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Updated Oct 14, 2024Wed Like a Celeb With a Yacht Wedding
Boat weddings create a completely unique experience for guests, set against an epic backdrop.
Photo: Brandon Kidd Photography,Planner: Amorology Weddings
It was the summer of the yacht: Kylie Jenner took her kids boating through Greece, influencers appeared on our feeds from Yacht Week, and then there was that mega Ritz-Carlton boat trip with Naomi Campbell and Leonard DiCaprio on board. It all got us thinking: What would a yacht wedding look like?
The short answer: It would look like a mini destination wedding. It would have unbeatable views and require little additional decor. It would be a completely new experience for guests. Of course, you may be wondering: How much does a yacht wedding cost? What are the logistics associated with it? Are there even yachts in my area?
The good news is, vendors in the wedding world have already thought of all this, and nautical weddings are not just doable but even accessible (or, at least, as accessible as any other type of wedding). Note that they're different from cruise ship weddings—and budgeted differently from a cruise ship wedding cost. Cruises offer multi-day wedding excursions, but on a yacht, you can celebrate your single-day event. Here, we break it all down, from the logistics and costs to how to plan a wedding on a yacht, to a few fun ideas for the decor and details.
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In this article: Can You Get Married on a Yacht? | Should You Get Married on a Yacht? | How Much Does It Cost to Charter a Yacht? | How to Get Married on a Yacht | Yacht Wedding Ideas | Wedding Yacht Charters
Can You Get Married on a Yacht?
Yes, you can absolutely get married on a yacht, though it may not be the type of ocean cruiser you're thinking of. While there are services (such as Boatsetter) that work as a sort of Airbnb for private yacht charters, the best all-inclusive boat wedding packages come from actual boat wedding venues—meaning yachts designed entirely to host events. There are dozens across the country; we highlight a handful of highly rated ones below.
As for the legality of it all, unless you're on the high seas (i.e., far enough off the coast to be in international waters), your yacht marriage should be perfectly legitimate. Note that local yacht weddings differ significantly from cruise ships, so if you're doing the latter, be sure you're up to speed on cruise ship marriage requirements. Either way, it's wise to confirm all the fine details with your specific charter service and officiant.
Should You Get Married on a Yacht?
You can, but should you? There are pros and cons, but the former far outweighs the latter. "There are so many pros!" says Clare Agra, the director of charter sales for Chicago's First Lady yachts. "You get the absolute best views, and won't be boxed in by four walls on your big day. Boats are so unique and beautiful that you don't have to do any decorations (although you're welcome to if you wish); nothing extra is needed to have a beautiful event."
There's also the budget for it all, but in our research, booking a yacht venue is on par cost-wise with booking a venue on land. Besides budget, couples should also consider a cross-section of their guest list: Are there older guests who might typically leave early, or young children who might get seasick or need supervision? If you host your wedding on a yacht, guests will be required to stay until it returns to the dock. If you still aren't sure or have reservations about certain guests, consider booking your rehearsal dinner venue on a yacht instead of the main event.
How Much Does It Cost to Charter a Yacht?
The question of how much does a boat wedding cost is as impossible to answer as how much a wedding costs; the variables are infinite. That said, you can look to a few key vendors as benchmarks. On Chicago's First Lady, prices range from $1,700 to $2,300 per hour to rent the space (putting a six-hour wedding around $10,000, on par with on-land venue rentals in the Windy City); in South Carolina, a yacht package ranges from $10,000 to $25,000 and includes food and beverage. Other charters may be more or less expensive, but look at the cost as the "venue" line item in your budget; you'd have that line item on or off a boat. For help, check out The Knot Budget Advisor to learn more about venue costs near you.
How to Get Married on a Yacht
There is a long list of to-dos when it comes to planning any wedding; as for how to plan a wedding on a yacht, there are a few additional items to add to your checklist. Here are four to keep in mind.
