Chicago Yacht Wedding Cruise Testimonials

We were incredibly lucky to come across the Valara yacht for our wedding. When we came up with the idea, I called and right away spoke to Mary. It was early in the season, before the boat was in the water for us to see it, but just speaking to Mary on the phone, we knew it was the right choice for us. The booking was incredibly easy, and Mary gave us full flexibility combined with her knowledge from experience in the planning. She let us know what other couples had decided, but also allowed us to make the wedding our own.

When we arrived on board, we couldn't be happier with the relaxed but classy atmosphere. The Chicago city skyline was a perfect backdrop to our day, and the combination of downstairs inside and upstairs outside allowed everyone to find a fun place to enjoy the evening. Our guests upstairs had a blast dancing outside, and downstairs our family and friends met, talked, and enjoyed their evening more quietly. Everyone came outside for the fireworks show, and our friends from out of town were so impressed. Some of our best wedding photos came during the fireworks show on the yacht.

The crew blew us away. Everything we needed was immediately available, but they never overwhelmed or interrupted. They helped us throughout the day, were pleasant and supportive, and let us make last minute tweaks to the schedule and flow of the evening as needed. For example, we decided at the last minute to board the yacht prior to our guests to get some photos on the yacht, and Mary took care of holding our guests for an extra 5 minutes. The food and drinks were delicious, and everyone was happy with the menu and available food.

Overall, if you are considering the Valara, we highly encourage you to have your wedding there. It is a perfect venue, and the crew is very knowledgeable and goes out of their way to make sure your day is incredible. We wouldn't have changed a thing; many thanks to the crew of the Valara for making our day amazing!

We wanted to let you know that we could not have been happier with our wedding on board the Valara VI. You provided a truly unique venue with breathtaking views and amazing ambiance. Valara VI is a gorgeous yacht. You get the yacht feeling without feeling like you are on board a floating hotel. It is charming and located in a gorgeous area of Chicago.

We couldn't be happier with every detail - our experience was easy from day one and the Valara VI staff was great in working with us to have the wedding day we had envisioned. Your booking arrangements were very easy, your menus and drink package selection was spectacular and we didn't have to change a thing.

The one thing that stands out more than all the other wonderful elements was the staff and service. I have had good service before, but this was amazing and beyond any expectations (and we had high expectations!). Friendly, courteous and constantly keeping things moving without anyone even noticing them. We cannot say enough about the staff at Valara VI. If all service was like this, we would all be happy people.

Overall, our experience could not have been more special and wonderful, and we thank the Valara VI with its staff and vendors for it. We have gotten so many compliments since our wedding with people telling us this was the best wedding they had ever been to. We have the Valara VI to thank for much of that.

Sincerely,
Pernilla & Erik Peterson

On behalf of all of us, especially our new family, we wanted to say "Wow", and let you know the wedding event on the beautiful Valara VI was nothing short of "Magical."

You made us feel like a million dollars and all our guests marveled relentlessly at the whole experience. Your food was very well presented and our meal was great.

The service your crew provided went above and beyond all our expectations. They were there every time we needed something.

One of our guests was so impressed, he actually predicted his plate would be picked up as soon as he set it down, just to prove your crew was on their toes, and low and behold, out of nowhere one of the crew swooped down and disappeared with the plate. We laughed in disbelief.

We can not say enough about the service presented. We have never left any event in the past feeling so pampered and catered to. The DJ and photographer, provided from your referral list, were like family by the end of the night, because they were just so accommodating to all our special requests.

Of course, you helped make things so easy for us from the onset in presenting the whole idea to us.

Please thank your crew for us.

Again, thank you so much for everything, everyone had a great time. We wish we could do again every year.

Sincerely and respectfully yours,
Ed & Diane Rangel

We wanted to send you a letter letting you know how great our wedding was.

Many of our guests have told us that our wedding was the best venue for a wedding they have ever been to!

From beginning to end, through menu selections and itinerary, to special accommodations, communication was open and detailed.

And the staff? They far exceeded our expectations. EVERY guest was attended to and no glass went unfilled! One of our grandparents is in a wheelchair and without hesitation one of the staff members made sure that when the fireworks began she was moved to an area where she had a terrific view. Just one example of the many ways they personally took care of us that night.

Thank you staff for making our guests feel so welcomed!

We must mention that there was one downside - the night had to end! Many thanks for making our fairytale wedding a dream come true!

