Wedding Ceremony on a Yacht in Istanbul

Get married on the Bosphorus

Few places in the world are as romantic for a wedding as the Bosphorus. On a private yacht, you and your guests board in the centre of Istanbul and cruise past Dolmabahçe Palace, the Ortaköy Mosque and the waterfront mansions as the light turns golden. On the bow, a flower arch waits for your ceremony; behind you, the city stretches across two continents.

We plan your yacht wedding around you. Choose a quiet ceremony with your closest family or a full celebration with dinner, music and dancing. Any decoration is possible, from a white flower arch and bridal flowers to candles and string lights. Our private chef prepares your menu on board, with or without alcohol, as a seated dinner, a buffet or a cocktail reception, and we arrange the wedding cake and professional photography, video and drone filming.

We recommend at least 4 hours: time for the ceremony at sunset, dinner, the cake and photos by the illuminated bridges. Start from one of the packages below. See all our yacht weddings.

Watch a yacht wedding on the Bosphorus

Yacht wedding packages

Five packages to start from. Every package can be tailored to your date, number of guests, yacht, menu, decoration and entertainment.

• Intimate Wedding

  A romantic celebration at sea

  • Private yacht rental
  • Scenic Bosphorus cruise
  • Wedding table and seating arrangement
  • Elegant basic decoration
  • Background music system
  • Professional captain and crew
  • Wedding photography on request

• Luxury Wedding

  An elegant wedding experience

  • Private luxury yacht charter
  • Customised wedding decoration
  • Bridal bouquet and floral arrangements
  • Welcome drinks
  • Wedding reception menu options
  • Professional sound system and music
  • Dedicated event coordination
  • Photography and video available
  • Sunset cruise option

• Premium Wedding Reception

  An unforgettable celebration

  • Exclusive private yacht rental
  • Customised wedding concept and styling
  • Premium floral decoration
  • Welcome cocktail reception
  • Personalised wedding dinner menu
  • DJ or live music
  • Professional photography and videography
  • Wedding cake service
  • Special lighting and entertainment
  • Personal event planning and coordination

• Sunset Wedding

  Say “I do” at sunset

  • Private sunset yacht cruise
  • Romantic wedding decoration
  • Floral arrangements
  • Welcome drinks
  • Wedding ceremony setup
  • Background music
  • Photography options
  • Champagne on request

• Wedding After-Party

  Continue the celebration in style

  • Private yacht charter
  • Party lighting and sound system
  • DJ or live music
  • Cocktail and drinks packages
  • Canapés and snacks
  • Customised party decoration
  • Bosphorus night cruise

All packages can be customised and depend on yacht availability. The final price depends on the yacht, the number of guests, the length of the cruise, the menu, the decoration and the extras you choose.

Planning your wedding ceremony on a yacht

This page is about the ceremony itself: the moment you exchange vows on board. The reception and the party that follow are planned separately, and the questions below are the ones to settle first.

Legal wedding or symbolic ceremony

In Turkey, a legal marriage is registered by a civil registrar, normally at a municipal marriage office. For this reason most couples who marry on the Bosphorus hold a symbolic ceremony on board, either after the civil registration or as a celebration of a marriage registered at home. Foreign couples should check with their own consulate which documents a marriage in Turkey would need. Settle this first, because it decides whether the yacht is the place where you become married or where you celebrate it.

Who leads the ceremony and what is said

• A symbolic ceremony can be led by a close friend, a relative or a celebrant you invite. Choose someone who speaks clearly and is comfortable in front of a crowd.
• Keep the vows short and print them on a card. Outdoors on the water, a page of notes blowing in the wind is hard to read.
• Decide whether you want readings, a ring exchange, a blessing from family elders or a moment of silence, and in what order.
• Agree with us how the vows will be heard: through the sound system, or simply with everyone standing close around the arch.

Running order for the ceremony

1. Guests take their seats around the bow while the yacht leaves the pier.
2. The entrance of the couple, with a song you have chosen.
3. A welcome, the vows and the exchange of rings.
4. The kiss, a first toast and a few minutes for family photos before the light changes.

Practical details for the couple

• Choose a veil and a hairstyle that will stay in place in a breeze, and bring hairpins.
• Flat or block heels are safer on deck than stilettos.
• Give the rings to one person, and keep them in a pocket rather than on a cushion near the rail.
• Ask older guests to sit, and plan for a short ceremony so nobody stands for long on a moving yacht.

Once the vows are planned, see how the evening continues with a wedding reception on a boat, read why golden hour matters in our guide to the Bosphorus sunset cruise, or compare every option on our yacht weddings overview.

Yacht wedding highlights

• Ceremony on the bowA flower arch, seating and music for your vows.
• Sunset over the old cityGolden light for the ceremony and the photos.
• Any decorationBridal flowers, candles, lights and table styling.
• Chef on boardDinner, buffet or cocktails, with or without alcohol.
• Wedding cakeServed on deck under the flower arch.
• Photo, video and droneProfessional coverage of your day.

