1. Date and municipality
You give notice of marriage in the town where you live. The ceremony takes place in the municipality where the ship lies that day, usually Amsterdam.
Ceremony
A registered officiant on board
A marriage on board is legally valid once two things are in place: the city has designated the ship as a wedding venue, and a registered officiant is present. This page explains how that works in Amsterdam, what choices you have in your officiant, and how a ceremony on deck unfolds.
- For a legal marriage on board, the city must designate the ship as a wedding venue.
- The ceremony is conducted by a registered civil officiant (babs).
- You may bring your own officiant; the city can swear them in for a single day.
- Two to four witnesses sign the marriage certificate on board.
- We arrange the designation and the application with the city as part of the package.
How it works
A legal wedding on the water, step by step
2. Designating the ship
We file the application to have the ship designated as a wedding venue for your date and time.
3. Choosing the officiant
A city officiant, or your own officiant sworn in for one day. We arrange an introduction.
4. Ceremony and certificate
The ship lies still during the vows. Afterwards you and your witnesses sign the certificate on board.
On board
What a ceremony on the ship looks like
During the ceremony the ship lies still: alongside a quay, at anchor or drifting with the engine off. Guests sit in a half circle around the couple, with the water behind them. The officiant stands with their back to the horizon.
On a saloon boat the ceremony can also be held inside, in the heated saloon with windows all round. On a sailing ship the vows are almost always outdoors, with the sails hoisted. A lectern, microphones and music are available.
- The ship lies still during the vows
- Ceremony on deck or in the saloon
- Microphones and sound system available
- Signing with witnesses on board
Frequently asked
Officiant and ceremony
Can you legally marry on a boat?
Yes, provided the city has designated the ship as a wedding venue and a registered officiant is present. We arrange both.
Can we bring our own officiant?
You can. An officiant from another municipality, or someone dear to you, can be sworn in by the city for a single day. That takes a few months of preparation.
Does the ship have to lie still during the vows?
In practice, yes. A stationary ship gives calm, audibility and safety, and is what the city expects when granting the designation.
How many witnesses do we need?
At least two and at most four, all aged eighteen or over. They sign the certificate right after the ceremony.
Can we hold a symbolic ceremony instead?
Yes. Many couples marry at the town hall in the morning and hold a symbolic ceremony on board, led by a celebrant or someone close to them.
Read on
More about the day
- See how a wedding day on a boat unfolds
Ceremony, sailing, dinner and party in one day.
- Read about the wedding planner who guides you
One point of contact from first call to final quay.
- View the boarding quays for the ceremony
Quays in the old city, on the IJ and in Muiden.