Tying the Knot at Sea

Weddings at Sea

Organising a wedding can be very stressful, so why not combine a hassle-free wedding and luxury honeymoon and get married on a cruise. Here’s all you need to know, says Mike Pickup.

Getting married at sea is surprisingly popular, especially for ‘second time arounders’ and others wanting a small, intimate ceremony. One cruise line organises over one thousand weddings a year, and with staff both on shore and aboard the ship to oversee arrangements, all the details will be taken care of for you.

How it works

Most cruise ships offer wedding-style events, fine for occasions such as renewal of vows, but not all result in legal marriages. There are three main requirements for a legally recognised wedding at sea.

First, the cruise line has to offer the service. Some, such as MSC Cruises, offer wedding-style ceremonies that are conducted by the captain, but the small print states that they do not have any legal or religious significance.

Next, to provide an official wedding, the ship has to be registered in a country that allows it to perform such ceremonies. In England and Wales, the law requires wedding venues to be open to the general public, which clearly cruise ships are not. Thus, cruise ships registered in the UK cannot perform official weddings. Fortunately, most ships are registered in countries that do allow weddings on board and, if the country allows single-sex weddings, so will the ship.

The third requirement is that the wedding takes place on a sea day. That is when the ship is in international waters, so the wedding legally takes place in the country where the ship is registered. The cruise line will provide a commemorative wedding certificate on the day, but they will also obtain the legal marriage certificate from the country where the ship is registered and forward it to you.

You require two witnesses, but for couples travelling alone, two of the ship’s senior officers will be pleased to act as witnesses.

Who it’s for

Cruise specialist Iglu Cruise is seeing an increase in the number of people opting to get married at sea and currently books around a hundred a year. As well as those looking for a relaxing event, there are couples getting married for a second time who don’t want another big wedding. Then there are those who had to postpone their nuptials due to various issues and find this a simple way forward. Chief Commercial Officer Dave Hughes said, “Although there are some formalities to deal with, the cruise lines make this very straightforward – and an unforgettable event onboard, with many little touches that really make the difference.”

What to expect

Basic wedding packages typically cover the ceremony, but there are often additional options if required.

For example, P&O Cruises’ basic ceremony covers up to ten guests and includes the provision of a wedding planner, wedding cake, breakfast in bed, champagne for the toast, a spa treatment, flowers, pressing of the couples’ attire, the event itself and a commemorative certificate signed by the Captain. Brides on Cunard ships will be escorted with their bouquet from their cabin to the wedding venue by a traditional scarlet-dressed bellboy and perhaps enjoy their first dance together at the elegant afternoon tea in the Queens Room. Couples with a number of guests on board can hire a special room for a reception or dinner, or perhaps the ship’s nightclub.

Obviously, the cost of the ceremony is in addition to the cruise. As an example of pricing, the cost of a P&O Cruises ceremony itself is £3,200. As this applies to all events, whether legal or symbolic, there is an additional charge of £850 to cover legal fees for formal weddings and the supply of the official marriage certificate. It is recognised worldwide, so there is no need to register it in the UK.

Decisions, decisions

You have a choice of indoor or outdoor locations on board the ship, although the latter may not be so private and the weather can be a consideration. It can get a bit breezy at sea but if you don’t mind that and perhaps a few casual onlookers, it can be fun and definitely unique.

As weddings take place when the ship is in international waters, cruises with more sea days are popular. A Pacific cruise from Los Angeles to Hawaii provides a great choice and, closer to home, the iconic transatlantic crossing between Southampton and New York on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 is a favourite. You can sail both ways or sail one way and fly the other. If you are planning some retail therapy in New York, then fly out and sail back as, unlike the airline, the cruise line won’t care how much luggage you have. In fact, some guests buy an extra suitcase in New York and fill it with the things they want to bring home.

So, if you’re looking for a unique, romantic, memorable and stress-free wedding, getting married on a cruise may well be just the thing.

Note: Cruise lines offering legally recognised weddings at sea include Princess, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Cunard and P&O Cruises.

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