Destination weddings have long been a romantic and thrilling way to enjoy the fun of travel while starting married life. In recent years, these weddings and other romantic getaways have boomed in demand, especially since people are using these occasions to make time with loved ones rather than waiting for major milestones to go on a big trip. Travel Weekly reports that the romance travel trend is set to continue from 2023 into 2024, considering that the destination wedding market grew from $21.3 billion in 2022 to $28.3 billion in 2023. But aside from hopping on a plane and jet-setting to a new place to get married, some are exploring the novelty and fun of at-sea weddings on cruise ships. 

A cruise wedding can be a romantic and unique way to begin your married life. You can enjoy stunning ocean views or visit new destinations while you tie the knot. Cruises can also provide all the essentials for a wedding, such as a dedicated venue, food and drink, overnight accommodations, and other facilities. And with a diverse array of itineraries available across cruise lines, you can choose where to go and have a built-in honeymoon ready to go once you’ve exchanged vows. However, a cruise wedding comes with a lot of considerations you will need to factor in when planning. From choosing a cruise line and package to the number of guests you’ll be bringing, you’ll have to make smart and careful choices for smooth sailing. This guide to cruise weddings can help you navigate the planning process before you embark on a new journey:

Perks of a cruise wedding

Cruise weddings provide a uniquely beautiful and memorable setting and experience for your wedding. Getting married at sea or at a port of call can make for an incredible moment for you, your spouse, and your guests to be celebrated and reminisced for years to come. While cruises may not provide the same flexibility as regular wedding venues, they don’t skimp out on quality. Many cruises offer beautiful indoor or outdoor ceremony locations. You can exchange vows with the ocean as your backdrop or explore elegant indoor venues. The Grand Hall in the Disney Wish ship from Disney Cruise Line showcases how grand these spots can be. The venue comes with a sweeping staircase, a starry chandelier, and a luxurious color palette, which all make for a beautiful wedding environment and a themed one if that’s something on the table for your ceremony. You might not find these venues and views anywhere else either, making it a truly one-of-a-kind experience. 

Cruise lines that allow weddings also pull out all the stops when it comes to organizing your big day. Wedding packages help take care of the details and help you figure out the most affordable option that aligns with your vision. This can make planning much easier, as things like the ceremony, venue, dining, and staff and vendors are already included in the package, giving you less to worry about when planning your wedding. The fun doesn’t have to stop at your ceremony, either. Cruise weddings also provide other facilities and amenities to make the experience more exciting. You and your guests can enjoy relaxing in the spa, take a dip in the pool, go shopping, and explore other onboard activities. You can do all that while being able to travel to new destinations, combining your nuptials and honeymoon into one trip. 

Planning your dream cruise wedding

One of the first things on your planning checklist should be to check which cruise lines allow weddings. The most beneficial option would be to find a cruise line that offers wedding packages that align with your preferences and needs. Cruise lines like Princess Cruises are experienced with these romantic occasions and offer great value packages for any proposal, wedding ceremony, and vow renewal vision to be realized, from intimate gatherings to grand celebrations. These wedding packages include a range of essential services and offerings for a traditional ceremony, such as a captain-led ceremony, decorations, photography, a wedding cake and toast, and other perks like live music, premium dining, and bridal hair and makeup. Different cruise lines, like Carnival Cruise Line, also offer their own packages with varying benefits for newlyweds.

Not all cruises offer the same wedding benefits or even allow them, even popular names in the business. Though a newcomer to the scene and gaining much popularity and acclaim, cruise line Explora Journeys doesn’t permit weddings as their onboard officers aren’t legally allowed to officiate. The same reason goes for Viking Cruises, which is famous for destination-focused offerings. You may have certain cruise lines you want to try, but it helps to prioritize booking a cruise that allows weddings, can accommodate your guests whether they’ll sail with you or not, and will help you with any logistical or legal requirements. 

