Vermont Weddings
Lake Champlain Ceremonies & Receptions

What does it mean to charter?

What most people do on the Spirit is charter a deck. While you have the option of chartering the whole ship, most people simply do not need the space. Chartering a deck means you will have your own private level of the ship along with your own private outdoor space. Only your guests will be allowed on your reserved deck/outdoor space.

What is included in the charter rate?

Our charter rate includes many things that are often sold separately when working with venues that are not all-inclusive. Our charter rate includes the following:
– Private deck with your own indoor/outdoor area, dance floor
– 4-hours of cruise time, 30 minutes of boarding time, 2 hours of set up time*
– Wedding Planner from the date of booking through rehearsal
– Deck Manager for day-of services
– One hour for rehearsal prior to your wedding
– All staffing, including waitstaff and bar staff, USCG certified captains, engineers
– Event set up/clean up
– Tables, chairs, linens for reception
– All china, glassware, flatware
– Bar set up/fully stocked bar

Which deck gets which outdoor area?

The lower level, our Admiral Deck, is both our largest deck, as well as our handicap accessible deck. The Admiral Deck gets the bow of the ship, which is our largest outdoor area. The Admiral Deck can hold up to 165 guests. Our Horizon Deck, which is the middle level of the ship, gets the sundeck at the stern (back) of the ship. Our Horizon Deck can hold up to 125 guests. Our Sky Deck is reserved for our scenic and sunset passengers, and is off-limits for weddings.

Will it be too cold to have my wedding in the spring or fall?

All of our decks can be enclosed and climate controlled, so have no fear, weddings can be all three seasons on the ship!

Are we allowed to have our ceremony on the boat?

Absolutely! Many of our couples choose to have both their ceremony and reception on the ship. It is a breathtaking location. We charge a ceremony fee of $200, as the ceremony takes additional set up, communication, and equipment.

Do you have packages?

Each couple is unique and we enjoy helping to build customized weddings for all of our clients. We promise that the process is easy AND exciting to create the perfect match for your big celebration! We do our best to ensure that our contracts are easy to understand and are always there to make the process both transparent and fun.

Will we have other people on the boat?

Unless you charter the entire ship (which you can do! Check out The LUXE package for more information), you will likely have other guests on board the ship. However, when you are chartering a deck, they will not have access to your deck or your outside area of the ship. Bathrooms are shared spaces for all guests on board.

FOOD & BEVERAGE

How does your menu pricing work?

Our menus have been carefully crafted and priced out per person. For our weddings, the menus do not include a dessert, however, it does include a cake cutting fee. Should you want a Spirit dessert AND a cake brought on board, then you would incur an additional charge. The coffee and tea service will be offered at the time of dessert and will not have a dedicated station. It is a common courtesy to include your DJ, photographer and any other on-board vendors in your meal count. Please bear in mind our menus do not reflect an 11% food tax or a 20% gratuity.

Do my guests need to pre-select items if I choose a plated meal?

No! We are a full service restaurant and our amazing Executive Chef & his team are used to plating many meals at once from our on-board galley. Your guests can order right on board the ship during the wedding. You will not need to know what entree they are having prior to your wedding, which cuts down on stress for you. We even provide a menu for you and your guests that can be customized with your name and date!

What if I want to a customize my own menu?

We love a creative couple! You are welcome to customize your own menu, and each item will be priced out per item, per person. If you would like to make adjustments to preexisting menus, you’re more than welcome to do that as well. Please speak with your wedding coordinator about customization or adjustments to our Signature Menus. Pricing will depend on the items you select.

Can I bring my own food/caterer on board?

The Spirit of Ethan Allen is the exclusive on-board caterer. Our Executive Chef has brought some truly amazing cuisine on the ship. Our culinary team has been with us for several years and has evolved our ship’s dining experience from ordinary to the extraordinary! We have an on board galley and serve your food piping hot. We offer a wide variety in food service, from buffet to plated, cocktail appetizer packages to themed menus!

Can I bring my own cake/dessert on board?

Yes! You can bring any cake or dessert from a licensed bakery or facility. Please make sure to coordinate with your coordinator and baker about drop off and refrigeration needs.

Do you have a children’s menu?

We do! We can offer your guests that are between the ages of 3-11 a menu price of $10 for anything off of our children’s menu, which includes items like pizza (cheese or pepperoni), mac and cheese or hot dogs. If you would rather serve your younger guests your actual menu, the price is 50% of the adult price. Children from 0-3 are only $2 to be on the ship and do not incur a meal fee. Any guest over the age of 11 will be charged adult menu prices.

How do your appetizers work?

We have a great selection of appetizers! There are two different types – butlered and stationary. Our butlered appetizers are passed around by our delightful Spirit Staff, and the stationary appetizers are set up as a display. We also have several different packages for you to choose from if you want to provide an array of choices for your guests. Our butlered appetizers are based per piece, so you have the power to choose whatever amount you’d like. Similarly, our stationary appetizers are based on a certain amount of ounces per person, which is how we determine how much food to serve. The minimum amount of appetizers you can order is for 50 guests, or 50 pieces. For butlered appetizers, you can go up by increments of 25 — so, 50, 75, 100, etc. For our stationary appetizers, you can go up by increments of 50 — so, 50, 100, 150, etc. If you need guidance, your planning staff is happy to help.

