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Dedicated November 2018

Cruise Wedding Reception or Not?

Kelly, on January 25, 2018 at 2:14 PM Posted in Wedding Reception 0 21

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Hello everyone! My fiancé and I are finally making plans to get married aboard the Carnival Victory in November. We keep going back and forth with the plan for the day. We will be getting married at sea, so all guests attending will be on the cruise. Carnival offers just the ceremony, with a champagne toast and cake cutting, or the ceremony along with an hour reception. Financially, having just the ceremony would be better for us, but I feel it’s too cheap to not do a reception. Food is included anyway for a cruise, so it kills me we’re double paying to have a cocktail hour, but I don’t want guests to de disappointed. Should we just pay the extra money and have a cocktail hour that includes appetizers and drinks? Our guests are paying their own way for the cruise so isn’t is almost expected to have some sort of reception?

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21 Comments

Latest activity by Daria, on October 30, 2018 at 4:29 PM

Master June 2016
Sarah · on January 25, 2018 at 2:15 PM
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If I spent money on a cruise to attend someone’s wedding, yes I would expect they were having a reception either aboard the boat or at a restaurant near a port.
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Master January 2019
FutureMrsKC · on January 25, 2018 at 2:16 PM
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Yes, have a reception. If I have to travel to get onto this cruise, you better feed me and make it longer than the 20 minute ceremony...
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Savvy November 2018
Alicia · on January 25, 2018 at 2:24 PM
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Wow I'm getting married in November at sea as well but it will be on board royal Caribbean !! Our reception will be in the dining room for our pre book dinner time where our wedding cake will be served as dessert also and the remaining of the bottles
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Savvy November 2018
Alicia · on January 25, 2018 at 2:26 PM
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Of wines. We are not expensing ourselves unnecessarily.
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Master June 2016
Sarah · on January 25, 2018 at 2:31 PM
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But you’re expecting that anyone who wants to see you get married spends thousands to do so...

that’s a really great attitude.
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Savvy November 2018
Alicia · on January 25, 2018 at 2:31 PM
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We are also doing welcome bags for our guest's cabins and edible favors in their hotel rooms where we will be staying one night before cruise! Sorry my phone froze before I finished
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Savvy November 2018
Alicia · on January 25, 2018 at 2:38 PM
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Well I guess it's a good thing our family and close friends are okay with our decision and looking forward to not only celebrating with us on this wonderful occasion but having the opportunity to cruise for the first time as they have always dreamed of doing. Who wants to be there will be!
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Champion November 2016
LB · on January 25, 2018 at 2:43 PM
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Your guests are spending thousands of dollars to be at your wedding. Yes at minimum you should have a cocktail hour. This is one of the reasons I'm not a fan of cruise weddings. There isn't a true "reception".
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Master January 2019
FutureMrsKC · on January 25, 2018 at 2:52 PM
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I'm not a fan either, even for my closest friends I'd probably decline. If I wanted to go on vacation I could do that myself, have a wedding where your guests feel treated without having to spend thousands to get onto a boat. I also get seasick so hard pass.
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Expert September 2018
Nicole · on January 25, 2018 at 2:57 PM
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It seems like you're trying to nickle and dime when your guests are literally paying THOUSANDS of dollars to watch you get married. Please host them to every available option.
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Champion November 2016
LB · on January 25, 2018 at 2:58 PM
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Yeah, I had a DW which I'm sure was not cheap for my guests so I felt the need to go above and beyond. Everyone invited to RD, impeccably hosted wedding, and hosted morning after brunch for everyone. Just giving welcome bags (which I also did...) doesn't make up for guests paying for the "reception"
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Savvy July 2018
Samantha · on January 25, 2018 at 3:04 PM
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My FH and I were considering getting married on a cruise and we had the same debate. One option we had come up with was paying for our guests to go to a specialty restaurant on the ship and doing that for our reception. Just a thought.
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Savvy November 2018
Alicia · on January 25, 2018 at 3:56 PM
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Kelly if you and your FH think you can afford it then by all means go for it! I like to be practical after looking at all angles of the situation. I'm sure you and your guests will have a blast no matter what you decide ! Happy planning
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Dedicated November 2018
Kelly · on January 25, 2018 at 4:05 PM
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Thanks for all the feedback. The only reason why I was questioning it is because we’re from Florida and 95% of our guests have to drive no more than 2 hours to the cruise. All the comments about our guests spending THOUSANDS of dollars for this is not true. I’m not trying to nickel and dime, just trying to provide a nice destination wedding within our budget. My fiancé are not receiving help financially for this wedding and we bought a home together last year, so literally every penny counts. We will just keep our guest list to a reasonable number so we can still do a cocktail hour or dinner.
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Dedicated November 2018
Kelly · on January 25, 2018 at 4:08 PM
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Thank you! Most of our family is from Florida like us, so by no means will anyone be spending thousands of dollars to attend this. We were ready to just go to the courthouse and get married bc big extravagant weddings aren’t our thing. We thought spending a few thousands ourselves to enjoy a nice weekend cruise with family and friends would be a nice alternative. I hope you and your fiancé have a wonderful time aboard your cruise! 😊
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Savvy November 2018
Alicia · on January 25, 2018 at 4:38 PM
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Thanks Kelly. ..we seem to have more in common than we thought cause we were going to do the same thing but we started cruising 4 yrs ago and have been addicted since then so said we would marry on board a cruise. All our family and friends going wanted to one day cruise so this is exciting for them! The hubby and I are currently renovating as well as financing our wedding alone and you're right every cent counts. You and your fiancé a wonderful cruise as well !!
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Savvy May 2019
Tina · on January 25, 2018 at 5:22 PM
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We found out that going through a wedding planner at one of the stops instead of the cruise is WAY cheaper. We are getting married at St. Thomas and I found this article and it changed the whole way I was planning it. http://stthomasweddingofficiant.com/planning-a-st-thomas-cruise-ship-wedding/