Things to keep in mind

Cruise weddings can be exciting, but there are considerations to mull over before booking. Legality is a significant factor, and it can be a challenge to work out how to have a legally binding wedding or how to get a marriage license. These can differ depending on your cruise line, where they’re registered, and where you’re getting married. It can also depend on whether your wedding is in port or at sea. Fortunately, cruise lines will help you organize things like finding an officiant for the wedding or arranging your marriage license. Some cruises may also include legal ceremonies in their wedding packages, such as one officiated by the captain or performed by a local officiant in port. You should also research any other paperwork requirements to obtain or fill out before sailing.

Wedding packages may also be convenient, but they’re often limited in their selections and don’t offer much flexibility. There won’t be much room to negotiate about decor, flowers, the number of guests, and other wedding elements. You can customize your wedding ceremony further and enjoy additional perks with more packages that include more personalized touches, but you also have to consider your budget as they’re more expensive. But if you’re willing to let the cruise line take the reins in favor of a unique moment, you can enjoy a stress-free, romantic cruise wedding, no matter the package.  

Thinking of a cruise honeymoon?

Weddings aren’t the only way to celebrate your love on a cruise. If you’re really looking to book a dream cruise line but don’t offer wedding packages or permit ceremonies, you can enjoy a cruise honeymoon and travel in style. You can focus more on the travel aspect of cruising instead of the wedding, allowing you to fully take advantage of the ship’s facilities, amenities, and activities. Explora Journeys may not offer weddings, but they can provide you with an immersive and luxurious travel experience with an in-suite welcome bottle of champagne, diverse culinary choices, and a rejuvenating spa experience. You can connect with your spouse as you travel to new horizons, with tours taking you to the Red Sea & Arabian Peninsula or the Mediterranean & Western Europe. These cruise lines can still provide a romantic getaway, even if you don’t get married on the ship. Like with any other regular honeymoon, you’ll still need to do your planning and research. Check out “The Ultimate Guide to Planning Your Honeymoon” post on our page to help you figure out your dream honeymoon. 

For more on all things weddings, visit Love & Lavender for inspiration, resources, and tips for your big day. 

You’ve found the love of your life, and you’re ready to say ‘I do!’ to a lifetime of love, loyalty, and happiness. You’re ready to start your happily ever after, but you need to finalize the place from where you’ll start this new chapter of your life. 

Finding the right wedding venue is likely the most difficult part of the wedding planning process. The venue will have the most significant impact on many aspects of your wedding, so it’s imperative to choose the venue wisely. But this doesn’t mean that you lose sleep over this decision. You’ve already found a fantastic partner, and you’ll find the perfect venue too. Simply adopt a systematic approach when scouting for venues.

When you find a venue that you think will make a stunning backdrop for your wedding, take some time to consider all important factors before making any commitment. Sometimes in the rush to find a unique wedding venue, we ignore obvious red flags. Some red flags hold the potential to ruin the special day. This article will shed light on some wedding venue red flags to watch out for and provide some guidelines on what to do if you find one or more of these red flags at prospective venues. 

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Wedding Venue

The venue sets the tone of the wedding and majorly influences the experience of the guests. In your quest to find a venue with unique options, remember to take into consideration these factors:

• Your Wedding Budget: Draft at least a rough budget before the venue hunt. With your wedding planner and partner, decide how much of the budget you’re willing to allocate to the wedding venue. You don’t want to set your heart on a stunning property or worse, make a commitment and later discover that renting it will throw your budget off. Inquire about the total costs associated with the venue you like, and check what facilities and services are included.
  
• The Guest List: Your combined guest list, or estimated guest count is another important factor to consider when you’re looking at venues. It will help you gauge the event space. The venue should have the necessary capacity to accommodate all your guests comfortably.
  
• The Wedding Date: Is getting married on a certain date important to you? If getting married on a special date is a must for you (and understandably so), you might find that this limits the number of wedding venue options available to you. Some flexibility regarding the date can help you nab your dream wedding venue. 

