My fiancee wants to get married on a cruise ship, but I want to have family there but do not want?

the rest of the stress of the flowers, the reception hall, etc. Is this classy? Do you think I'll regret not having a big wedding? Also, the cost...is there a cost difference between an average weddign and a crusieline wedding?

My fiancee wants to get married on a cruise ship, but I want to have family there but do not want?
My understanding is that if a cruise ship does weddings, they have a coordinator who handles everything...basically you just have to show up, and you pay a flat fee for an all inclusive package. You have to pay for the cruise on top of that, so I if that's your honeymoon, too, then it's actually pretty inexpensive.



If my assumption is correct, you could then budget money to help your families pay for their trip so they can be there with you. No, you're not going to be able to pay for everyone, but if you can pay even part of the cost for the people most important (parents, grandparents, best friends, etc), at least they will be there for you.
Reply:Just price it out. There are plenty of ways to get married on the ship and then have a land party afterwards (if you want it).



Several cruise lines have a "Cruise to no-where" and you are simply in open waters for a weekend. This way you can have your family with you (the cost of the cruise is more reasonable) and you can still get married on the water. No muss with the flowers, etc. And no family on the entire honeymoon!



Another thing I would suggest is any destination wedding. Only those closest to you will attend, and you have a big dinner after the ceremony as the reception.



Or....try an "all-in-one" wedding location. One that does the ceremony, reception, linens, and catering all under one roof. This way there is a minimal of dealing with vendors and the "hassel" of wedding planning.



Price things out, see what you can and cannot afford, think really hard about what type of wedding you want and then talk to your fiance about everything!
Reply:I don't know about cost, but we had a destination wedding 2 weeks ago. One of the things I adored about our wedding was the lack of planning we had to do! We accomplished our entire wedding in a few emails, and other than buying the dress, there was nothing to it all! Having everyone away together as a family was priceless, and if I could do my wedding all over again, I wouldn't change one single thing.
Reply:At the end of the day, what is important is that you two worked on this big day together, and that you managed to survive the stress of it all, without ending up hating each other (that's why people have weddings, to make sure their relationship can deal with stress!! lol).



it's not the wedding that's important, it's the marriage. Just make sure you are both happy with your day, and that you keep communication lines open.



I would have been sad to not have family there, but if you give them enough notice, maybe they COULD get on a cruise ship. but then you'd be stuck with your family on your honeymoon.... maybe have a simple wedding and a honeymoon cruise?



One common thing these days is to have a celebrant do the ceremony outside somewhere, and then go to a restaurant and have people pay for their meals etc instead of getting a present.



You don't have to be traditional if you don't want to be, it's your day, do what you agree on.
Reply:you should do what your soon-to-be husband wants.
Reply:A wedding on a cruise is going to cost more than a regular wedding at home. The good part though is that they usually assign you to a coordinator so they take care of all the planning.



You also need to consider that cruise lines are expensive. Many people may not be able to afford the expense so if you want a wedding with family and friends in attendance this might not be the best route. Instead, take the cruise as your honeymoon.
Reply:As opposed to what the first poster said, a cruise ship wedding won't necessarily cost more than a wedding at home - when I priced it out, when comparing it to a "regular sized" wedding at home, the cruise was less. Now, if you're comparing the cruise to a wedding at home that would have the same number of people (ie: just you two or just you and your immediate family) then it's probable that a cruise would cost more.



I'm in your shoes. Sometimes I think I'll regret not having a "regular" wedding, but most times I know that this is really what I want. I think a lot of girls (not ALL) want the "show" of a big wedding. When I get down to it, I just want something intimate between the two of us.



I think your wedding will be beautiful and you'll always love it. I don't think you'll have a single regret.



And I'm with you - I LOVE the idea of having someone else plan it all! Plus, you get an included honeymoon! Oh, but you could have your family go with you if they could afford it. I Know what you mean - I want my family there as well, even if it's JUST my family.
Reply:I never wanted a wedding! As we started planning, I thought years later, I may regret not having my family there. We decided to have a small wedding for everyone to enjoy. We had it at a Bed and Breakfast. The ceremony was outside so we didn't need any flowers and the inside was already decorated plus they provided all the food and the cake. I am so glad I had a wedding with all my family and friends to share. The two of you need to agree on where to have it and what kind of wedding you want. If you have it on a cruise ship, you may not only regret not having your friends and family there, but you may resent him for making the decision on having it on a cruise ship. If you aren't 100% about having it on a cruise ship, sit down with him and come up with better options.
Reply:We thought about doing this. While the cruise line provides the cake, flowers, officiant, and pretty much all you need, it's really, really pricey. I had a really small, close family (not extended family which would have been well over 200 people) and friends only and I don't regret it at all. On your wedding day you should be surrounded by the people who matter the most to you.
Reply:Cruise ship weddings are very classy and if you happen to live near the cruise ship port you will be departing from your family could be there for the ceremony.

Typically a Cruise (on board) wedding will be a few hours before the ship departs from the port. Family and friends are invited onto the ship (proper identification is required for getting on and off the vessel) to witness and experience the ceremony. Most cruise ships will have packages where you have cake, a toast and sometimes a meal of some sort for your reception. After the ceremony and reception your guests will be escorted off the ship and you and your husband will be on your honeymoon!
Reply:I don't know how much a cruiseline wedding costs. I would call the various cruise ships and ask. Your family could go on the cruise with you as could his immediate family. With pairying for the guests cruises, it's probably going to be about the same maybe a little less for a cruise wedding. I would do it. I've heard people rave about their weddings on cruise ships.