How your wedding day goes

1. Welcome on board
   Your guests board at the pier with a welcome drink on a decorated yacht.
2. The ceremony
   You exchange vows under the flower arch as the sun sets over the Bosphorus.
3. Dinner and toasts
   Dinner served on deck or in the saloon, with speeches and toasts.
4. Cake and dancing
   The wedding cake, the first dance and music under the illuminated bridges.

More wedding ideas

• Engagement Party on a YachtCelebrate your engagement on board
• Wedding Reception BoatLarger yachts for receptions
• Marriage Proposal on a YachtWhere it all begins
• Bachelorette Yacht PartyA pre-wedding party for the bride

The wedding route

The yacht cruises the city part of the Bosphorus: palaces along the European shore, the Bosphorus Bridge, Rumeli Fortress and the Maiden's Tower, timed so your ceremony takes place at sunset.

On the way you pass Dolmabahçe Palace, Çırağan Palace, the Ortaköy Mosque, the Bosphorus Bridge, Rumeli Fortress, Beylerbeyi Palace and the Maiden's Tower. See the full route map and all the landmarks.

The captain keeps a slow, smooth pace for the ceremony, dinner and photos, and stops at the best spots: the palaces, the bridges and the Maiden's Tower. The route can be adapted to your programme.

Yachts for your yacht wedding

For an intimate wedding, a smaller motor yacht with a beautiful bow is ideal; for a wedding with many guests, Majesty and Crescent Star offer a large saloon and open decks. Tap a yacht to see more photos.

• 8 photos

  Our flagship

  White Istanbul

  24 m · up to 77 guests

• 8 photos

  Made for celebrations

  Crescent Star

  24 m · up to 130 guests

• 8 photos

  Our largest yacht

  Majesty

  44 m · up to 200 guests

• 9 photos

  Heated on both decks

  Blue Wave

  23 m · up to 60 guests

• 9 photos

  Brand new for 2026

  Sea Fairy

  22 m · up to 55 guests

• 9 photos

  Classic and elegant

  Ocean Breeze

  21 m · up to 40 guests

• 9 photos

  Sleek and sporty

  Riviera

  22 m · up to 20 guests

• 8 photos

  Two decks, heated saloon

  Blue Horizon

  18 m · up to 12 guests

• 8 photos

  Intimate and cosy

  Azure

  16.5 m · up to 12 guests

Tell us your number of guests and your plan, and we suggest the right yacht. See all our yachts

Wedding menus

Every wedding starts with a welcome drink. For the celebration, choose a seated dinner, a buffet or a cocktail-style reception, with or without alcohol, prepared on board by our private chef for groups of 10 or more. You can also bring your own food and drinks, with a service fee of €10 per person.

On board

Our yacht menus

Swipe to see all menus →

Morning2Light bites3Dinner3

A relaxed dinner under the lights

Chicken Dinner Menu

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Steak dinner on the Bosphorus

Meat Dinner Menu

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Seasonal fish from the Turkish seas

Fish Dinner Menu

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See every menu in full detail

Prefer something else? Our private chef can prepare any menu you like: halal, vegetarian, vegan, children's meals or a dinner designed around your occasion. Menus can be combined for larger groups, and alcoholic drinks are available as an extra.

What is included in your yacht wedding

Personalise your wedding

Add any of these to your package.

• Wedding planner and coordination
• Bridal bouquet and floral design
• Wedding cake
• Photography, video and drone
• Violinist, DJ or live band
• Champagne service
• Special lighting
• Transfers for your guests

Yacht wedding prices: what affects your quote

Every wedding is different, so we prepare a written quote. The price is based on five things:

• The yacht: size and capacity
• Duration: we recommend at least 4 hours
• Date and time: weekends, summer evenings and holidays are busiest
• Group size: number of adults and children
• Food, drinks and extras: what you add to the cruise

Send us your plan and we reply with a clear written quote, with every item listed and fuel and marina fees always included.

Meeting points for your yacht wedding

Choose the pier closest to your hotel or venue; for your guests we can also arrange transfers. We board from eight piers along the Bosphorus:

• European shoreKaraköy · Kabataş · Beşiktaş · Kuruçeşme · Arnavutköy · Bebek
• Asian shoreKuleli · Beylerbeyi

Boarding at Kuruçeşme is included; boarding at any other pier adds one hour of yacht time to your quote. We send the exact pier with a map pin when you book.

What our guests say about our cruises

Booking and cancellation terms

1. At booking30% advance payment confirms your yacht
2. 48 hours beforeThe remaining 70% is due
3. 7+ days beforeCancel for a full refund of the advance
4. Under 7 daysThe advance payment is not refundable
5. Under 3 days100% of the tour price is due

Payment, cancellation and weather terms for all private tours are on one page: Read the full cancellation terms

Yacht wedding FAQ