You may need more than one wedding venue if you’re planning a wedding weekend (the wedding ceremony and celebration on different days) instead of one big day.

• Your Vision: This goes without saying, but the venue needs to fit into your vision for your special day. You shouldn’t have to adapt your vision for the venue. The venue should be such that with minimal decor (and associated costs), it should align with your wedding theme and dream aesthetic.

Apart from these considerations, you might also want to take a look at the wedding venue restrictions and their backup plans. Consideration of these factors at the right time will go a long way towards ensuring a stress-free and joyful wedding experience.

The Most Unique Wedding Venues

You want your wedding to not only be memorable but go down in the list of the most favorite weddings of your guests. A traditional wedding venue just won’t cut it for the vision you have in your mind. If this sounds like you, you’ll need to explore unconventional venues to select one that truly reflects your personality and interests. 

Here are a few unique wedding venue ideas that might help you in the process: 

• Greenhouse/Glasshouse venues: Doesn’t a climate-controlled indoor event space with an outdoor feel sound perfect to host weddings? Conservatories and atriums can serve as unique and aesthetically pleasing wedding venues. Such venues offer ample natural light, which makes them perfect for daytime weddings and stunning photographs.
   
• Historic Places: You could opt to exchange vows in a historic space that has a timeless charm. This will provide a chance for your guests to marvel at historic architecture too. The Mill City Museum is a prime example of a historic place that can serve as a unique and chic wedding venue. If you wish to combine a place known for its past as well as current events, consider Oheka Castle in Huntington, New York. This estate was built in 1919, but you might remember it as the background of Taylor Swift’s ‘Blank Space’ video.
  
• Summer Camp Venues: With such a venue, you can provide a unique wedding experience to your guests, that will bring forth a wave of nostalgia and enwrap them in warm, fuzzy feelings. 

Rather than dancing and celebrating under crystal chandeliers in a grand ballroom, you can have a magical wedding under the stars.

• Treehouse Venues: Treehouse venues comprise a relatively new but increasingly popular wedding trend. These venues are specially prepared with proper amenities such as cabins for overnight guests, fireplaces, and jacuzzis. 

You and your spouse-to-be will love the features such as suspension bridges and beautiful balconies that overlook trees and twinkling lights. TreeHouse Point is one such unconventional wedding venue that consists of an enchanting four-acre forest with a collection of tree houses. 

Other than these, unique wedding venue options to consider include libraries, sports facilities, stadiums, theaters, rooftop gardens, train stations, yachts, revamped warehouses, former factories, and aquariums. 

Red Flags of Wedding Venues

You’ve collated a list of interesting and unconventional wedding venues. Now you’re preparing to finalize a wedding venue. This is the stage where you need to be cautious. Some venues pass the initial criteria check, however, when you take a deeper look at the details, you’ll find glaring red flags. 

What counts as a red flag when it comes to unique wedding venues? Anything that raises doubts about the venue’s reliability, transparency, or ability to meet expectations could be considered a red flag. 

Here, we have elaborated on red flags that you should check for before you succumb to the pull of a venue’s photogenic appeal and potential. 

Insufficient Facilities

The facilities at the venue will significantly impact the experience of your wedding guests. If the wedding venue is missing certain important amenities such as restrooms, parking spaces or elevators (and other accessibility features) can cause much discomfort and inconvenience. Inadequate indoor space for celebrations, no bridal suite, and lack of nearby accommodation options for the wedding party are examples of some other deficiencies that can negatively affect your wedding. 

Even though it’s a unique wedding venue, it should be easy to reach via multiple transportation options. It won’t do if the wedding venue is in a breathtaking location, but your important wedding guests have a hard time finding the venue.

Lack of Flexibility

If the venue management lacks flexibility, you might not be able to tailor your wedding to suit your preferences.  It could potentially also affect your budget. The venue won’t accommodate any of your special requests, and you won’t have much control over the quality of the service. Even if it is an all-inclusive venue, there should be some room for customization. 

