Jamie and Chris’ Yacht Elopement on Clear Lake in TX

Jamie and Chris wanted a wedding that reflected their love for adventure and the water. Rather than a traditional wedding or courthouse elopement, they chose to exchange vows on a yacht. Surrounded by a handful of close family and friends, they sailed into Clear Lake, where they ‘tied the knot’ in a ceremony filled with joy, laughter, and a beautiful Texas sunset. Get all the details below.

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About This Elopement

Photography by Degrees North Images

“Jamie and Chris love to explore, and a traditional wedding or courthouse elopement was nowhere on their radar. Since Chris is a boat guy and has his own sailboat, they decided to get married on a yacht!

They loved the idea of getting married on the water and enjoying the sunset together.

They chartered a motor yacht out of Waterford Harbor Marina called the Panacea, operated by Captain Robert L. Donley at My Wedding on the Water . We met at the marina a few hours before sunset to explore and get photos around the marina.

Once Captain Robert was ready for us, we boarded the Panacea and departed for Clear Lake. Despite the normally unpredictable weather of late February we had a perfectly clear sky and warm temps. It was a perfect evening to be out on the water.

The cruise out to the ceremony location was gorgeous. Everyone moved around the yacht taking photos and enjoying the views. We all settled into seats on the fly bridge to take cover from the sun and wave to passing boats yelling congrats to the couple.

Captain Robert took us to a spot in the middle of Clear Lake where he dropped anchor. He is an ordained minister and conducted the ceremony for Jamie and Chris. During the ceremony, the couple exchanged rings and ‘tied the knot’ which was a perfect way to symbolize their love for each other and the water.

After the ceremony, the couple moved right into champagne toasts with their handful of guests. As they poured drinks, Captain Robert pulled anchor and took us for a cruise near one of the area’s landmarks, the Kemah Boardwalk, before making a loop back toward the marina as everyone took in the gorgeous Texas sunset.

We docked just as the marina lights were coming on and everyone disembarked the yacht to head to dinner. The couple had reserved a table at Sundance Grill II that looked out on the marina. They cut a wedding cake, and Jamie gifted Chris with a Dalvey Compass.” [Dawn, the photographer]

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Permits and LNT For a Yacht Elopement

“Most boats will have a maximum capacity for passengers for safety and insurance reasons. It’s important to check with your captain to find out your maximum allowed. You’ll also want to confirm with any vendors how many people they’ll need with them to cover your event before you finalize your guest list.

To stay within Leave No Trace guidelines, it’s important to make sure you properly secure your items once onboard. Have nets available in case something unexpectedly blows overboard. Ensure your boat captain has a good record of following all boat traffic laws and regulations, especially those in place to protect marine life.” [Dawn, the photographer]

Top Tips When Planning on a Yacht

“Jamie and Chris got lucky with a perfect weather day in February, which typically has more sporadic weather. While it’s always worth a shot if you love the water, be prepared for the typical weather of the month you’re booking for. It’s also important to go over rain related guidelines with your captain to find out what would cause a cancellation versus a shift in the time. You’ll also want to consider, if it rains, is this still the route you want to go?” [Dawn, the photographer]

Deciding to Elope

“This is a second marriage for both of us. We wanted to have a unique, yet simple, ceremony. Because we are busy with our careers, we did not want to spend too much time planning and figured a larger, traditional wedding would require too many decisions and logistics. We had been together for 3 years when we got engaged. The wedding was just 4 months after the proposal. We were eager to be married and start our lives as husband and wife.

We chose to get married on a boat because sailing is a pastime that we enjoy together. We actually took sailing classes together. Chris loved it so much that he bought his own sailboat. We decided to look for a Captain who could marry us on his boat. We were excited to take advantage of the nautical theme and to time the ceremony so that we could enjoy the sunset on the water.” [The Couple]

Check out these reasons to elope. 

Planning Process

“Once we settled on getting married aboard a boat, we wanted to interview Captains who would be willing to perform the ceremony. It was important to us to find someone with whom we felt comfortable. We were lucky to find Captain Robert straight away. He had performed several ceremonies aboard his yacht and it was clear to us that he is a romantic at heart who truly enjoys joining couples together.

The boat we chose was limited to having just 6 guests, so making the guest list took no time at all. We invited just family and one close friend. Securing a photographer was the next priority. Since the wedding was to be so small, we really wanted spectacular pictures. We were blessed to find Dawn with Degrees North. She had actually served in the Navy so was super comfortable moving around a boat. The only other details we had to worry about were selecting a nautical-themed cake and making dinner reservations at a restaurant close to the marina.” [The Couple]

Estimated Cost

Boat charter for 6 guests with Captain performing ceremony | $3,000
Photographer | $3,000
Cake | $300
Dinner and drinks for 8 after the ceremony | $600
Dress | $200
Wooden Floral Bouquet | $150
Photo props and gifts for guests | $200

Estimated total ~ $7,450

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Memorable Moments From This Elopement

From the photographer:

“Jamie and Chris were so fantastic to work with. They were so excited and ready for whatever was going to happen. Their focus was really on having a relaxing and fun day with their guests in a way that was comfortable for everyone and reflected their adventurous lifestyle. There was absolutely no stress, everyone was laughing and very present the entire time. It was remarkable and exactly how every wedding day should be!

The highlight for me was seeing everyone relax into a glass of champagne and take in the sunset. It was such a tranquil experience hearing the water lapping and seeing the sky fade from golden hour to the watercolors of blue hour. For water and boat lovers these are some of the most peaceful moments on earth.”

From the couple:

“The most memorable part of the experience was tying the knot– literally. Because we were working on a nautical theme, we tied a unity knot together as part of our vows. We also really loved taking photos with unique props, like the “just married” life preserver.”

Final Words of Advice From the Photographer

“The best advice I can give is to get a lot of guidance from your boat captain about what is allowed, and what to bring or not bring. If you’ll be having food onboard it’s important to prepare for all the extras you might need like serving ware and garbage bags, coolers if they don’t have fridge space, etc. Make a list of what you’ll need to stay organized and get approval before making final purchases and arrangements so there are no surprises when you arrive at the dock for your sailing.” [Dawn, the photographer]

Learn how to elope here. 

Vendors

Photography | Degrees North Images

Venue | The Panacea docked at the Waterford Harbor Marina by My Wedding on the Water 

Officiant | Captain Robert L. Donley from My Wedding on the Water

Celebration Dinner | Sundance Grill II 

Photos From This Elopement