Intimate weddings with Bay Lights Charters aboard tall ship Gas Light
Bay Lights Charters offers the opportunity to have an intimate wedding aboard the tall ship Gas Light, a historic 72-foot schooner. The venue is suitable for events of up to 49 people, making it perfect for small, intimate gatherings. The captain can perform the wedding ceremony, providing a unique and memorable experience for the couple and their guests
The beautiful backdrop of the San Francisco Bay provides a stunning setting for wedding photos, whether dockside or out on the water. The yacht itself is described as a beautiful and suitable space, potentially reducing the need for an extensive flower budget. Additionally, couples have the flexibility to create their own playlist and use the state-of-the-art stereo system or even have a live band for the event
The ship's warm, comfortable, and stable ride makes it an ideal choice for those looking to celebrate their special day in a unique and memorable experience for the couple and their guests.
The beautiful backdrop of the San Francisco Bay provides a stunning setting for wedding photos, whether dockside or out on the water. The yacht itself is described as a beautiful and suitable space, potentially reducing the need for an extensive flower budget. Additionally, couples have the flexibility to create their own playlist and use the state-of-the-art stereo system or even have a live band for the event
The ship's warm, comfortable, and stable ride makes it an ideal choice for those looking to celebrate their special day in a unique and memorable way
Couples can add various customs and themes to a yacht wedding to make it unique and memorable. Some ideas include:
Coastal Theme: Transport guests to the classic charm of Cape Cod with a color palette of navy blue, white, and hints of red. Adorn the yacht with ropes, anchors, and striped patterns to create a classic coastal ambiance
Nautical Decor: Incorporate nautical elements such as anchor-shaped cakes, oyster shell escort cards, and oversized clamshell floral arrangements to enhance the maritime atmosphere
Blue and White Color Scheme: Use a blue and white color scheme to create a nautical feel, including navy stripes for a modern look or old school New England vibes with dark blue
Personalized Touches: Add personalized elements such as monogrammed items with the couple's initials to create a unique and customized atmosphere
Comfortable Lounge Areas: Decorate boat furniture with comfy pillows and coordinating drapery to create welcoming lounge areas for guests to relax and enjoy the scenic views
Marine-Inspired Centerpieces: Create DIY faux coral and candle centerpieces or use greenery to decorate the bow of the yacht for an elegant and Pinterest-worthy seaside wedding
Religious Ceremonies: Contrary to a common myth, religious ceremonies can be accommodated on a yacht, catering to the couple's preferences and ensuring a meaningful celebration
These ideas can help couples tailor their yacht wedding to reflect their unique style and create an unforgettable experience for themselves and their guests.
There is nothing more beautiful or serene than getting married on the water—and we’ve got the yacht wedding decoration ideas to prove it! Sneak a peek at these before you set sail.
The wedding of your dreams can be held on a beautiful floating venue; from intimate ceremonies to lavish receptions, a yacht wedding is designed to accommodate both the formal and informal style that you and your guests can enjoy.
Yachts offer wedding packages that can be customized to meet your needs, with everything from full bars to chef-prepared menus. They also have open-air decks, fantastic sunset views, and distinctive hospitality.
A wedding reception on a yacht provides the ultimate view for a great celebration! You can choose to either host your ceremony elsewhere and then board the boat, or plan for both your ceremony and reception on the water.
To find the ideal yacht for your wedding, think about guest list size first. “Keep in mind that many states have maritime regulations prohibiting the rental of yachts for events or guest counts past a certain number,” says Nick and Aleah Valley. “Contacting the local maritime office is a good place to start for suggestions on how to charter a yacht. They may have recommendations for finding a yacht unless you have your own or have a connection to one.”
Once you know that your guest list count is in line with area regulations for a yacht, it’s crucial to consider space to guest ratio as well. Are there enough restrooms to accommodate your group? Is there enough elbow room to allow for a great guest experience?
You’ll also want to check if the yacht has appropriate kitchen facilities for your culinary team to create the perfect menu for your reception, along with space for other necessary rentals.
The best reason to book with Bay Lights Charters for your intimate wedding on San Francisco Bay is the unique and memorable experience they offer.
The historic 72-foot schooner, Gas Light, provides a warm, comfortable, and stable ride for weddings and can accommodate up to 49 people, making it perfect for small, intimate gatherings.
The captain can perform the wedding ceremony, adding a special touch to the event. Additionally, the company offers flexibility in terms of customizing the experience, such as creating a personalized playlist and using their state-of-the-art stereo system or having a musician onboard.
The beautiful backdrop of the San Francisco Bay provides a stunning setting for wedding photos, whether dockside or out on the water.
The reviews and ratings for Bay Lights Charters highlight the high quality of service, professionalism, and value they provide, making it a reliable choice for couples looking to create a unique and unforgettable wedding experience!
“Our experience with Bay Light Charters for our wedding was phenomenal. Right from initial booking they were super communicative; provided a break down of all our options for which ports we could take off from, food options, drink options, safety concerns, you name it they provided the information for it. Allie was incredibly responsive to all my questions (and I had many ) leading up to the big day. Having pretty much all the logistics in one place and only having to confirm headcount for food and drinks the month before made what I know could have been a stressful situation a breeze.
They also provided language to share out to our guests about general rules and safety making it a quick cut/paste to our wedding website to update all our guests. We totally misread and didn’t understand we could have done all the safety waivers ahead of time but on arrival the crew got everyone ready so fast.
The wedding itself was more than we could have ever hoped for. We were greeted right where they said to be, the crew helped my friend and parter get our welcome gifts, guestbook, and favors setup before everyone loaded, and guided us to the boat. The crew set us up for a group photo right from the start making it easy for our photographer. Everyone introduced themselves and gave a rundown of what to expect as they managed the sails and moved around the boat. Our playlist was immediately setup and we were delightedly surprised that it played up on deck and not just below. We had chosen the charcuterie spread option for our food and were really impressed with the layout. They clearly took care in its arrangement. My partner and I talked through options with Jason the captain, for where they could take the sails down and kill the engine for us to do our ceremony (officiated by my grandma but they did offer officiant service if we needed it). We ended up going from the Alameda Marina to the Yerba Buena Lighthouse for our ceremony and made it under the Bay Bridge with a spectacular view of the SF city lights for my brothers speech. It was truly perfect. The crew was so sweet to all our guests, answering their questions, and being so kind with safety reminders for the young ones we had onboard. That’s another thing, my 4 year old nephew and 7 month old niece were in attendance and The Gas Light provided life vests and were very accommodating.
All our guests raved about how lovely the crew was, people loved being able to help with the sails, enjoyed all the conversations they had with different crew members, and were taken aback with experiencing the bay in a way they never had before. It was many folks first sail boat experience and it couldn’t have been a better one. My partner and I also received such kind words about our ceremony and our guests from the crew at the end of the voyage. It made us incredibly happy to hear that our wedding was enjoyed by all.
On top of everything the crew put all the content they captured into a video (including our entire vows and my brothers speech) and sent it to us within the week. It was so unexpected, we knew they were taking pictures but assumed it to be for social media/the website but not that we would get to see them all. Allie also shared out the photos and videos themselves to me to save and I am in love with the shots the crew got.
From beginning to end was such easy and wonderful experience. I am so glad we found The Gas Light when looking for venue ideas. Our day was everything we could have hoped for. Thank you all at Bay Light Charters so much!”