Garden Villa Wedding

[chellebells]

Has anyone heard of NCL allowing the wedding ceremony to be held in the Garden Villa? This has been my request and I have to wait until 2 weeks prior to get the official word from NCL but I thought it wouldn't hurt to ask the 'experts' here on cruise critic! Disclaimer :D...I realize any answer provided here will not be the definitive answer however I would like to hear other's experiences.

 

Thank you so much!

[bakerintn]

I think that if you had booked the garden villa, your chances may be good. If it has been booked by others, not a chance. If not booked at all on your sailing, maybe.

 

However, what would you do to make the wedding "legal"...get married quietly in the U.S. first and have this ceremony just a faux wedding??

[chellebells]

I think that if you had booked the garden villa, your chances may be good. If it has been booked by others, not a chance. If not booked at all on your sailing, maybe.

 

However, what would you do to make the wedding "legal"...get married quietly in the U.S. first and have this ceremony just a faux wedding??

 

We have booked the Garden Villa and arranged the wedding through NCL and The Wedding Experience (NCL's Coordinators). I have officially made the request to have the ceremony in our suite as their will only be the six of us however, they could neither confirm nor deny the request until two weeks prior. :confused:

 

I am just so hoping to have someone pop on and say 'we did it' LOL

[2Cruise4Ever]

However, what would you do to make the wedding "legal"...get married quietly in the U.S. first and have this ceremony just a faux wedding??

 

The wedding would be legal... all weddings on board take place before the ship sets sail.

 

This is a good question about the GV. I hope someone else did it so you'll have some hope. Keep us posted!

 

Also, be sure to ask this question on the Honeymoon & Wedding board: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=31

[Frick_&_Frack]

We have booked the Garden Villa and arranged the wedding through NCL and The Wedding Experience (NCL's Coordinators). I have officially made the request to have the ceremony in our suite as their will only be the six of us however, they could neither confirm nor deny the request until two weeks prior. :confused:

 

I am just so hoping to have someone pop on and say 'we did it' LOL

 

First - CONGRATULATIONS!! :D

 

Second - they may need to see if the GV is going to be occupied for the prior sailing - since that would mean they have to super-rush and clean it up to get it ready for occupancy and the wedding. That may be what's holding up the approval on it?

 

Enjoy your wedding and the cruise!

[TITISSA]

I don't see why not since you booked the Garden Villa. The only time I booked a Garden Villa on the Pearl, I had a party and the butlers did everything for me. They didn't give me any problems. Only took my money :D

[chellebells]

Thank you to all for the optimistic responses! I will be sure to update as soon as I know anything for sure. There is another bride on the wedding and honeymoon boards wondering the same thing...wish us both luck :)

[che5904]

First - CONGRATULATIONS!! :D

 

Second - they may need to see if the GV is going to be occupied for the prior sailing - since that would mean they have to super-rush and clean it up to get it ready for occupancy and the wedding. That may be what's holding up the approval on it?

 

Enjoy your wedding and the cruise!

 

I was trying to figure out why the OP couldn't have it there if they booked the GV. Any why they would have to wait till 2 weeks before their cruise to confirm this. It wouldn't be any different than throwing a party in the GV which people do all the time.

 

OK, that sort of makes sense. Except for one thing. If the ship leaves port at 4pm and the wedding has to be done before it leaves, I would assume since muster drill for a 4pm sail is approx. 3pm, therefore the wedding would have to be scheduled for around 2pm. The cabins are usually ready at the latest 2pm. So I'm not seeing an issue.

 

OP I think I would contact them back and ask why the need to wait that close to sail.

[che5904]

Thank you to all for the optimistic responses! I will be sure to update as soon as I know anything for sure. There is another bride on the wedding and honeymoon boards wondering the same thing...wish us both luck :)

 

luck ;)

[2Cruise4Ever]

luck ;)

 

Double Luck!!! :D :D

[Frick_&_Frack]

I was trying to figure out why the OP couldn't have it there if they booked the GV. Any why they would have to wait till 2 weeks before their cruise to confirm this. It wouldn't be any different than throwing a party in the GV which people do all the time.

