budget question is easy to answer from the fleet page.

The trade-offs are the weather rule, the round trip from Oberuzwil counted into your hours, and a German-only site. For a warm-season wedding in the region, those are manageable.