Yachts are one of the most unique venues for hosting weddings because they are elegant, offer scenic views, and provide entertainment and food. If you are considering planning your Chicago wedding on a yacht, this article will give you some tips about how to pull it off and what questions you should ask the chartering service to ensure the day runs smoothly.
One of the most attractive features of a yacht wedding is that the ceremony, reception, and dinner can all be held in the same venue, so there’s no need to worry about transporting people or asking them to relocate. The festivities are contained to the yacht, which will provide you and your guests with all the food, entertainment, and amenities you could want. The two yachts at [firm name] are staffed with a team of only the finest hospitality specialists who will cater to your every need with attentive thoughtfulness.
Because the charter service offers a variety of packages, you won’t need to worry about coordinating the entertainment, catering service, linens, and china, etc. The yacht staff is a dream team of specialists who have tons of practice hosting events with hundreds of guests and will take care of the logistics, so you can focus on having fun with your guests. The captain on [firm name’s] yachts can officiate your ceremony, and you have the option of having the ceremony by the dock or out on the water. When you use a yacht charter service, you can customize every aspect of the event to make it your dream wedding.
The yacht charter service will advise you on which parts of the ship are best suited for each phase of the event.
When it comes to catering, [firm name] has hand-selected six of Chicago’s finest catering companies to serve their guests. It’s up to you to choose what sort of dining experience will best suit your wedding, but you do have some choices: a sit-down dinner with waiters delivering plated food, a buffet, food stations offering different options, a family-style dinner, or an extended cocktail reception with no dinner. The yacht charter can help advise you on which dining option would best suit the timeline and budget for your wedding.
Though there are innumerable benefits of having your wedding on a yacht, there are also some hypothetical situations you should prepare for. For instance, if the weather turns bad, you need to have a backup plan if the ceremony or reception were set to be held on the top deck. Consult with the yacht charter service about what indoor areas would be equally scenic and appropriate as the top deck in case it gets too windy or starts raining.
Additionally, be prepared for time being more of a consideration than it would be on land. If you choose to set sail and have the ceremony out on the water, [firm name] will give you the option to return to the dock before the reception to pick up any guests who, for whatever reason, could not make it to the ceremony.
Emergency situations, related to a guest’s health or otherwise, are impossible to predict and might require quick access to land. If you are concerned that some guests might not want to be on the yacht for hours, or perhaps physically can’t, there are options to accommodate them while still having your dream yacht wedding.
You can always keep the yacht docked so that guests can get on and off the ship easily while maintaining the nautical feel. You could also coordinate with the yacht charter to have only the ceremony on the water and then drop everyone off on shore to host the reception at the yacht club. Or you could do it the other way around and have the reception on the yacht so your guests can party the night away on the water with a view of the skyline.
Before booking your wedding with a yacht charter service, there are a few basic questions you should ask them. First, you need to know what their seating capacity is. This number will probably fluctuate depending on where on the boat the ceremony and dinner will take place. For example, there might be less room on the top deck for the ceremony than there would be on a lower deck. Additionally, ask the charter about wheelchair accessibility and accommodations for people with disabilities if some of your guests have special needs.
You might also want to know whether you can do a rehearsal on the ship the day before or if you would have to pay extra to reserve that block of time. Some other common questions people ask are whether children and pets are permitted on board, whether they can bring their own decorations, where guests will park before getting on board, and how soon they can arrive to begin setting up and getting ready.
Thinking of Having Your Chicago Wedding on a Yacht?
If you want to get married on a yacht, Anita Dee Yacht Charters offers unrivaled luxury and unparalleled service. We’ve helped countless brides and grooms make their dreams come true on our yachts, which provide food, entertainment, ambiance, and even a wedding photographer. We would love to host you and your guests for a magical day on the water looking out at the Chicago skyline. Is there a more beautiful setting for a wedding? Call us at [phone number] to start planning today.