Belden Bly, Chivalrous Chauffeur

It was 1977, and Belden Bly had become smitten. Smitten not with a beautiful woman, a fabulous restaurant, or a brilliant musician, but with the beauty, strength and elegance of the classic Rolls-Royce.

Bly, of South Run Oaks, admits that he did not know what he was getting into when he bought his first Rolls, a 1964 Bentley S-3 series. Silver and blue, with soft leather seats, a burled wood dash and trays in the back, the car was the penultimate of luxury. In fact, he soon learned that one was not enough.

Next to follow was a 1959 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud. Snow white, with burgundy leather seats, it was the fantasy car of the rich and powerful. It was as if it belonged in a James Bond movie, with a handsome hero at the wheel and a beautiful woman at his side.

However, reality soon hit Mr. Bly, as he realized that owning these fine cars was an eensive hobby. Not only did each car retail (at the time) for $20,000-$30,000 apiece, but nearly $10,000 a year was spent in liability insurance and $5000 a year in maintenance – necessities intended to keep these fine cars running at peak performance at all times.

If he were to retain his beloved cars, he knew something must be done. Therefore, the CIA employee by day became the weekend chauffer when he started Alabasters Limousines.

For three hours at a time, Mr. Bly, or one of his trusted associates, has chauffeured customers to just about any location in the Washington area. Destinations have included beautiful gardens and monuments, as well as the most historic buildings. If asked, he has frequently quoted little known facts about various sights. And, as long as the client let him know in advance, stopping for treasured photographs has never a problem. Since the inception of Alabaster’s, hundreds of happy brides have been photographed in front of an Alabaster’s classic Rolls, with churches, cherry blossoms, or monuments as the graceful backgrounds.

Bly’s clients frequently included notable personalities. His first client, a winner of the “Lady Diana Look-Alike” contest at Champions in Georgetown, was followed by the crew of “P.M. Magazine” for the evening. A member of the Saudi Arabian royal family has used Bly’s services on a regular basis. Asked him about others – he always has been happy to share. For example, the Redskins got word of Bly’s business, and former offensive lineman Raleigh McKenzie hired Bly to drive for his wedding.

“You want to talk about some big ushers, this was a wedding party [All Redskins] that weighed in at more than 250 pounds each,” said Bly. “In fact, they [the Hogs] had to get special wide-body stretches for the groomsmen.” Since his sedans could not hold the extra pounds, he noted that, “it was the biggest wedding party I ever did!”

Bly prides himself not just on his impeccable service, but the unimpeachable maintenance of his cars and fair prices as well. “There is no denying that as beautiful as they are, these cars are old and must be treated with respect,” he notes. "Regular maintenance is absolutely essential. However, one of the many advantages of the Silver Cloud model is that there are still parts available. That means when the cars are serviced, only original parts are used. This not only assures that the car will run as smoothly as the designers intended, but that problems can be resolved quickly. "

The most important and inescapable aspect of the business however, is the bottom line. In spite of the expensive overhead - hiring only the most experienced and careful drivers, and only using mechanics that are experienced in restoring and maintaining classic cars, a trip around cyber-space will confirm that not only is Bly the most reliable chauffer, but has the most competitive rates in the business as well. In fact, he invites potential customers to read a few of his testimonials at his website: Rolls.Weddings.com.

Coming to you from Springfield and going to nearly all of the Washington metro area, is an elegant afternoon or evening in one of the most beautiful classic cars available anywhere, courtesy of chauffeur extraordinaire, Belden Bly.