Don’t we all love a touch of luxury? And when this luxury comes in the form of a classic car, and dressed in your beautiful wedding gown, it would be hard to resist the urge to give onlookers just a little bit of a wave with a gloved hand would it not? Triple R Luxury Car Hire take great pride in providing superb service, beautifully maintained vehicles and friendly and efficient chauffeurs. Feel like a princess, be treated like a Queen and step out to your wedding ceremony feeling as if this is just the start of a brilliant day. Now where’s your tiara?

Would you tell us a little about the history of Triple R Luxury Car Hire? Did you always have a passion for classic cars?
The Triple R collection started with my dad Micky Jovanovic the founding and managing director of Triple R and an avid car enthusiast as well. He was working as a wedding photographer in the early 1980’s and he’d turn up to photograph weddings with his 1953 Bentley. Everyone would always make a fuss over it. Before too long he was offering wedding cars as part of his photographic packages. Within a few years there was a fleet of 10 cars and now there are 40.

What was the catalyst for hiring out your cars for weddings and events?
Well it was a combination of things – the attention the Bentley received from his photography clients was a big factor, but also an incident that occurred at his own wedding day in 1981 really helped him decide he could offer a better service. He’d hired 2 wedding cars to pick up my mum and her bridal party on the day of their wedding. The lead Rolls Royce never turned up. In those days there were no mobile phones so no body knew what was going on. Thanks to few phone calls to friends and neighbours, they were able to organise some family cars to get my mum to the church and then later transport everyone to the reception. Seeing my mum get stressed on her wedding day made my Dad determined to provide a top class service. In fact, because we do have so many cars in our fleet, there is almost no chance that a bride will be left without a wedding car, even on a rare occasion when a car breaks down.

Do other family members participate in the business?
Throughout our 33 years history a good number of our family have been involved in some way or another. Currently in the office we have Micky, my mum Manuela, my aunt Pia and myself. My brothers and other family members also chauffeur for us. Many of our non-family chauffeurs have been with us for over 10 and some even 20 years. We consider them to be family as they love their jobs and take great pride in creating a special experience for all our brides and grooms.

Image by Eric Ronald Photography

You have such a magnificent collection of classic European cars – where did you find them?
Many cars were imported from the UK in the 1980’s, others were acquired from classic car collections and fastidious owners who cared for their vehicles with great passion. Some of our rarest and perhaps most valuable vehicles were restored from wrecks found in paddocks and junk yards – if only their original owners could see them now! My dad has a particular interest in restoring cars in deteriorated condition and it gives him great pride when he spends months and sometimes years bringing an abandoned gem back to life. There ‘s a lot of history in our cars and I think people really feel that when they step into one of them.

Why the European Marques – why are they so special?
Nothing exudes more timeless beauty than luxury European marques. The nuts and bolts of these vehicles are meticulously built with the same finesse as their exteriors. Micky’s fascination and interest in the engineering of these vehicles has been translated into the business. Rolls Royce, Bentley, Jaguar and Mercedes…these were the most prestige marques over 60 years ago and they still are today. Their design has not dated over all these years, nor has their promise of luxury.

Do you restore them yourself?
Yes we do, and yes they are high maintenance! As I have already said, Micky’s passion is restoration and our latest restorations include a stunning 2-tone Jaguar Mk7 Sedan, and an iconic Mercedes 300D. Restoration is a slow process and requires patience. Day to day maintenance however is a full time job for a whole crew. We have mechanics, electricians, panel beaters and upholsterer’s who are not only specialists in their respective fields, but specialists in classic cars. Thanks to the great care and love they bring to their work, our cars are always in top condition.

What was the first car you started with?
Well it was Micky’s 1953 Grey Bentley Dawn (that is still in the fleet today but is Two Tone) that spawned the idea for Triple R. However, it was probably the acquisition of the 1968 Daimler Limo the same car that was used as the Queen’s vehicle during her stays in Melbourne and garaged permanently at Government house, that really saw Triple R becoming the business it is today.

How quickly did your collection grow? Has it taken a lifetime to accumulate the number and variety of cars you have?
The Triple R fleet as it is now has been built over a period of 33 years, but the number of vehicles grew to about 50 in 1998. Some cars have been with us from the very early days, others are more recent additions. Our fleet number has remained constant for the last 15 years at about 40 cars, but as trends and fashions change, so has the fleet. At one stage in the late 1980’s we acquired Lang Hancock’s black Mercedes Grossa Limousine, the same model that drove the Beatles to and from their shows in Melbourne. Even though it was an amazing example of retro chic, it just wasn’t very popular at the time so we replaced it. At one stage, all our cars were white, but more recently black cars have become popular. We now have black, two tone and white vehicles in our range. Some of our favourite cars have been retired to make room for models that are more popular. The business has operated for so long that we can attest to the fact that even cars can come in and out of fashion.