 

OK, that sort of makes sense. Except for one thing. If the ship leaves port at 4pm and the wedding has to be done before it leaves, I would assume since muster drill for a 4pm sail is approx. 3pm, therefore the wedding would have to be scheduled for around 2pm. The cabins are usually ready at the latest 2pm. So I'm not seeing an issue.

 

OP I think I would contact them back and ask why the need to wait that close to sail.

 

Actually, the weddings are normally started around (they board the wedding party first - before VIP) noon or at the latest 1PM so there is time for a reception (minimum of cake cutting) so that any non-sailing guests (in this case - not applicable) would have time to have leave prior to muster. Since they would be "self-contained" in the GV - they need to have the entire space cleaned and prepped (including the set up for the wedding).

 

Chellebells - there is another option as well. You could see if you could have the ceremony in the Chapel (if that works for you) and then move for the "reception" part in the GV. That would allow time for them to set up the GV from the prior sailing, possibility of pictures in other venues along the way to the GV? Just thinking as I'm typing of ways to get at least part of the wedding in the GV.

 

I had planned to get married on the Dawn 5 years ago - so I went through a lot of the planning (but, in the end, too difficult due to elderly relatives to get them to the port, through security, etc.). But, we *did* just do a vow renewal on the Gem 2 weeks ago ;).

[chellebells]

I had planned to get married on the Dawn 5 years ago - so I went through a lot of the planning (but, in the end, too difficult due to elderly relatives to get them to the port, through security, etc.). But, we *did* just do a vow renewal on the Gem 2 weeks ago ;).

 

I feel selfish :o, it never dawned on me the stress of the poor room stewards trying to get the GV cleaned and ready by noon. The idea of the chapel them the GV now sounds like a great idea.

[che5904]

Actually, the weddings are normally started around (they board the wedding party first - before VIP) noon or at the latest 1PM so there is time for a reception (minimum of cake cutting) so that any non-sailing guests (in this case - not applicable) would have time to have leave prior to muster. Since they would be "self-contained" in the GV - they need to have the entire space cleaned and prepped (including the set up for the wedding).

 

I feel selfish :o, it never dawned on me the stress of the poor room stewards trying to get the GV cleaned and ready by noon. The idea of the chapel them the GV now sounds like a great idea.

 

I didn't realize they did the wedding so early in the day. But if you don't have any non-sailing guests you may be able to get the time bumped up till 2, but that would mean you would only have an hour before muster drill. But cake cutting and anything else could be done after muster drill and a ceremony itself should not take longer than an hour. As for the room stewards, yes if the wedding was the time posted by the other poster it would be really a push since the prior sailing doesn't even come in until 10am unlike a lot of other sailings that dock at 8am.

[Frick_&_Frack]

I feel selfish :o, it never dawned on me the stress of the poor room stewards trying to get the GV cleaned and ready by noon. The idea of the chapel them the GV now sounds like a great idea.

 

No, no, no - do NOT feel it's selfish.

 

Quite honestly - unless there are total slobs in there the week prior - this should be a relatively simple mission to accomplish for them (plus, trust me, they all *LOVE* weddings!!! and you'd be amazed at what they will do to get it perfect and the perfect day! - even if it's just a vow renewal)

 

I was just trying to "think out loud" that, if the GV wasn't able to be ready in time for the actual ceremony (due to regulations about people - like the officiant - being off at certain times prior to muster drills, etc.) - then, it may be a viable option (a plan "B") for you to see if the Wedding Experience can help you with.

 

I dealt with a planner there who was just super in helping with the vow renewal. So, they really will try their darnedest to get you what you would feel is ideal.

 

I don't know what "upgrades" you may have with your wedding either (and that's the logistics they may need to figure out).

[che5904]

if the GV wasn't able to be ready in time for the actual ceremony (due to regulations about people - like the officiant - being off at certain times prior to muster drills, etc.)

