Wedding chapel at sea

Princess Cruises celebrates a milestone marriage this month when Stephanie Kelly and Blair Byrne of Michigan become the 100th couple to say "I do" onboard Grand Princess. The line's wedding program allows couples to be legally married by the ship's captain, the first and only wedding chapel at sea.

It was introduced just 10 months ago when Grand Princess, the world's largest (109,000 tons) and most expensive ($ 450 million) cruise ship, debuted in May 1998. Stephanie and Blair are among a growing number of couples who choose to marry at sea because of the convenience of having the arrangements for their special day handled by the ship's onboard wedding coordinator, in addition to combining their wedding and honeymoon into one unique and romantic setting.

The who, what and wear of Grand Princess' first 100 weddings:

• The youngest couple to be married were ages 19 (bride) and 24 (groom); the oldest couple were 76 (bride) and 77 (groom).
  
• The majority of couples married onboard were from Canada. Within the United States, most couples hail from Florida and California. Many couples came from far and wide, including Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
  
• Approximately 60 percent of couples saying "I do" were marrying for the first time. Forty percent had been married before.
  
• Beachwear tops the list as the most unusual attire for a wedding. Most couples wore traditional wedding attire (suits/tuxedos and gowns).
  
• Mendelssohn's "Wedding March" from "A Midsummer Night's Dream" was the most requested wedding song. "Twelfth Night" by Olivia Newton-John was one of the more unique choices.
  
• The romance of "The Love Boat" lives on! One couple got engaged on Sun Princess and married exactly one year later during Grand Princess' Valentine's sailing.
  
• One couple had known each other as kids but had drifted apart, each marrying someone else and later divorcing. They met again after 15 years, rekindled their friendship and tied the knot.
  
• Following the ceremony, couples honeymooned in romantic cruise destinations -- such as the Western Mediterranean during the summer and the Eastern Caribbean in the fall, winter and spring.
  

Wedding and Reception Packages

Princess offers couples a choice of three wedding and three reception packages, which make planning the ceremony and honeymoon a convenient, one-stop affair. Each includes music, champagne, bridal bouquet and groom's matching boutonniere; a photo package; a video recording of the ceremony; a wedding cake; a souvenir parchment wedding certificate; and a special lithograph painting of Grand Princess signed by the captain. The couple can add music performed by an organist or string quartet, candlelight and floral arrangements, while the bride can pamper herself with preceremony salon treatments.

Packages begin at $ 1,400 and include fees for the ceremony, registration and an official marriage certificate. All reception packages include music, hors d'oeuvres, beverages and a three-tiered wedding cake. The ship's photographer is also available during the reception, with photos available for purchase. The one-hour parties for up to 80 guests begin at $ 70 per person. Princess Cruises is one of the three largest cruise lines in the industry and operates a fleet of 10 ships deployed on approximately 70 different itineraries calling at more than 220 ports worldwide. For more information about Princess' wedding program, call 800/421-1700