5 Things to Know When Planning a Cruise Wedding
Arguably one of the most exciting, thrilling, and memorable events, your wedding day symbolizes the start of a new chapter in the book of life, one you and your significant other will write out together in the years to come. However, with all of that joyous bliss comes plenty of stress and uncertainty, as planning an amazing, fun wedding without a hitch can be a daunting and arduous task.
Now imagine planning your dream wedding on-board a cruise liner and you have yourself a whole new world of organizational issues you need to take care of. Worry not, the process doesn’t have to be as challenging as you might think, provided you make the right steps towards the on-sea wedding of your dreams. Let’s dive in.
Book now for the upcoming season
Just because you’re not getting married at the St. George’s Chapel (or any other needlessly over-the-top venue) doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t book your wedding well in advance. In fact, modern cruise ships have vastly accepted the at-sea wedding craze and now provide full wedding and honeymoon services during transit. What this means is that sea weddings are growing in popularity, and that you should save a date as much as a year in advance.
Why so early? Well, unlike an enclosed venue where you can get hitched regardless of the season, some seasons of the year are simply not as suitable for a cruise ship wedding as others. You want to avoid heavy rainfall or stormy weather, so make sure you talk to the cruise line operator to hash out all the details and book your date for when the sunshine is constant, and the feel-good vibes are plentiful.
Pick the best ship for your wedding type
Not all cruise ships were created equal, and there is plenty for you to choose from when planning your dream wedding out at sea. Depending on your needs and preferences, you can choose an international cruise ship (great for a honeymoon at sea as well) that will have enough room and amenities to accommodate a large guest list, up in the hundreds.
On the other hand, perhaps you’re in favour of a more peaceful, intimate, and a personal event with a select group of friends and family. In that case, perhaps a smaller cruise ship or a bigger yacht might be more suitable. Consider if you’ll be venturing into international waters and choose carefully.
What’s your ideal faraway destination?
Without a doubt, a perfect wedding at sea will include a honeymoon aboard the same cruise ship that will take you to a faraway destination in search of privacy, intimacy, and adventure. Nowadays, wedding cruise lines are plentiful and offer a vast assortment of exotic destinations, including weekly voyages and trips spanning months and thousands of kilometres. Naturally, the ship will be docking in multiple towns and cities along the way, so you can plan your honeymoon accordingly.
Consider where to get married
What a silly question – where to get married. Well at sea, of course! Before you dismiss this seemingly easy problem, consider whether or not you actually want to get married aboard a cruise ship in the middle of the sea, or if it would be more convenient for your guests if you had the ceremony while the ship is still docked, awaiting departure.
After all, who’s to say that your friends and family will want to depart with you? More often than not, your guests will want to enjoy a beautiful wedding ceremony for a few hours, and then be on their way. So it might be a sound idea to perform the ceremony while docked, and then immediately embark on a honeymoon of a lifetime.
Make it legal and prepare logistically
Getting hitched while docked is not only a good organisational decision, it’s also a great way to make sure your marriage is actually legal. At-sea marriage legalisation is a complex matter, so it might be best to say your vows and sign on the dotted line while you’re still technically in the country. If you do opt to seal the deal while out at sea, make sure you hash out all the details with a lawyer, your wedding planner, and of course, your licensed member of the clergy.
Planning a wedding is by no means an easy task, let alone planning a dream wedding on board a cruise liner in the middle of the ocean. No matter how romantic it may sound, if you want this to truly be the best day of your life, you will need to tend to careful planning and preparation. Once you have ticked these boxes, there will be nothing left to do but to say your vows and let the blissful new chapter of your life begin.