Warm Regards,
Brian & Jana Haugh

Thank you for making our wedding day so special. We had such an awesome time and will cherish our day aboard your ship forever. All of our guests had so much fun, and I can't tell you how many family members and friends told us that it was the best wedding they had ever been to.

We were originally planning a large traditional wedding, but had to cancel everything when I found out that my brother was being deployed to Iraq. We needed to plan something memorable and special in three months. Mary made everything such a breeze, the planning was so easy. On the actual day of the wedding, my husband and I didn't have to worry about anything. Everything went smoothly, and the staff was excellent! The food was great and our cake was beautiful and delicious.

The most memorable part of my wedding day was during our ceremony. I scanned the Chicago skyline, and saw people cheering from their boats and the shore. It was so awesome to get married right in front of Buckingham Fountain and have cars pass us by on Lake Shore drive. I knew that we had made the best decision to get married on the Valara VI. Not to mention our wedding pictures are absolutely breathe taking, with Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline as a backdrop.

We would recommend the Valara VI to anyone, and are convinced that we had the best wedding ever! I'm so happy that we decided to cancel our traditional wedding, and get married on this yacht in the city that we love.

Thank you again to Mary, Captain Val, and the entire crew for making our wedding such a memorable day!

Sincerely,
Sasah and Marcus Richardson

Thank you for helping make our Wedding Day meet our expectations. My husband Eric and I wanted something different for our wedding celebration. We wanted something unique and fun for everyone. That's exactly what we had by holding our wedding celebration on the Valara VI!

From the beginning, everyone was so helpful and attentive to our needs. Mary Antoniette assisted me with the booking and menu arrangements. She was wonderful and provided very helpful suggestions for our special day that I had not thought of myself. Captain Val gave us a tour of the ship and all that it had to provide for our wedding. You both did a wonderful job at making sure that we had everything we needed to make our wedding truly special and memorable.

On our wedding day, we had a few special requests and your crew was very accommodating. We both have children and we wanted to have them participate in a special vow ceremony, during which the staff took extra care in making sure our children and rest of our wedding party knew what to do and where to go when the time came for our ceremony.

The food surpassed my expectations and I must say that I am definitely picky. Everything was fresh, plentiful and beautifully presented. Everyone mixed and mingled and enjoyed an evening of fine cocktails and dancing.

My husband summed it up best when he said, "This was the most memorable wedding that I have ever been to and the best part was that it was ours!"

Special Thanks to all the Captain, staff and crew of the Valara VI for making our day so memorable. I would highly recommend booking the Valara VI for your wedding celebration.

Sincerely,
Donna and Eric Petersen

Wow! The happiest day of our lives should not have gotten any better...but it did!

When planning our wedding my wife and I were convinced we wanted something more on the unconventional side with regards to the service and reception. We decided on the Valara VI ultimately but admittedly not without a small hint of apprehension. What we received and our guests received that beautiful August day is almost beyond words.

From the moment we arrived at the yacht, we were greeted by your crew and event directors. From there things just got better and better. No need, concern or detail was left unnoticed or unattended to. This crew was ON IT! Everyone involved that day from our friendly Captains with the "obviously we love what we do attitude" to the Bartenders who made our guests feel like royalty. The lavish spread of food was beautifully prepared and tasted even better.

Everyone kept commenting to us as the night drew to a close how truly special the evening was and that they had never been to such an enjoyable wedding before. Our hats are off to Mary Antionette for running such a classy operation and crew full of friendly, eager to please and most importantly, dedicated professionals. We will recommend the Valara VI and its crew to anyone.

Thanks so much for making the happiest day of our lives even happier.

Sincerely,
Amanda and Steven Renzulli

If you are interested in an easy-to-plan, hassle-free and perfect wedding, this was our experience enjoyed on our wedding day aboard the yacht, Valara.

From start to finish everything was perfect! The crew was incredible, they were so accommodating not only to us, but to our guests as well. From the moment we stepped on board everything was taken care of. We just had to show up! (and say "I do").

We can't say enough about the food. It was delicious! From the appetizers to the cake! (and if I can add the cake was scrumptious!) All of our guests had plenty to eat and drink and had nothing but good things to say about our wedding and this beautiful yacht they enjoyed.

Saying "I do" under Valara's wedding arch and in front of Buckingham Fountain was awesome! Seeing the skyline and Navy Pier under the moon was breathtaking!

I highly recommend Adventure Sea Tours and the yacht Valara!

Thanks to all - Captain Val and Crew!

Sincerely,

Laurie & John DeHaan