Say “I Do” Like A Queen

Cruise lines don’t go to the trouble of reflagging their ships for nothing and Cunard Line’s reflagging of the entire fleet (from their former registered homeport of Southampton in Great Britain to Hamilton, Bermuda) was done to offer passengers a new program—a wedding program. While Cunard ships have long served as romantic backdrops to love stories across the globe, couples will soon be able to say “I do” during a cruise or crossing aboard the most famous ocean liners in the world—Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth, and Queen Victoria—during a ceremony conducted by the Captain.

Only Cunard offers the truly unique option of saying “I do” mid-Atlantic on a classic trans-Atlantic Crossing aboard the grandest ocean liner in the world, Queen Mary 2. This is the first time in Cunard’s 172-year history that it will be possible to marry on board, and demand is already high.

Couples wishing to wed at sea can choose from the full spectrum of Cunard’s worldwide voyages lasting seven nights or more and departing after April 2012. In addition to Crossings, destinations include the Mediterranean and Scandinavia, Canada and New England, the Caribbean, the Panama Canal, Hawaii, the Far East, and Australia.

To maintain exclusivity, only one wedding will be arranged per day, at either 11:00am or 3:30pm, and the ceremonies will take place on days at sea. With a dedicated on board wedding coordinator, the bride and groom will find that all of their wedding needs can be met, from hairdressing, make-up and manicures in the spa, to the wedding ceremony itself, as well as photography and video, and the reception afterwards. In addition, weddings can be tailored with Cunard's “Finishing Touches” to reflect individual requests and preferences, from an accompaniment by the ship’s own harpist, to a beautiful ice sculpture.

Choosing to marry on one of the three largest Cunard ships ever built creates an exceptional setting for any style of celebration. Various venues are available aboard each ship depending on the size of the wedding party, from elegant lounges to award-winning restaurants, including The Verandah on Queen Elizabeth and Todd English on Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria. Under the guidance of Cunard’s global culinary ambassador, Chef Patron Jean-Marie Zimmermann, the ships’ world-class culinary teams will prepare wedding canapés, a delicious wedding lunch or an exquisite wedding dinner.

Cunard has created a Wedding Package with a tempting array of optional extras to meet all requirements. The main package includes the ceremony conducted by the Captain, traditional wedding music, a White Star Bellman escorting the bride, floral arrangements, Veuve Clicquot Champagne and, of course, the wedding cake as well as priority check-in and luggage delivery.

A never-to-be-forgotten day is available for $2,500 plus a marriage license fee of $575. An array of Cunard's “Finishing Touches” are also available for purchase and include items such as a Bride and Groom’s Champagne and Caviar Breakfast in Bed, or a three-tiered fruit cake. In addition, wedding gifts of fine wines, champagne, and spa treatments can be purchased in advance and arranged for on board.

What’s included in the Wedding Package:

• Priority luggage delivery
• Press service for bridal outfits
• Priority embarkation (and disembarkation) for the bridal couple
• Services of a wedding coordinator on board
• Two fresh floral arrangements for the ceremonial room
• Bridal bouquet and bridegroom’s boutonniere, with a choice of roses, lilies, or exotic flowers
• One-tier wedding cake
• Traditional wedding music
• Elegant wedding ceremony venue
• White Star Bellman to escort the bride to the ceremonial room
• Ceremony at sea conducted by the Captain
• Commemorative wedding certificate
• Commemorative printed wedding menu
• Bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne
• Bride and Groom Breakfast in Bed
• Wedding invitations and Thank You cards for voyage guests

Peter Shanks, president of Cunard Line adds, “And the ships are so much more than simply a setting for the ceremony itself–they are also honeymoon destinations, offering newlyweds a fresh view to wake up to each morning and a trousseau of unforgettable destinations to discover together ashore.”

For more information about Cunard’s new Weddings Program, visit Cunard.com.

Photo Courtesy of Cunard Line