We're doing a reception when we get back but honestly each guest will MAYBE spend $800 a head by the time everything is said and done for a weeks vacation. Far from THOUSANDS that everyone keeps eluding to. From my experiences with cruises I'd skip the reception. The fancy dinners they have every night will suffice just fine and your guests are going to enjoy themselves immensely. Don't strain your budget to try to meet some made up requirements. You know your crowd/family, do what you think is right.
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Dedicated December 2018
SJ · on January 25, 2018 at 7:31 PM
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You could link everyone in the main dining room and enjoy a dinner together that way. Ask carnival to provide a cake or rent out the speciality restaurants depending on your budget. Since carnival prices for their wedding packages went up, we didn't really see the value in it any more so we're getting married in Orlando (20 minute ceremony, 2 hour reception) and then we'll have a shuttle take us and our guests to our cruise immediately after.
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Just Said Yes August 2019
Sara · on August 20, 2018 at 8:27 PM
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We are getting married 8/3/2018 on the carnival conquest. We are having an embarkation day wedding. We went back and forth between having a reception or not. We decided to have a reception to give extra time just to have somewhere just the wedding party and guests. We also went for the open bar package I believe it's the platinum package. That way anyone that does not opt for the drink package while cruising it gives them the chance to have fun and not worry about how much a drink costs. But both sides of our family's drink making it worth it! It also gives you the options of having that first dance etc! Also a quiet place for if you have speeches. Cruise are amazing just can be hard to find space that is all yours. I hope this helps!
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Just Said Yes January 2019
Karyn · on October 30, 2018 at 3:40 PM
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Hi Kelly and congrats! I am also having a cruise wedding in January . We decided to get married while the ship is in port. Many of the ports have wonderful wedding planners at various venues. We are so lucky to have found an amazing planner at our venue in Mexico. I also went back and forth about the food for our reception. My fiancee felt as you do at first. The ship has food everywhere so why splurge on food for our reception. I decided to go all out for our reception buffet. I cut back on other details like flowers. I mean - when you get married at a beautiful venue like a ship or beach... who needs extra decor?? Our guest went all out to attend, so we are gonna feed them. In the end - do it your way, that's why you chose a cruise wedding right?
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