I discovered an interesting wedding venue in our region last week. While waiting for our dinner cruise to leave the dock in Stillwater, MN I watched guests, the wedding party and finally the bride and groom board the boat next to ours. The sleek, three deck boat was the site for an elegant, all white wedding!
An interesting wedding venue can be great fun, but also requires extra planning and coordination to make sure everything comes together as you envision. Here are a few things to consider:
1. You and your guests will be “captive” on the boat, so it is imperative that everyone arrive on time and can stay for the duration of the event. This may be a good time to plan for a social hour before leaving the dock to allow any late arrivals a chance of joining in the festivities. On the other hand, there are no options for early departures so everyone will have to plan accordingly (think babysitters or on call situations).
2. You will need to discuss with the boat’s owner what is allowed. For example, do they provide catering, cake, music, tables and chairs, bar supplies and bartenders, wait staff? What are you allowed bring on board? Flowers, your own DJ and sound equipment? Do they provide any event coordination services? Are you required to use them, and at what cost? What is included in boat rental fees, and what is billed additionally?
3. Your vendors will have to ensure timely and complete deliveries. They will need to know how early they will have access to the boat so they can plan accordingly. They will also need to know about the distance from parking to the boat so they can arrange for any equipment needed (dollies, carts, etc) to get equipment and supplies on board.
4. Space for dressing, hair and make-up will have to be explored. It is very possible that you will need to arrive ready to walk down the aisle with all services completed on land. On a related note, how do you feel about being seen by your guests before you enter for the ceremony? It may be hard to sneak down the dock and onto the boat without being seen by your guests.
5. And finally, but very importantly, where will the marriage legalities take place? You will need to identify a location address, city and county on your marriage license, so make sure you understand how that will work. The boat we were on moved past a few cities, crossed a couple of county lines and floated between two states. And there wasn’t a mailing address for the middle of the river. The easiest thing to do might be to take care of the legalities (the “I do’s” and certificate signing) with your two witnesses and officiant before departing so you can claim the dock address. Then you can have your full ceremony in front of your guests whenever it works for your schedule.
From my vantage point it looked like a great celebration was about to get underway on the Majestic Star last weekend. Guests arrived decked out in pure white – shoes, pants, shirts, coats, and dresses – making everyone part of the party from the very first moment. The dock seemed to serve as an extension of the aisle, with the bride and groom arriving last, to the cheers of their guests waiting on board. The mood was festive, the waters calm, and the interesting wedding venue ensured a special experience awaited.