Nautical Wedding Ideas For A
Magical Wedding On The Water

Nautical wedding ideas are the perfect alternative if you are an avid boater or just want to do something different for your wedding.

Using a wedding theme takes some work, but our guide below should give you a good head start.

Invitations

Designs for nautical invitations can contain many different items related to the sea. Visit Nautical Wedding Invitations for ideas.

Locations

When you think of nautical wedding ideas, you probably think of boats or yachts. Many major bodies of water have companies that specialize in events on yachts and sailboats.

There are several options depending on the size and budget of your wedding, including yachts that will sail around a harbor or large lake for your entire wedding reception. This gives your guests an ever changing view as the night progresses.

Companies like Yacht Events offer wedding packages on yachts of all shapes and sizes.

Many historical ships that are no longer used for sailing are turned into restaurants and event spaces. An example is the Moshulu in Philadelphia which is on the water but does not sail. This may be a better option for those that may be prone to getting seasick.

If you are prone to getting seasick or just don't like the idea of getting married on a boat, you can still have a nautical-themed wedding. Look for restaurants or wedding sites on docks, beaches or anywhere that overlooks the water for your reception spot.

One major thing to look for when searching for a location for your nautical wedding is a backup plan in case of bad weather. Most special event yachts are big enough that guests can go inside, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

Here are a few questions to ask when visiting locations for your nautical wedding ideas:

• Does the boat have enough room for all of my guests to move inside if there is bad weather?


• If there is a major storm and the boat can't sail, what happens?


• Can I bring in my own band or DJ and photographer?


• Is there adequate parking for my guests?

The next step is picking a nautical wedding theme to wrap your wedding around.

Take you theme and work it into all aspects of your wedding like invitations, decorations, favors, centerpieces, etc. There are several good options, and if you are creative you can have a lot of fun with your nautical wedding theme.

Ideas include:

• Sailboats
• Seashells
• lighthouses
• lanterns
• Anchors
• Jimmy Buffett
• Pirates

Entertainment

You can really have some fun with Nautical wedding ideas for entertainment. Instead of the traditional Jazz or contemporary band, go with one of these:

• Steel Drum and Calypso
• Reggae
• Jimmy Buffett Cover Band
• Salsa, Merengue, Bachata
• Beach Music

Even if you just have a Steel Drum band during cocktail hour, it will help to set a laid-back, fun mood for the entire reception.

Signature Drink

Every wedding should have a signature drink (at least in our opinion!), and there are a lot of great options for nautical weddings.

Traditional options include Mai Tais, Margaritas, Mojitos and any other tropical drink that you can think of. There are also many great martini recipes that fit in well with a nautical wedding.

Visit wedding signature drink for more ideas.