1. Book Your Vendors
First things first: Make a wedding vendor checklist before doing anything else. Outline your top-priority vendors and those that may be less important for a wedding in the boat. "[On yachts], vendors are treated similarly to other venues and no special vendors are needed to have a fabulous yacht wedding," Agra says. Floral designers, caterers and musicians load in and out just as they would at any other venue, though they may be doing so on tighter timelines depending on the port schedules. (Leave that to your yacht wedding planner to handle!).
2. Check the Port Schedules
Be sure to do a thorough run-through of your guest list, and make note of any guests or vendors that may need to leave before things get going. Then, coordinate with your charter to see if port schedules are flexible. "We can often remain dockside for a half hour if couples would like their ceremony dockside, so the officiant can depart postceremony," Agra says. "But this is on a case-by-case basis and requires preapproval as our dock is a busy spot." Each charter service has different requirements, and cruise ship ports of call present additional challenges, so make sure you are familiar with all the requirements.
3. Bring Your Marriage License
No matter where your wedding is held, there are a few essentials you need to remember on the day of: your rings, the marriage license and so on. Keeping a running must-bring list leading up to the day of the wedding is especially essential for boat weddings—once you've drawn anchor, there's no running back for forgotten items.
4. Have a Backup Plan
While most yachts and charters do have an indoor space or covered deck, you'll need to keep capacity in mind; the covered space may not fit as large a crowd as the upper or outer decks. "The only con [of a yacht wedding] is the unpredictability of the weather," Agra says. "We manage that by suggesting you keep your guest count within the range that we can comfortably fit inside the salon, in case of rain." Yacht weddings may mean a more intimate guest list, though many charters can still fit up to 200 comfortably.
Yacht Wedding Ideas
When it comes to boat wedding venues, some couples lean into the nautical theme, while others are more subtle. And it works either way. In the case of Chicago's First Lady, "our boats are so beautiful and unique—and the Chicago skyline is such a showstopper—that you don't have to provide any decor and you can still have a beautiful event," Agra says. To start, gather inspiration. You can check out imagery from real weddings on The Knot inspo boards. Click the heart in the right-hand corner of the photos you love so you can later access your favorites when logged in. To kick it off, here are a few ideas for getting married on a yacht, from decor to cocktails to photography.
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1. Make an Entrance
Your guests' first impression of the seafaring venue will be dockside, of course, so blow them away from the start. Whether you roll out a red carpet for boarding, decorate the port with a floral arch or strategically place unique signage, don't forget the entrance.
2. Hire a Drone Photographer
Yacht weddings deserve to be captured in all their glory, and that includes not just your stunning tablescape and floral designs, but the sea surrounding them, as well. Drone photography is trending for weddings in general, but it has an even bigger impact on the open water.
3. Say "I Do" at the Bow
Let the sea serve as your ceremony decor and say "I do" at the bow of the ship. Make sure you're mic'd up so your vows can be heard over the waves.
4. Make It a White Party
Anything goes for a wedding boat cruise; there's no rule that the bride has to wear white. Let your guests be the nautical dressers in all-white attire, and surprise them with a colorful couple's outfit that makes you the star of the show.
5. Lean Into a Theme for Your Escort Board
The best yacht wedding decoration ideas lean into the theme. For a wedding on a boat, try seashells or origami sailboats as escort cards; the items double as special favors guests can take home to remember the day.
6. Go Coastal With Decor
Photo: KMD Creations,
Planner: Jet Set Wed
Incorporate decor elements pulled directly from the sea on your tables: Calligraphed oyster shells make stunning seat assignments, seashells and rocks can be strewn down a tablescape, and vibrant pink coral serves to balance delicate floral arrangements.
7. Serve Ginger Drinks
Seasickness is a common concern for guests when getting married on a boat, but ginger can be a natural antidote. Incorporate it into your signature cocktail or serve ginger shots upon boarding to help keep queasiness at bay. (It may also be wise to add notes to your wedding website or invitation card about tips and recommendations for those guests who suffer from severe seasickness!)
