Officiant:

In order for a Captain of a ship to perform a marriage at sea, he must also be a judge, a justice of the peace, a minister, or an officially recognized officiant such as a Notary Public. If you desire to renew your vows at sea, you need to show proof of a valid marriage. A romantic alternative is to have your wedding aboard ship while it is docked in a port. You need to follow the port's requirements for such a wedding. All cruise lines offer this option.

Venues:

The province of Quebec has many venue options for this type of theme. A couple can choose from a lakeside venue such as a private cottage, auberge or hotel, yacht clubs, private yachts or beautiful cruises, as well as marinas.

If you prefer to have an intimate wedding or a large nautical themed occasion that is far from the water this is still possible by incorporating the theme through décor, invitations, entertainment, favors and food.

Hotels/Lodges:

https://lacdelage.com/salles/evenements/mariage/
https://www.estrimont.ca/receptions-magog-estrie/
https://www.chateau-vaudreuil.com/mariages.html
https://hotelverso.ca/reunions-et-evenements/
https://www.ambroisie.ca/mariages.php
https://www.goeliche.ca/fr/reunion-daffaires

Event Spaces for Rent:

https://www.oldportofmontreal.com/event-venues
https://www.sepaq.com/destinations/parc-chute-montmorency/groupes/
https://www.portquebec.ca/activites-et-loisirs/espaces-dalhousie/espaces-disponilbes

Cruises:

https://escapadesmemphremagog.com/groupes-et-evenements/mariages/
https://absolu80.com/weddings/
https://www.croisieresaml.com/mariage
https://www.navark.ca/evenements/

Yacht Clubs:

https://www.rstlyc.qc.ca/index.php/en/food-and-beverages/catering/packages/weddings
https://www.st-hyacinthe.ca/loisirs-et-culture/installations-recreatives/location-des-installations
https://lenautique.com/marina-saint-jean-sur-richelieu/

Menu Suggestion:

Make sure the menu reflects the theme of your wedding. Seafood is a great option for a nautical wedding. Items such as crab cakes or lobster rolls are a great appetizer option that guests will definitely enjoy. Something that your guests will absolutely devour is a raw food bar. This is a bar of seafood that is served on ice, and typically consists of oysters, clams, mussels, or other raw seafood items. Other dishes such as salad,
steak, lasagna, fried chicken and so on should not be missed. Always include other non-seafood options for vegetarian guests or guests with allergies. Keep the menu as diverse as possible for all to enjoy.

Classic Cocktail: Seabreeze, A Little Dinghy, Gin and Tonic, Port & Starboard, Dark and Stormy, Sex with the Captain, Anchors Away, Bloody Caesar, Foghorn, Rum Punch, Maritime Martini.

Main Course –Trout, Salmon, Pike, Bass, Perch, Walleye
Side Dish – Rice or Potatoes and Vegetables
Kids: Fish and Chips

Colours: 

The classic nautical wedding colour palette begins with a classic crisp white and navy/royal blue stripes.

For accent colours consider bright red, shades of yellow, glittery gold, brass, beige and even light gray. Sky blue, teal or emerald green are also popular.

Patterns:

Beyond the colors themselves, striped or color-blocked patterns are a festive touch for a nautical wedding theme.

Invitations:

Any shade of blue and white invite decorated with sailboats, the sailors knot or anchors.

Décor:

Incorporating these suggestions into every aspect of you wedding from invitations, favors to the table décor will bring your wedding to the next level.

Navy and white work especially well together as stripes on printed materials, fabrics and event signage.

Use tied up rope as seat chart, message in a bottle to display the menu, Navy and white work especially well together as stripes on printed materials, fabric, and event signage.

Guest Book:

Lifesaver instead of a usual guestbook.

Photo Booth:

Nautical photo booth made of a striped red and white sheet with props such as lifesavers, treasure chest, fishing net, drift wood.

Arch or Chuppah:

Driftwood arch or chuppah adorned with eucalyptus, peonies, gauzy fabric, nautical ropes or fishing net.

Anchors:

Use on place cards, set up a large anchor on the edge of the dance floor, hang on the walls of the venue.

Nautical Compass Décor:

Nautical knots use on invitations, and a compass to each table centerpiece floral décor, or have the
groom and groomsmen wear one throughout the ceremony.

Sail boats, Canoe:

Use wooden boats as decorative elements, fold the napkins into shapes of a boat.
– Ship Wheel
– Ropes
– Buoys
– Driftwood
– Life Saver
– Fishing Nets
– Paddles
– Lighthouse
– Navigation charts/ocean themed maps as directional signage to heighten the sense of adventure

– Vintage trunks and suitcases. Use stacked suitcases or trunks throughout the venue or to mark the dessert table, bar or photobooth.

Incorporate:

Pirates of the Caribbean, Popeye the Sailor Man, Titanic, The Love Boat, Gilligan's Island into the décor to make the wedding more personal.

Table Names:

Famous/Fictional Sailors, Famous Ships, Names of Lighthouses, TV shows, Movies.