Are we allowed to take the food home with us?

Unfortunately we do not allow carry-off food. We will gladly package up your leftover wedding cake or cupcakes from your baker for you!

I have guests with dietary issues – what do I do?

The first thing to do is to inform your coordinator. We will work with you on whatever dietary needs you have, however, some cannot be accommodated. We are a nut free ship, and mark out menus with vegan, vegetarian and gluten free signage. We offer special vegan dishes upon request. We do like to note that we are a commercial kitchen, and there is always a risk of product cross contamination. We are not a celiac certified establishment. Many of our products are produced in facilities that also produce nut based products. Other ingredients, such as dairy and soy are always on hand in our kitchen.

What bar services do you offer?

We offer many bar services — open bar packages, hosted beer and wine, prepaid limits, champagne toasts and more! Please note that our bar packages do not include taxes (11% for soft bar tax, 12% for alcohol), or the 20% gratuity. For specific pricing, visit our beverage packages page. For a list of what we carry, visit our bar menu.

THE DETAILS

What linens do you provide?

We provide tablecloths and napkins with a wide range of color selections, which are included in your charter rate. For an additional fee, we can also work with Fine Linen Rentals to provide absolutely gorgeous items for your event, ranging from chair covers and sashes to runners and table overlays. Your wedding planner will work directly with BBJ to alleviate as much stress on you as possible! You just need to define what look you’d like, and we’ll make sure to order your linens, set them up on board, then ship them back for you!

How do chair covers and specialty linens work?

You are welcome to provide your own chair covers and linens (runners, overlays, etc.) or you can rent through us through Fine Linen Rentals. For all chair covers, we charge a fee per chair cover for set up, as it is a very time laborious process for our staff (see our pricing page for more information). Note that you may need more chairs than guests, as you may have a deck set that requires additional seating so your tables do not look uneven. This is why you are paying per chair vs. per person. Please remember that if you opt to purchase your own linens, the Spirit does not do any steaming or cleaning pre or post event.

Do you provide a DJ?

We have been working with SuperSounds DJ for many years! They are known throughout the state as premiere DJs. On the ship, we call them SpiritSounds DJ, and that is what you will see in your contract. We will book them and facilitate their set up needs for your wedding. What do you need to do on your end? You will fill out a form that lets the DJ know your personal preferences and let them know of any special songs or dances you’d like to do. The DJ will also have a phone call or two with you to ensure that you are both on the same page! SpiritSounds also rents out photo booths and karaoke if you’re looking for more!

Can we bring our own entertainment?

You are more than welcome to bring your own entertainment on board the ship. We have had many other DJ companies, bands, string duos and more! Please note that if you hire your own DJ, you will need to facilitate their timing and all communications. You will also need to ensure they bring their own set up for the ship, as we only provide equipment for our in-house SpiritSounds DJ.

Do you provide decorations?

We do not provide decorations, however, we will set up your decorations for you! The more details and photos you can provide for set up, the better. Your decorations, favors, any seating chart information, etc. are typically dropped off at the final consultation. At the end of the event, we will package up your decorations for you, so it’s ideal to package them in labeled plastic containers (like a rubbermaid container) for us to store them in after your wedding. We will coordinate a pick up time prior to the event.

Can I bring my dog on board for the ceremony?

Unfortunately, we do not allow dogs on board the ship, as we are a licensed restaurant. Please speak with your coordinator if you have a service dog that must accompany a human.

Can your captains marry us?

Unfortunately not – they’re too busy driving the ship!

Can my guests smoke on board?

We are proud to say the Spirit became a smoke-free vessel in 2016, so unfortunately you and your guests may not smoke on board. However, in many instances, we dock for a bit in the middle of your wedding, so your guests can hop off for a quick break. Please note that the ship does not wait for stragglers!

Where should my guests park?

Please check https://soea.com/parking/ – it is a great resource to share with your friends and family who are looking for a place to park by the waterfront!

LOGISTICS

How does your payment structure work?

At the time of your contract, or no more than 10 days out from your booking date, we secure a $1,000 deposit. That deposit can be refunded up to three months out from the date of your wedding. For any cancelations within three months of the date, the Spirit keeps your deposit. Your payment in full is due two weeks prior to your event. If there are further add ons in the last two week, you may pay prior to the cruise with cash or credit card. No checks will be accepted after two weeks out. Please bear in mind, a 3% fee is incurred on any credit card transaction.Any bar fees must be paid prior to disembarkation. We require a credit card number to keep on file for any outstanding charges incurred.

When do I need to tell you how many guests will be at the wedding?

When you begin planning, we work with rough numbers to give you a good idea of the cost. Throughout the process, we start to see how they increase or decrease. Your final guarantee will be given two weeks out from the big day. When you declare your official guarantee, your numbers may increase, but they can no longer decrease. All remaining payments must be paid prior to the cruise — if not, we will utilize the credit card on file.

What happens if it rains, or storms so badly we cannot sail? Do we have to cancel the wedding?

If the weather is so inclement that we cannot set sail, we will still have your wedding dockside! Your guests may have traveled a long way to celebrate with you, and no storm will stand in the way of that. You’ll even get 25% of the charter rate back!