Herengracht and Keizersgracht
The wide, stately canals lined with merchant houses. The classic backdrop for the first photographs after the vows.
Sailing area
Getting married in the Amsterdam canals
The canal ring is the most sheltered sailing area in Amsterdam: narrow water, low bridges and four-hundred-year-old facades within arm's reach. A wedding in the canals is intimate in scale, within walking distance of almost every hotel in the old centre, and goes ahead in nearly any weather.
- The Amsterdam canal ring has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2010.
- In the canals we sail historic saloon boats and luxury sloops, for 2 to 60 guests.
- The canals are sheltered: wind and rain rarely interrupt the day.
- Boarding quays include the Amstel, the Oosterdok and the Prinsengracht.
The route
How a wedding day through the canals unfolds
The canal ring is a sequence of short, distinct stretches of water. The setting changes every ten minutes without the ship ever leaving the city.
Prinsengracht and the Jordaan
Narrower, greener and livelier. Houseboats, terraces and the Westertoren rising above the rooflines.
Brouwersgracht and the Western Islands
Warehouses, wooden drawbridges and still water. Usually the quietest part of the route, ideal during dinner.
Oosterdok and the Amstel
Where the ring opens onto wider water. Room for a toast on deck before the ship turns back into the city.
Ceremony
Vows between the canal houses
For the ceremony we bring the ship to a standstill, usually alongside a quay or on a canal without through traffic. The registrar stands with their back to the water and guests are seated in a half circle in the saloon or on the open deck.
We arrange the designation of the ship as an official wedding venue with the City of Amsterdam, as well as the registrar on board. Immediately after the signing the ship casts off and the cruise through the ring begins.
- Ceremony at a standstill, in the saloon or on deck
- Registrar and venue designation arranged by us
- Sheltered in rain thanks to the heated saloon
- Guests board in the old centre, no transport needed
Practical
What the canals allow, and what they don't
| Subject | In the canals |
|---|---|
| Guests | 2 to 60, depending on the ship |
| Ships | Historic saloon boats and luxury sloops |
| Weather | Sheltered water, navigable in wind and rain |
| Bridges | Low clearance: no masts and no tall structures on deck |
| Boarding | Quays in the old centre, walking distance from most hotels |
For more than sixty guests the IJ or the IJmeer is the more logical sailing area; the canals then remain perfect for the transfer.
Frequently asked
Marrying in the canals
Can you legally marry on a boat in the canals?
Yes. Once the ship has been designated as a wedding venue by the City of Amsterdam and an authorised registrar is on board, the marriage is legally valid. We arrange the designation and the application.
How many guests fit on a canal ship?
Our saloon boats sail the canals with 2 to 60 guests. For larger groups we move to the IJ or the IJmeer, or add a second ship.
Does a canal wedding go ahead in the rain?
Almost always. The canals are sheltered and the saloon boats have a heated, covered saloon with glass walls, so the ceremony and dinner continue inside.
Where do guests board?
We choose a boarding quay that suits your route and guest count, usually on the Amstel, the Oosterdok or the Prinsengracht. Nearly all hotels are within walking distance.
Read on
More around the canals
- Read how a wedding on a boat in Amsterdam works
Ceremony, capacity, timings and boarding explained.
- See a wedding on the Amstel
Wider water, the Magere Brug and the route to Ouderkerk.
- View the saloon boats in our fleet
Capacity, layout and atmosphere per ship.
- See what a wedding on a boat costs
What the complete € 10,000 arrangement includes.