 

Oops in my thinking above I forgot the officiator would be coming from off the ship :o

[Frick_&_Frack]

Oops in my thinking above I forgot the officiator would be coming from off the ship :o

 

Yeah, there's lots of moving parts on a wedding on a ship (unless the officiant is traveling with you - which is a possibility if it's a friend/friend of the family). For Chellebells - at least the entire group is traveling together which definitely takes a lot of the logistics out of the equation (except the officiant part).

 

My DH & I desperately wanted to be married aboard (since we had gotten engaged the year prior on the Dawn). But, we "made do" with the vow renewal on the Gem. ;) I wouldn't trade the memory of the vow renewal for anything. :D

[chellebells]

Yeah, there's lots of moving parts on a wedding on a ship (unless the officiant is traveling with you - which is a possibility if it's a friend/friend of the family). For Chellebells - at least the entire group is traveling together which definitely takes a lot of the logistics out of the equation (except the officiant part).

 

My DH & I desperately wanted to be married aboard (since we had gotten engaged the year prior on the Dawn). But, we "made do" with the vow renewal on the Gem. ;) I wouldn't trade the memory of the vow renewal for anything. :D

 

You have made my day! Thank you for putting me at ease and realizing there is nothing to worry about! This is why I love cruise critic and NCL!

[Frick_&_Frack]

You have made my day! Thank you for putting me at ease and realizing there is nothing to worry about! This is why I love cruise critic and NCL!

 

Michelle - I'm thrilled you're so happy; you're putting a smile on my face too!!! :D It's going to be a WONDERFUL day for you!!!

[Deedeelu]

As MoB my question is since bridal group boards first to prepare for ceremony where do they dress if room is not ready.

[DevCruise]

I feel selfish :o, it never dawned on me the stress of the poor room stewards trying to get the GV cleaned and ready by noon. The idea of the chapel them the GV now sounds like a great idea.

 

Don't give up on it yet. If nobody booked it the week prior, there's no "rush".

[Frick_&_Frack]

As MoB my question is since bridal group boards first to prepare for ceremony where do they dress if room is not ready.

 

Actually, I believe they can have the spa area available for that (or so I was advised when I had the same question a few years ago).

[Lipz]

As MoB my question is since bridal group boards first to prepare for ceremony where do they dress if room is not ready.

 

The bridal couple's room is always ready because the bride does not have to wear her gown on board. In our case we also asked that our kids cabin be ready because they were our wedding party and needed to dress. The answer was of course, that isn't a problem.

I really didn't see it being a problem anyhow because all the cabin steward has to do is start by cleaning the rooms that are needed for the wedding party first, and then do the other passenger cabins. I'm not the brightest crayon in the box, but that's a no brainer to me! :D

[Deedeelu]

Thank you all for your answers, advice and best wishes.

[cruiser82]

Congratulations! I would love to get married on a cruise one day. Please let us know how wonderful the ceremony was :)

[palmyrafan]

I was trying to figure out why the OP couldn't have it there if they booked the GV. Any why they would have to wait till 2 weeks before their cruise to confirm this. It wouldn't be any different than throwing a party in the GV which people do all the time.

 

OK, that sort of makes sense. Except for one thing. If the ship leaves port at 4pm and the wedding has to be done before it leaves, I would assume since muster drill for a 4pm sail is approx. 3pm, therefore the wedding would have to be scheduled for around 2pm. The cabins are usually ready at the latest 2pm. So I'm not seeing an issue.

 

OP I think I would contact them back and ask why the need to wait that close to sail.

 

My husband and I travel in the GV and my opinion is that NCL usually tries to get the GV suites cleaned and turned around fairly quickly the day of turn-around. NCL might be concerned that the wedding would interfere with others' ability to get to their suites, etc.

 

I personally would not have an issue with it. My question is this: are the "guests" also cruisers and are they staying in other GV or are they staying in other areas of the ship? Perhaps NCL wants to make sure that the GV guests (other than your party) can also be accommodated on sailing day.

 

Again, just my opinion. Regardless, congratulations on your wedding and enjoy your cruise.