Weddings: Decorating The Getaway Car

Friends of a couple who are getting married and you want to decorate their getaway car? Here are some fun ideas to get you started.

When I think of decorations on getaway cars for a newly married couple, two images pop into my head. First, I think of multiple strings of tin cans tied to the back bumper of a car as they noisily mark the couple's exit as they drive away. I also think of that scene from "Steel Magnolias" when Julia Roberts' character realizes that her brothers have gotten hold of her getaway car after her wedding and decorate it from fender to bumper with, as she calls them, "rubbers." Custom calls for the groomsmen to sneak out of the wedding reception at some point and decorate the getaway car before the reception ends. However, as tradition gives way to new thinking, that task could easily fall on anybody's shoulders. With couples hiring limousines and other elegant vehicles to whisk them away after the reception, you will first want to make sure that the car service allows the getaway car to be decorated and to what extent. However, if you are decorating the groom's or bride's personal car, you will still want to be mindful of protecting the car's surface and paint job, so be careful.

One of the easiest and quickest ways to dress up a getaway car is to invest in a stick of white glass markers. These markers (which can be removed with soap and water) are like small brushes that allow the user to write out slogans and draw pictures on the glass of any car. On the front windshield, you could draw two hearts (one for the passenger's side and one for the driver's side), but be sure not to obstruct the driver's view of the road. On the side windows, you can write the name of the couple. On the back window, a cute message like, "Honk! We just got married!" will give other drivers on the road an opportunity to give their congratulations with their horns.

A beautiful way to decorate a car is with fresh or silk flowers. Before the wedding, get the groomsmen together to create a garland of fresh or silk flowers (if you use fresh flowers, roses and carnations will work best since they are able to withstand the elements a little more than delicate flowers). Using a non-marking adhesive, or simply floral wire, string the garlands around the hood of the car and front bumper and around the windows. Try to get flowers that are reminiscent of the colors used during the wedding for a gorgeous effect that will not be lost on the newly married couple.

If money is tight and garlands of fresh or silk flowers are out of the picture, go to a crafts store and invest in some small plastic pom poms that are in the colors of the couple's wedding. Using a non-marking adhesive, line the hood, bumper and windows with these playful pom poms to create a fun effect for the car. Be sure to create a definite contrast between the pom poms and the color of the car itself. For example, if you are decorating a black car, you will not want to use black or navy pom poms. You would use white or pink instead.

Many novelty stores sell "Just Married" temporary license plates that can be engraved with the couple's names and the date of their wedding. If your state does not allow anything but the license plate on the front and back of the car, you can put this temporary license plate on the back window or adhere it to the side of the car.

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