8. Customize the Necessities
There are certain elements inherent to a yacht rental for a wedding: It has to have life jackets on board, ropes to dock with and all the other elements required to set sail. So, why not have fun with them? Incorporate decorative life preservers into your wedding decor, for example. (Lean into ship verbiage with an "Est." date!)
9. Host an After-Party in the Sand
The party doesn't have to end when the boat docks. Instead of hitting a bar, set up lounge vignettes in the sand, book a DJ on-site and post up to dance the night away on the beach.
Wedding Yacht Charters
The pros far outweigh the cons of a yacht wedding if that's your vibe—and ultimately, shopping for a yacht to get married on is no different than looking at more typical venues. Search using The Knot Vendor Marketplace and filter by capacity, venue type and more to find exactly what you're looking for. Here are six yacht charters across the country to kick off your search.
First Lady in Chicago, Illinois
Chicago's First Lady has a fleet of six ships for private events—accommodating anywhere from 6 to 200 guests—all of which cruise along the famous Chicago River, offering skyline views from right inside the heart of the city. "We are proud to offer both indoor and outdoor space," Agra says. "Our salons are fully enclosed, climate-controlled and surrounded by windows, so you can still enjoy the beautiful views from inside." Plus, being on a river is lower stakes than being out on the ocean: The water is less choppy, there's an easier exit strategy in case of an emergency and guests won't get seasick as easily. First Lady's boats give off classic, old-school vibes.
Luxe Cruises in Northern California
Photo: Luxe Cruises | Facebook
A flexible venue option off the northern California coast, Luxe Cruises can pull up in nine different ports, from San Francisco to Oakland to Alameda and more, depending on where is most convenient for the couple and their guests. The four boats in its fleet are named for wine varietals and range from a 124-foot, four-deck ship that can accommodate more than 220 people to a 76-foot long steamship replica with three separate decks.
Yacht StarShip in Tampa, Florida
Departing from Tampa or Clearwater, Yacht StarShip offers an all-inclusive wedding venue experience: Its packages come with a DJ, food and beverage, AV equipment, ceremony seating and more—plus some pretty epic views. Four different ship options host parties of all sizes up to 300+, so there's no need to cut down your guest list; plus, a venue coordinator will help you hammer out all the details.
Yacht Events in New York City, New York
New York City might not be automatically associated with weddings on the water, but with docking locations throughout the Hudson and East Rivers (plus a handful in New Jersey), Yacht Events offers Manhattanites a wedding boat opportunity. The charter service was founded by Steve Tanzman, a much-lauded hospitality vet who has overseen catering for major venues, so the food is top-notch, and the chefs will even work with clients on specific menus to honor cultural cuisine or other requests. Plus, the ships in this fleet are some of the largest in our list, with capacities up to 1,200.
The Carolina Girl in Johns Island, South Carolina
Johns Island is about a 30-minute jaunt from Charleston, making The Carolina Girl the perfect escape for what will feel like a destination wedding on the water. The yacht has that old-school Charleston feel (there's even the option for a little narration by a local historian) and can accommodate up to 125 guests for a wedding (though we love it for a rehearsal dinner, too). Pricing starts at $10,000, but that isn't just a rental fee: Packages include food and beverage, music and more.
FantaSea Yachts in Marina Del Ray, California
Photo: FantaSea Yachts | Facebook
FantaSea Yachts coasts into the Pacific with up to 250 loved ones for a magical wedding on a boat, and the four-level FantaSea One has separate decks each for the ceremony, dinner and dancing portions of the evening. For ultra-intimate events, charter its Admiral XL for a whole or half day; the ship can host parties up to 12 and has a personal-yacht feel with bedrooms, a stateroom and a pretty bow area for "I do." A fun bonus? All of FantaSea's captains are ordained to officiate the ceremony upon request.
