Few days feel more special than your wedding day, and on such a momentous occasion, the average family sedan simply won't cut it. While Covid-19 pushed back their plans for a large and extravagant ceremony, some family friends of ours didn't let the global pandemic stop them from entering into the bond of eternal matrimony.

As a gift, we provided the bride and groom the perfect first ride as husband and wife: a 2020 Bentley Flying Spur First Edition to act as their chariot from the ceremony to the small, socially distanced reception afterward. As Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins will attest, we couldn't have picked a better vehicle to act as the wedding car. Here's why the Bentley Flying Spur can turn any occasion, whether it's a wedding or a trip to the grocery store, into an event.

It Exudes Elegance

Now in its third generation, Bentley recently built the 40,000th Flying Spur model. Bentley took a similar approach to redesigning the Flying Spur as it did with the two-door Continental GT; less is more. Much like how a new Porsche 911 doesn't start from a blank canvas, the new Flying Spur evolves from the outgoing model while improving on the lines. New additions include full-LED matrix headlights, twin oval stainless steel tailpipes, and optional 22-inch wheels. At 209.3 inches long, the Flying Spur has more than enough presence to act as a wedding car.

Bentley offers 17 colors for the exterior, though the company's Mulliner division will happily expand those options based on customer demand. We couldn't have chosen a more suitable color for the occasion than the shade of Ice on this First Edition model. With the Blackline Specification eliminating all chrome accents from the front, the Flying Spur looks classically elegant yet youthful at the same time.

It Blends Into Any Occasion

Though built to impress, the Flying Spur feels more reserved than a Rolls-Royce. The Bentley looks equally at home parked in front of a cozy wedding ceremony as it does on the drive of a mansion or in the parking lot of a Wawa to pick up subs for the bride and groom after the reception. Unlike a Rolls-Royce Ghost, the styling doesn't scream wealth so loudly that you'd fear to take it on any humdrum errands.

In the days leading up to the wedding, we explored what it would be like to own the Flying Spur as an everyday vehicle. We took it on our weekly grocery run, on a trip to the hardware store, and even to a drive-in movie event. While the other moviegoers couldn't believe that a Bentley just pulled in next to them, all were anxious to take pictures of the car rather than ignore it like an ostentatious toy.

It Brings The "Wow Factor"

The Flying Spur has that wow factor, especially when optioned with the $4,860 Illuminated Flying B Radiator Mascot. The 2020 model is the first Flying Spur to feature the Bentley Flying B hood ornament, which can retract into the hood on-demand or with the ignition turned off. The illuminated mascot features light-up wings that cut through the black of night. We couldn't imagine ordering a Flying Spur without it.

A Back Seat Fit For Royalty

Though Bentley says that most of its customers prefer to be in the driver's seat, they have at least one passenger in the back seat more than 50% of the time. In this case, we had a bride and groom back there, and the Flying Spur rose to the occasion. The rear seats offer a whopping 42.9 inches rear legroom, which is spacious even for a bride wearing a full wedding dress.

Once cocooned in the luxurious rear quarters, Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins could use the ejectable touchscreen tablet to control all elements of their environment. The bespoke tablet can adjust the radio, massaging seats, sun blinds, mood lighting, and more. During our ride to the reception, the happy couple jammed out to some of their favorite songs on the Flying Spur's superb 21-speaker Naim audio with 2,200 watts.

It Gets You There In A Hurry

No one wants to be late on their wedding day, and the Flying Spur's marvelous engine would never let such a tragedy occur. A sportier V8 option will be available next year, but our Flying Spur came with the larger 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12 mill. This atomic power station delivers 626 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque, launching more than 5,000 pounds of British metal to 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds. The Flying Spur's launch control revs the engine to 4,000 rpm before instantly dumping the clutch and launching its occupants into their seatbacks.

It's not just the speed that's jaw-dropping; it's the way this engine delivers power. You rarely need to go above 2,000 rpm to pass slower traffic, and when you do feel the need, the engine growls all the way to its 207 mph top speed. In traffic, the eight-speed dual-clutch transmission feels utterly infallible, executing perfectly non-detectable gear shifts.

Still A Driver's Car

It's worth remembering that the Flying Spur rides on the same platform as the Porsche Panamera, one of the best driving sedans in the world. Though other performance sedans can outpace the Flying Spur, few will do so while cocooning their passengers from the outside world. The three-chamber air suspension cushions you over bumps while the all-wheel-steer and 48-volt anti-roll system help it feel nimble around the bends.

It doesn't matter if you are traveling 80 mph or 180 mph, over a perfect pavement in Germany or the torn-up streets of New York, the Flying Spur never waivers. We stayed in the Comfort setting as we carried out our chauffeur duties, but Sport mode tightens up the suspension and dials up the aggression when you want to have some fun. There's also "Bentley" mode, which blends the best of Comfort and Sport mode into one. For those who crave even more of a driver-focused experience, the V8 model will shave weight off the front end and should deliver a throatier exhaust note.

The Interior Feels Extravagant

We could drool all day long over the Flying Spur's handsome exterior, but it's the cabin where Bentley really went all-out. Every surface you touch is made of leather, suede, wood, metal, or some other expensive material. Our car featured the Mulliner Driving Specification, which includes quilting on the seats with diamond-in-diamond embroidery, a full leather headliner, embroidered Bentley emblems, and sports pedals. As a First Edition, the car also included the Touring and City Specifications, adding cool tech features such as night vision, a head-up display, and other safety features.

The First Edition package also adds the coolest feature, the Bentley Rotating Display. This three-sided centerpiece rotates to show either a plane surface, three driving gauges, or the 12.3-inch high-definition touchscreen infotainment system. Your passengers are sure to be wowed by this one-of-a-kind feature.

It's Dream-Worthy

With a starting price of $214,600 for the W12 model, the Bentley Flying Spur is a dream car for the vast majority of buyers. You can save some cash by going for the V8 model, but even then, only the two percenters might be able to shell out for its $196,000 base price. As-optioned, our First Edition wedding chariot commanded a $283,820 MSRP, putting it in the same price range as the house the bride and groom will save up for in the coming years.

Yes, it's expensive, but no one said you had to put a price limit on your dreams. If you are getting married and have the budget (or a car journalist friend) to book a Bentley Flying Spur as your chauffeur, we can think of no vehicle more suited to the task.