Ending the wedding with a NYC harbor cruise, is it too late?

mc123mc

my FH and I live in NYC and are big into water sports, boating etc so we wanted to incorporate that into our wedding. We found a great venue on the water in Jersey City, NJ which is right across from Manhattan. Not only does it have gorgeous views of the city and the statue of liberty but it has a ferry dock that you can use. 

We are thinking of ending our wedding at midnight and then inviting guests to come on a NYC Harbor cruise for about 45 minutes where we will go around the statue of liberty and see more of the NYC skyline. Wedding in July so it will be warm. We will also be dropping guests off at a pier that is a 5 minute walk to their hotel. 

I have two concerns:

 1. some people will not want to stay out any later and will want to go back to the hotel but I don't know how many. I should provide transportation by shuttle back to the hotel right? 

2. Should I serve food on the shuttle? Or pass out snacks before people board the ferry? Adding food jacks up the budget a lot but I don't want a boat full of wasted people who are hungry! 

omargotz

OMG FUN.

second.

1. yeah I mean... feel out your guests responses and see if a shuttle is necessary. It seems pretty reasonable, and sometimes hotels will provide a shuttle within X miles of the hotel for free!

2. a lot of people do the late night snack? are you doing a candy bar? Some people nix the candy bar and add a late night snack instead of the candy bar. How much would the snack add to your budget? ALSO, if i am planning to go on a boat (in land locked ohio mind you) I think I monitor my drinking accordingly to extend the night, you know? If you think about it..people know their tentative time line and should be responsible enough to plan drinking accordingly

Maggie0829

You do not have to provide a shuttle for those guests who want to just leave after your wedding. Some guests may leave after dinner, some may leave around 10pm, and some may stay for the whole thing. If your guests can get themselves to the reception then they can certainly get themselves home.

I would provide a late night snack for those that choose to go on the boat ride.  By nixing the shuttle you open up money for the food.  I would do coffee/tea, sodas, water and maybe mini pizzas or sliders and fries or something like that.

Jen4948

mc123mc said:

my FH and I live in NYC and are big into water sports, boating etc so we wanted to incorporate that into our wedding. We found a great venue on the water in Jersey City, NJ which is right across from Manhattan. Not only does it have gorgeous views of the city and the statue of liberty but it has a ferry dock that you can use. 

We are thinking of ending our wedding at midnight and then inviting guests to come on a NYC Harbor cruise for about 45 minutes where we will go around the statue of liberty and see more of the NYC skyline. Wedding in July so it will be warm. We will also be dropping guests off at a pier that is a 5 minute walk to their hotel. 

I have two concerns:

 1. some people will not want to stay out any later and will want to go back to the hotel but I don't know how many. I should provide transportation by shuttle back to the hotel right?

This would be a kindness-especially because transportation around Manhattan can be hard.  Parking is very, very hard to find, and even though there are buses, cabs, and subways, it would be gracious not to make people do too much walking or standing around trying to hail transportation or looking for bus shelters or subway stations late at night-especially dressed up.  Some parts of Manhattan, especially around the docks, can be rather dangerous at night-and it's not a good idea to look like an easy target for street criminals.

2. Should I serve food on the shuttle? Or pass out snacks before people board the ferry? Adding food jacks up the budget a lot but I don't want a boat full of wasted people who are hungry!

I don't see that this is necessary.

Maggie0829

@Jen4948 - she is getting married in Jersey City, NJ not Manhattan.

Jen4948

@Jen4948 - she is getting married in Jersey City, NJ not Manhattan.

What I said goes for Jersey City too.

Maggie0829

Then if she is going to have a shuttle transport all her guests from the wedding then she needs the same shuttle to transport all her guests to the wedding.

Jen4948

Maggie0829 said:

Then if she is going to have a shuttle transport all her guests from the wedding then she needs the same shuttle to transport all her guests to the wedding.

I agree.

Maggie0829

OP, what is the parking situation at your wedding venue?

Lauderdale Pink

In case you are still following this, I think it is a great idea! Wish I was invited!  As for the food, since this is a harbor tour, keep it fun and you won't jack up the budget too much.  At that time of night, on a harbor tour, I'd like junk food.  To be honest, I would love chips, Cracker Jacks, pretzels, etc.  At that point, I don't care what my hair and make-up look like any more and I've probably dieted to get into the gown, so that's done.  Keep it light and fun to match the tour idea.

jessicabessica

How are guests getting to your venue?  If people will be driving, it seems like it could be hard for people to take the harbor cruise back to Manhattan.  

When is your wedding starting?  I personally think leaving on the cruise at midnight sounds a little late, but you know your crowd.  I would say that if your wedding started mid-afternoon, guests may be ready to call it an evening a little on the earlier side.  Does the boat have a bathroom?  I would not do it without, especially if you have drunk guests who will have to pee every 5 minutes.  I like the idea of having a late night snack.  Are you allowed to bring snacks on the boat?  What about soft pretzels?  

STARMOON44

I think this is much too late. You know there are people who will feel obligated to stay because they love you, even if you do everything you can to make it feel optional. It's just too much. If you were doing it at 10:30, id feel differently, ditto if it were just a bar afterparty, but starting something fun and special that late just doesn't strike me as being a gracious hostess.

MandyMost

I think 12 is too late, but 11 would be fine. No matter what time you have it, some people are going to bail and leave early. Don't take it personally. 

I'd definitely have some kind of snacks on the boat, even if it's chips and pretzels and stuff--go to Costco and get some individual-sized bags of snack foods of you want!

You have a transportation problem either way I look at it. 1) if you're providing a shuttle TO the wedding, then you need to provide it back to the hotel for the guests who are choosing not to go on the boat ride. and 2), if you're NOT providing a shuttle to the wedding, then the guests who take the boat back may have left a car at the venue!

mc123mc

Thanks for all the feedback. 

We are shuttling our guests to the ceremony so we are going to shuttle them back with options, a bus that runs every hour starting at 10 pm and the boat that leaves at midnight and gets them to their hotel at 12:40. The boat is important to us so even if we have 50 guests on it, we will still enjoy it. 

I do want to figure out some food. The boat wants to charge us crazy $$ for food so I am thinking about bringing out some food at 11:30, maybe some NY street food like pretzels and mini pizzas so guest get on the boat with some food in their stomachs. 

And I checked, boat has a bathroom. I would not have done the boat if it didn't. 

I hope this ends up being a memorable end to a great wedding. It will be for me and the FH!