Colleen & Justin's Pirate Themed Wedding Sail
Posted by Offbeat Intern · Real offbeat weddings

The Offbeat Bride: Colleen, artist

Her Offbeat Partner: Justin, artist

Location & date of wedding: Nathaniel Bowditch Schooner, Rockland Harbor, Maine — August 2, 2008

What made our wedding offbeat: We did it our way, we wanted something intimate and casual without being fussy or formal but still keeping it classy and personal. We decided in May to do it that summer, so it had to be planned in only a few months. Our prerogative was for it to be fun and inexpensive!

We saw a Maine Schooner website that hosts charters and weddings. Colleen's family are sailors and she always wanted to be married by a captain and married near the water, so this seem too perfect. And we couldn't resist the deal of a 4 hour sail, food included, for under $2500.

Our theme was a pirate and mermaid which started with our handmade pirate map wedding invitations to hoisting our own Jolly Rodger's on board. We wrote our own vows. My filmaker brother made a documentary style video. And we let everyone wear whatever they wanted for attire.

The pirate map style wedding invites.

We wanted our outfits to be summery and to be able to be worn again (dress form White House Black Market and an outlet mall Dapper-Gatsby style suit). And we got sterling silver wedding bands made from a leaf, off of Etsy.com, from an artist for our wedding bands. For food we served homemade Maine pies and Chowder the ships cook made especially lactose free for us! The boat we chose could take 40 guests and we decided that was a perfect number for us. Enough room for both of our extended families and closest friends only.

Our biggest challenge: The boat was amazing in the fact that it took care of almost every detail for us. We only had to bring the liqueur and get everyone there.

Pirate cup champagne toast.

A wrench was thrown into our plans when we found out, a month before the wedding, that it was the same weekend as the Maine Lobster Fest. Obstacles like less hotel availability and a parade running through town the morning of the wedding, as well as colder and rainier weather than we expected for August appeared and stressed us out!

But we just had to realize it was going to be unique and special anyway and everything seemed to work out. Even though it seemed crazy planning all the last minute details at the time. We are not the kind of people who wanted to spend a year planning a wedding and guest seating/dinner etc.

My favorite moment: Our favorite part about the wedding was that it was so casual and intimate that we got a chance to talk to everyone on board during the sail and after the ceremony at the dock. This was important because we hate the traditional wedding where your guests come so far to see you and barely get to say "hi, we are here!" Also the ceremony itself was very light and there was a lot of happiness and laughter involved. We had no rehearsal and didn't really know what to expect which made it fresh and fun. And the pie was amazing, everyone loved it and it was so much better fitting than wedding cake!!

My advice for other offbeat brides: Think outside the normal venue — a wedding can happen in many settings. Look for bridal outfits in other places than stuffy bridal shops. Make it as personal and fun as possible — you and your guests will enjoy it and remember it more. Save money by making your own invitations. And keep in mind that weddings can be planned in a less traditional time frame too!

Enough talk — show me the wedding porn on water!: