DOCKED IN YOUR EMBARKATION PORT

You can say your vows and have a lunch reception in port before the ship sails, so your guests can board for the day and then disembark before the ship pulls out of port. For your guests, the ship is a ceremony and reception site; for you and your new spouse, it’s your home for the week! The best choices for this are ships that embark in big cities with plenty of flights — New York City, for example, is a great choice, whereas a smaller ship sailing out of Antigua in the Caribbean may mean fewer guests are able to attend. Carnival, for example, can have up to 50 non-sailing guests on board to watch the ceremony and toast the newlyweds with cake and sparkling wine. And Holland America Line offers this option in Boston, New York, Tampa, San Diego, Seattle, and Vancouver, among others.