Romance of the Sea

Planning to get married this summer? Celebrating an anniversary? Thinking about renewing your wedding vows? If you’re looking for a unique way to celebrate a milestone moment with that special someone, consider doing it aboard a Maine windjammer.

Most of the captains are licensed to perform weddings at sea or on shore. From intimate island nuptials to Pirate weddings, the captains are more than happy to help you plan the perfect ceremony. You can invite your family and friends and charter an entire vessel for up to a week or leave the wedding party behind and enjoy relaxing cruise along the coast of Maine. A few of the windjammer boast honeymoon suites!

While there are no heart-shaped hot tubs or canopy beds, guests will delight in natural beauty of the Maine coast, the rich experience of sailing a 19^th-century tall ship, the delicious food and great camaraderie.

Getting married in Maine is easier than ever, thanks to recent changes in Maine’s marriage license procedure. Please note that our captains take their officiations very seriously, so guests are encouraged to discuss their wedding plans prior to sailing!

For out romantic reader who know Cupid is always looking down from the rigging, read on …

The Pirate Wedding

While most of the captains are licensed to perform wedding at sea, one of them waited nearly 30 years before marrying his first couple. “I just had cold feet,” says Captain Doug Lee of the schooner Heritage. “Even though I got to know many couples very well over the years, I always shied away from performing any wedding ceremonies.”

The Byams had better luck. Rico had been a crewmember on the Heritage in the early 1990’s when he met his sweetheart Peg. After a long courtship, Rich came to Captain Lee and said, “I know you’ve always said you’d never marry anyone, but if I propose to Peg and she accepts, would perform out ceremony?” Doug accepted … and so did Peg and the result was a spectacular Pirate Wedding last July.

Sailing on the Love Boat

Most people couldn’t imagine inviting a few dozen “strangers” to their wedding, but that’s just what happened aboard the Isaac H. Evans a few years ago. Captain Brenda Walker was asked to marry Ed and Becky Hopper on a “desert” island.

The couple had arrived knowing only two guests .. by the end of the week, all 20 passengers were fast friends! By chance, there was a husband and wife on board who were musicians … he played guitar, she sang. There was also a sax player and even a little girl who’d packed a dress. As people came to the wedding spot, the captain performed the ceremony, and the music’s played and sand the wedding song. The little girl in her dress was the flower girl. The reception was a lobster bake complete with a wedding cake.

There’s more to the story … The sax player proposed to his girlfriend on the same trip. Captain Brenda went to their wedding in Asheville, NC and they now have two beautiful children. To celebrate a wedding AND a proposal on the same trip, Captain Brenda declared the Isaac H. Evans the “love boat,” spelling it out in colorful signal flags that fly from the masts.