Do you have a favourite?
The 220S Mercedes convertible is one of my favourites for its beauty, rich red leather interior and driving dynamics. It really is a timelessly classic design and a beautiful car to look at and to drive, and there’s nothing quite like a drive with the top down on a nice sunny day.

What questions should bridal couples ask when considering wedding car hire?
The key things to consider are how many passengers need transportation, the location of the ceremony and reception, and how many hours you need the car for. This will determine how many cars are required and ensure suitable options can be arranged.
The colour and style of car are a big consideration as is choosing cars that will suit the style of wedding.
Our website contains a guide to choosing the perfect wedding cars. The guide includes points of consideration to assist clients with their planning,
The guide can be found here http://tripler.com.au/planning-your-wedding-day-transport.

Image by Dezine By Mauro

Do you have some tips/advice you can give the bride and groom when planning their car hire?
Always read reviews, view photographs, and of course view the fleet of cars before confirming your booking. A good supplier should always be willing to share this information with you prior to booking. Additionally, always chose a wedding car supplier who is a member of their States’ Wedding Car Association. These considerations will ensure you receive the finest service in the lead up to and on your special day. Triple R Luxury Car Hire is an accredited member of this WCA of Victoria association and we have recently been awarded Winner of the 2014 ABIA Awards (Transport category), as voted by our brides.

How far out from the wedding should they contact you to book transport?
Here at Triple R, we suggest the sooner you enquire the better. During peak wedding periods (Oct-March), we suggest couples enquire at least 6-12 months in advance, as there is greater demand during these times and some vehicles are usually booked up to 12 months in advance. The earlier a client enquires with us, the greater the chances are of your ideal car being available for your wedding date. This advice is especially relevant if you require multiple vehicles on your wedding day.

Do you offer packages in short and longer hourly increments? Are there any ‘extras’ included in the packages you offer?
All our vehicles come with a 3 hour minimum hire for Weddings, followed by an additional charge for every hour thereafter. All clients are offered use of a ‘Red Carpet’, sparkling wine, chilled water, hand fans for warmer weather, umbrellas, and blankets during cooler months. Triple R tailors all packages especially to each client’s requirements for their special day, ensuring their every need can be accommodated wherever possible.

Do you advise on the cars most suited to particular styles of wedding, or are couples just in awe and choose their favourite dream car?
Yes, every wedding is treated individually. Every effort is made to really understand each client’s needs and the style of their wedding on the day. We want them to choose a car that they love the look of and suggest the correct combinations to ensure that they will look fantastic in their wedding photos. Some clients will have a car that they fall in love with as soon as they see it – others will be keen to hear our input into the car selection. We have an abundance of professional photographs and albums available on our website and in our showroom for our clients’ convenience, showcasing the countless car combinations available, as used in our real weddings we have serviced.

What area of Victoria do you service?
We service mainly the Melbourne metro area and surrounding suburbs as well as the Yarra Valley, Daylesford, Geelong and surrounding suburbs, Dandenong Mountains and also Mornington peninsula.

Any funny stories you can share with us?
One recent memory was providing wedding cars for Paula and Adrian we had so much fun throughout the drives between photo locations around the city. A pet pig even played a role as special guest! The owner was taking a leisurely stroll down Bourke St in the CBD with leash and pig in hand – certainly a one-off experience in my time driving wedding cars, and definitely added to the hilarity of an already fun filled day! We were lucky to get some pictures with the bride with her pig too which was great.

What do you like to do in your spare time?
I enjoy anything that has an engine and when I can figure out how to incorporate motorbikes into the Triple R business plan, I’ll very happy.
Since I was a kid I’ve always enjoyed drawing and art and having a creative outlet. Over the past 7 years I have grown a strong passion and interest in photography to get my creative fix. I also like spending time with my beautiful girlfriend and exploring the abundance of cultural activities that Melbourne life has to offer.

A big thank you to Alex and the team at Triple R Luxury Care Hire for sharing your story. To find out more about Triple R Luxury Car Hire visit the website.

Team shot by Tania Jovanovic. All other images courtesy of Triple R Luxury Car Hire.