Occasions
A wedding or vow renewal on the Nile
Most couples who marry on the Nile do the legal paperwork at home and hold the ceremony on the river: a symbolic wedding, a blessing or a vow renewal on deck or on an island, followed by a few days of sailing with the people who matter. For a party of up to twenty, charter a whole dahabiya; for more, two sister boats or a small ship.
First things first
Legal wedding or symbolic ceremony?
A legally binding marriage in Egypt for foreign visitors involves documents from your own country, often certified through your embassy, and registration with the Egyptian authorities. The rules depend on your nationalities and religions, so start with your embassy if you want the legal ceremony in Egypt.
The simpler route, and the one most couples take, is to marry legally at home and hold the ceremony that matters on the Nile. A symbolic wedding or vow renewal has no paperwork, and you can write it exactly as you want it.
Fit the boat to the party
Which boat for your party
Taking the whole boat is what makes a wedding work: your own moorings, your own timings, nobody else aboard.
| Guests | Boats | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 10 | The Orient, Lazuli Highness | Whole dahabiya; the most intimate |
| Up to 12 | Loulia, Zekrayaat, Lazuli Albatros | Whole dahabiya; balcony suites on Loulia |
| Up to 20 | Lazuli Karnak, Lazuli Abydos | Whole ten-cabin dahabiya |
| 20 to 40 | Lazuli Karnak and Lazuli Abydos together | Two boats leaving Esna on the same day |
| Up to 54 | The Oberoi Zahra | Whole ship; the smallest luxury ship |
| Up to 88 | Historia | Whole ship; lift and an accessible suite for older guests |
See The Orient, Lazuli Highness, Loulia, Zekrayaat, Lazuli Albatros, Lazuli Karnak, Lazuli Abydos, the Oberoi Zahra and Historia. For bigger parties, see dahabiyas for big groups.
On the river
Where the ceremony can happen
- On the sun deck at sunset, with the boat moored at a quiet bank.
- On a sandbank or island, which dahabiyas can reach and ships cannot.
- In Aswan, with feluccas carrying the party between the islands.
- Ashore in Luxor or Aswan the day before boarding, then the trip as the celebration.
Checklist
How to plan it
- Fix the date and the party size first; whole boats book ten to twelve months ahead.
- Choose October to April for the weather; avoid Christmas and Easter, the dearest weeks.
- Ask the boat what it can arrange: flowers, a cake, music, a celebrant or photographer from Luxor.
- Plan flights into Luxor, and a hotel night for guests arriving early.
- Think of older guests: Historia has a lift and an accessible suite.
Prices
What it costs
Per person, Nile cruise ships run about US$120 to US$1,500 a night and dahabiyas about US$140 to US$1,500. A whole-boat charter is priced for the boat; see what a whole boat costs. The ceremony extras are quoted separately by the boat.
Asked often
Weddings on the Nile, answered
- Can you get married on a Nile cruise?
- You can hold a wedding ceremony on a Nile boat, and many couples do. A legally binding marriage in Egypt for foreigners involves paperwork through your embassy and the Egyptian authorities, so most couples marry legally at home and hold a symbolic ceremony or blessing on the Nile.
- Can you renew your vows on the Nile?
- Yes, and it is one of the easiest celebrations to arrange on a boat: no paperwork, and it can happen on deck at sunset or on an island from a dahabiya. Tell us when you book so the boat can prepare.
- What is the best boat for a wedding on the Nile?
- A whole dahabiya for up to twenty guests, such as Loulia for twelve or Lazuli Karnak for twenty. For up to 40, two Lazuli boats leaving Esna on the same day. For more, a small ship such as the Oberoi Zahra (54) or Historia (88).