Tablescape:

Here are the elements you need to place on the tables:
Start with the table linens. Create a bold chic look using white tablecloths with navy table runners—or vice
versa. You can also try creating a table runner out of natural fabric such as burlap, or fishing net, ikat runners and decorate it with greenery, flowers, aquatic life, lighthouses or driftwood. Use natural textures such as rattan chargers or porcelain, add napkins in one of the chosen accent colours and weigh down the place cards
with anchors. These elements pay a special tribute to the stunning maritime landscape and create a pleasant surprise and memorable experience for your guests.

Head Table:

In addition, if you wish, you can add signs with cute messages or some cardboard papers with acceptable texts, such as „her captain” and „his 1st mate” at your table, more precisely on the seats of the bride and groom.

Florals:

• Shades of Navy/Blue, White or Red.
• Red/White Roses, Blue and White
• Hydrangeas/Enhanced Blue Hydrangeas/White Hydrangeas
• Blue Thistle
• Blue/White Delphinium
• Blue Anemone, White/Blue Spider Mums

Nautical-Themed Wedding Flowers

By combining your favorite flowers with beach-themed accents, you can create a wedding bouquet and floral
decorations that wow your guests and match beautifully with your decorations.

Hold the bouquet together with nautical rope, incorporate beach grass, or use sand-filled glass bottles to hold your floral arrangements.

Dresses:

The Bride: Navy, White, White with touches Navy.

As a bride, you can include a small detail on the shoes or on the dress (e.g. some strings on the high-heeled
shoes).

How should the bridesmaids dress?

With a simple dress, on a blue shade and maybe some fine stripes. Surely the contrast with the bride’s dress will look gorgeous!
Sailor influenced dresses

Maid of honour: Can be either a darker shade of blue. The dress may also have a pattern on it.

The Bridesmaids:

Bridesmaids can choose their own dresses in shades of blue. The dresses can be different styles to fit each bridesmaid body shape and preferences.

Footwear:

Bride and bridal party:

Navy wedges, white sandals
Groom, best man and groomsmen: Depending on the shade of blue, Brown or Tan shoes.

Suits:

Groom: Navy and white, possibly touches of red.

Best man: Choose his own shade of blue.

Grooms men: Can choose their own shades of blue.

Nautical Themed Wedding Songs

• Sea of Love by Cat Power: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOoqjLnZu3Q&t=42s
• Sailboats by Brooke Fraser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOt7NiEtX8o
• Cruisin' by Gweneth Paltrow & Huey Lewis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dM8z3xjEdVs&t=37s
• Cruisin' by Smokey Robinson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlzY6cWpoMQ
• Your Everything by Keith Urban: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-YxtaCpMOk&t=20s
• Sail Away by David Gray: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyGsXiKOVis&t=5s
• Beyond the sea by Bobby Darin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8OlDPqYBLw
• If You Were a Sailboat‬ by Katie Melua: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1Q62RgzIRE&t=103s
• Winedark Open Sea by Paul McCartney: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jakkm2IfZPs&t=22s
• Downstream by Supertramp: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ed_3j6vIfts

The Bride’s Bouquet:

Calla lilies, roses, baby’s breath, astilbe, hydrangea, ranunculus, carnation, eucalyptus greenery peonies.

Hold the bouquet together with: White or navy lace, nautical rope, or striped white and blue ribbon.

Boutonniere:
Calla lily, carnation, striped ribbon with shipping wheel.

Let the fun begin Nautical Theme Wedding activity stations during cocktail hour or after the meal:

Message in a Bottle
If you have chosen to have your wedding on a rented boat or cruise what is more romantic than writing a message in a bottle, throwing it out in the river, and hoping it makes its way to your loved one.

Tie the Knot

Fill a basket with precut pieces of rope 1ft to 1m long. Have a range of samples of nautical knots such as a reef knot or rolling hitch and have someone demonstrate a range of nautical knots. Guests pick a rope and within a time-limit tie as many knots as possible. A prize may be given to the winner. This also makes for a nice icebreaker.

Tug of War
Place a heavy-duty knotted rope. Guests can go against another family or the hosts can have prechosen teams. The team that pulls their opponent over the center line wins. This can also be an ice breaker.

Deck Quoits
Another nautical wedding favorite activity is rope quoits. Rope Quoits is a traditional game which involves the
throwing of metal, rope or rubber rings over a set distance, usually to land over or near a spike.

Scavenger Hunt
Create a scavenger hunt that guests can do in teams. Guests must take selfies with the items on the scavenger hunt list. Examples include “Licking a sailor hat” “ships captain” “she smells sea shells” “poke a pirate.” This game is particularly cute for a hen’s party.

Treasure hunt

The most common way to give treasure hunt clues is to create a trail, so that the answer to one clue reveals the next one. Create a set of clues directing teams or individuals to the treasure hidden somewhere on the
yacht or venue grounds. Clues can be placed on a piece of paper, a starfish, on the mast of a model sailboat, on the helm or on a nautical map.