Don't want a traditional Wedding.

What does your fiance want?

Many cruises have wedding ceremonies at the dock, and then only the bride and groom go to the actual departure. Contact a cruise company and get the details.

He wants it to be special.

Ive looked into it and we can have 20 guest that just go to the wedding. But i want everyone to stay aboard. So im trying to plan it kinda early so they can save and request time off. So far im going with Carnival. They have everything i want.

Have you spoken to your family about this? When you're planning a destination wedding like this, you're going to have some people who just aren't going to be able to make it, no matter how much time you give them to save. As long as your VIPs are okay with it, and you realize that not everyone you want with you will be able to make it, then this isn't a problem at all. That is, as long as FH is 100% in agreement with you.

We really wanted to do a cruise wedding at first, and went so far as to book it back in May.

Carnival, Royal Caribbean, etc will only let you get married while in port, wherever the port may be. That can be the US, it can be the Bahamas, Mexico, St. Lucia, etc etc.

The ONLY cruise line that will marry you while at sea is Princess Cruises. That's what we wanted to do, because we didn't want to waste a port day on a ceremony.

I still kinda wish we were doing a cruise, but it was just too expensive for us, after all was said and done, because I factored in that we would need money for excursions and other things while in port in the various countries.

But yes, cruise weddings = two thumbs up from me!

My family is all on board.

I recently told his mom our plans and she said just have a Tampa wedding and just us go on the cruise. Plus she wants it next summer.

Hes on board with it. But im afraid his family wont travel or stay on the boat for the cruise.

Im just trying to include his family with the planning. And not just have then think this is what she wants.

It's easy for family member to say "just have a Tampa wedding" or in my case, "a DC wedding." It's far more expensive to get married state-side than it is to just get married on a cruise.

I priced it out for us and for the both of us, plus the cost of a ceremony and short reception, it was about $5k. I couldn't get a caterer here at home to talk to me for less than $13k.

You have the wedding YOU want. If they want to attend, they will make every effort to. If they don't, they won't. But you shouldn't have to compromise your biggest day yet on whether they may or may not come.

I know exactly how you feel. We're getting married in Mexico.

What about the Savannah cruise line, I know it's not a well long cruise but it was cheap when I checked in on it. They even have private rooms for the wedding.