Captains And Weddings: Can They Perform The Ceremony?

Getting married on a boat is a romantic fantasy for many, but can a ship's captain actually perform a wedding? The short answer is no – a ship's captain does not have the legal right to officiate a wedding at sea. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. For example, in Japan, Bermuda, and Romania, captains can marry citizens of their own country, provided the couple has valid passports. Additionally, some captains may obtain additional certification or ordination to legally marry couples. While it is possible for a captain to perform a wedding, it is not a given, and couples considering a wedding at sea should do their research and consult local laws to ensure their marriage will be legally recognized.

Captains can marry couples in Japan, Bermuda and Romania

While captains generally do not have the legal right to officiate weddings, there are a few exceptions. Captains can, in fact, marry couples in Japan, Bermuda and Romania, with some conditions.

In Japan, sea captains are permitted to perform marriage ceremonies, but only if the couple getting married are Japanese citizens with valid Japanese passports. In Bermuda, captains are allowed to marry couples as long as the ship they are captaining is registered in Bermuda. Similarly, in Romania, sea captains are allowed to marry Romanian citizens, and aircraft captains are also given the same authority.

On cruise ships, captains can marry couples, but the marriage is only legally recognised in certain places, such as The Bahamas. It is always best to check with local authorities to see if they will recognise your marriage.

In the United States, captains can obtain extra certification to be able to perform weddings. This is a great way for captains to make some extra money while also performing their day job.

Captains must also be a judge, minister or recognised officiant

It is a common misconception that a ship's captain can legally marry a couple. In fact, a captain must also be a judge, minister, or recognised officiant to perform a wedding. This is the case in most countries and US states.

In the US, the 1913 Code of Regulations explicitly forbids captains from performing marriage ceremonies on their ships or aircraft. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. For example, in some states, such as California and Massachusetts, a skipper can obtain a temporary 24-hour licence to officiate a wedding. Additionally, some organisations, like the Universal Life Church, offer the opportunity to become ordained online, and marriages performed by their clergy members are legally recognised in every state except Pennsylvania and Virginia.

In some countries, captains can perform marriage ceremonies, but only under certain conditions. For instance, Japanese captains can marry couples who are Japanese citizens, and captains of ships registered in Bermuda can marry couples as long as they have a Bermuda licence to do so. Similarly, Romanian law allows aircraft captains to officiate weddings.

While captains typically cannot legally marry couples, they can certainly perform wedding ceremonies. In such cases, the couple must also have a separate official ceremony, either before or after their wedding at sea, to make their marriage legally binding.

US Navy forbids captains from performing weddings

The US Navy forbids captains from performing weddings, a rule established in the early 20th century. The Code of Regulations states:

> The commanding officer shall not perform a marriage ceremony on board his ship or aircraft. He shall not permit a marriage ceremony to be performed on board when the ship or aircraft is outside the territory of the United States.

The only exception to this rule is if a registered official who can legally marry a couple is on board, and all relevant permits and permissions have been obtained in accordance with the local laws of the couple. This rule was likely established to prevent the legal complications that could arise from marrying people in international waters.

While sea captains in Bermuda, Japan, and Romania are allowed to perform weddings, they are required to abide by certain conditions. For instance, Japanese sea captains can only officiate weddings between two Japanese citizens. In Bermuda, captains can perform weddings as long as the ship they are captaining is registered in Bermuda.

In the United States, ship captains can only perform weddings if they hold additional positions such as judge, justice of the peace, minister, or officially recognized officiant like a Notary Public.

Cruise ships have captains who can conduct marriages

In the United States, for example, the 1913 Code of Regulations prohibits commanding officers from performing marriage ceremonies on their ships or aircraft. However, there are some workarounds, such as obtaining a temporary permit or additional certification. For instance, in California and Massachusetts, captains can file for a 24-hour marriage-performing permit. Additionally, organisations like the Universal Life Church offer online ordination for a small fee, which is legally recognised in most U.S. states.

Even if a captain has the legal authority to officiate, the marriage may not be recognised by the couple's home country or state. For instance, a marriage performed by a captain in international waters may be recognised in The Bahamas but not in the couple's home country. Therefore, it is essential to check with local governmental authorities to ensure the marriage will be legally recognised.

To summarise, while cruise ships can have captains who conduct marriages, this is not a standard power, and careful planning is required to ensure the marriage is legal and recognised by the couple's home jurisdiction.

Sea captains can marry same-sex couples in 11 US states

Sea captains are not legally permitted to marry couples in most countries. However, in eleven US states and many foreign ports, a sea captain can marry another seafarer of the same sex. This means that the captain is not allowed to officiate at wedding ceremonies for people who are not seafarers.

Sea captains can, however, marry couples if they have the right qualifications. For example, in the US, if a captain is also a judge, a justice of the peace, a minister, or an officially recognised officiant such as a Notary Public, they can perform weddings. Similarly, in Japan, ship captains can officiate weddings, but only if the couple has valid Japanese passports.

The notion that sea captains can marry couples may have come about due to the lengthy duration of ocean crossings, during which amorous assignations were known to flourish. It is also possible that the idea stemmed from the near-absolute authority that sea captains once held over their vessels, including the power to create birth and death certificates and function as a notary for official documents.

Despite the legal restrictions, some sea captains continue to perform wedding ceremonies, either as a way to make extra money or to attract more people to their ships. In some cases, couples may choose to have a symbolic ceremony performed by a sea captain and then get legally married before or after their wedding at sea.

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