Hidden Costs

Some wedding venues tend to tack on extra costs to the initial quote later. Such hidden costs can come as an unwelcome surprise and put an unexpected financial burden on you and your partner. You might not mind paying more for top-notch service, but there should be upfront disclosure of all costs.  

Ambiguity in Policies and Contract Terms

If the management is not 100% transparent about the venue’s policy and contract terms, problems might arise later. There may be disagreements about costs, services, or even cancellation policies. Such issues can lead to unnecessary for you and your partner, and possibly financial concerns. You don’t want any misunderstandings, confusion, and disputes around or on your wedding day. 

Although a comprehensive contract is desirable, it should not be overly complicated. Sometimes the contracts are worded in such a way that they’re difficult to comprehend. Watch out for clauses that seem too general, or leave you feeling confused. A problematic contract sometimes indicates deeper issues with the professionalism of the management. 

Maintenance Issues

When you visit a venue, if you observe signs of neglect or poor maintenance, count it as a huge red flag. Some issues such as malfunctioning facilities and structural problems have the potential to cause disruptions on your wedding day. Problems with upkeep reflect poorly on the overall professionalism and reliability of the venue management.

Unprofessional Staff

The staff of a venue can inadvertently give away a lot about the venue. For instance, staff members who arrive late for a venue tour without solid reasons tell you what you can expect from the staff on the wedding day. In the wedding industry, punctuality is crucial and tardiness during scheduled appointments is like waving a red flag right in the face of clients.

Slow response times or unclear and rude communication also point toward organizational issues. If, even before you’ve signed on the dotted line, they’re guilty of poor communication, imagine what they would do once you’ve committed.

Negative Reviews

You can count one negative review as an anomaly, but a string of complaints and bad reviews from various clients point towards serious issues. Couples who have experience with the specific venue can provide detailed and real feedback regarding the service quality, facility conditions, and pricing structures. Always check online reviews on several platforms before you make a decision.

Extremely Limited Availability

Count extensive repairs scheduled just around the time of your wedding as a red flag, because if the schedule goes awry, it could cause problems with your wedding. If the wedding venue is prone to overbooking and is only available for an extremely limited time, it could result in a chaotic situation and significant problems with your big day’s logistics. Wedding venues need ample set-up time to ensure that everything is perfect and as dreamy as desired.

Problems with Legal Compliance and Permits

Wedding venues in the US need to comply with local, state, and federal regulations, and such regulations are in place for the safety, security, and comfort of people. They may also require permits for hosting the wedding and for compliance with the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). If your chosen unique wedding venue is near protected areas, it may need permits that address environmental concerns. You can get such information from the venue staff, through the contract, by checking with local authorities, or even through online research. Non-compliance with regulations and lack of proper permits are red flag issues. 

We’ve highlighted the common red flags, but you may also find others when you compare wedding venues with your list of criteria. 

Dealing with the Red Flags of Unique Wedding Venues

If you spot a red flag in a unique wedding venue, it does not necessarily mean you have to let go of it, especially if it ticks all other boxes. Some red flags are deal breakers though, such as non-compliance and permit issues. Smaller red flags offer scope for negotiating better terms. Also, if you identify issues early in the process, you can address the concerns and get additional services or request proper solutions. 

Make sure that you’re clear about the terms and conditions of the contract before you commit. Clear terms ensure that both parties are on the same page regarding expectations and rights. If you’re doubtful about any of the terms or policies of the wedding venue, raise relevant questions. Ask as many questions as you like until you are satisfied with your venue choice.

Wrapping Up

Be mindful of red flags when trying to find unique wedding venues. Balancing uniqueness and red flags will require you to evaluate your priorities and consider your non-negotiables. Start the venue hunt with a flexible mindset, and be open to adaptations. Conduct thorough research, visit the venues, ask detailed questions, consult with professionals, and scrutinize contracts. Extra care with these steps should help you land a unique and dreamy wedding venue that is clear of deal-breaking red flags.