Organising a wedding on the River Thames

We got had our wedding reception on the Elizabethan boat. We also looked at the Erasmus and Golden Salamander, but the Elizabethan was the prettiest boat on the river so won hands down. I can understand why people like the Erasmus though as she has a more modern contemporary feel and computer controlled lighting system which makes for a good party after the wedding formalities are over. The Erasmus can also hold nearly 350 people where as the Elizabethan can only take up to 235 so if we had had a larger party we wouldn't have had a choice in the matter!

Our day was even better because it was the Mayors Thames Festival and we saw the Great River Race the day before the wedding. This is quite a site as simply hundreds of small craft powered by rowers race down the river. The Mayors has fireworks similar to those at the london Eye for New Year's Eve so we finished our evening disco cruise postioned near the Royal Festival Hall and London Eye watching an amazing fireworks display in front of St Paul's Cathedral. The river Thames really is a very special place for celebrating your marriage.

I would highly recommend planning well in advance as not only do you want to ensure you can get the date you want, but there will be a lot more to organise for a wedding compared to a normal Thames Boat Charter. Make sure you view at least three different boats and compare prices, service and quality. If the boat looks scruffy and the company seem disorganised it won't be a surprise if your special day is equally disorganised and 'scruffy'! The River Thames is a place where you get what you pay for, but go with your gut feeling and don't get pushed into chartering a boat that doesn't feel right. Make sure you have spare capacity too - a boat that can carry 200 people will probably only ba able to seat 80 or so for a dinner so you need to be aware you may need to go for a larger boat than you would if you were having a disco cruise . . .

If you choose the right company you can't go wrong - they will make sure they cover all the details at the outset and ensure at least the venue is as low stress as possible!
e drink of the regatta season Pimms! The key thing to remember is there is something for everyone, every budget and every occasion.

o get friends and family together or wine and dine those important business clients.

South African born Keith has lived in the south of England for most of his life. After graduating from University with a degree in Business Information Systems Management he decided to start Strawberrysoup; a website design company based in West Sussex and Dorset.