Empress Events

East Bay
San Francisco
North Bay
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San Francisco, Sausalito and Berkeley Wedding Location

San Francisco, Sausalito and Berkeley, CA
Contact: Event Coordinator
Phone: 415/332-3291
www.empressevents.com
Request more information from Empress Events

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Why We Like This Place

Imagine the ultimate way to enjoy a day sailing on San Francisco Bay. You might start by reciting your wedding vows dockside in picturesque Sausalito Harbor aboard the Sausalito Empress, a sleek, 90-foot double-deck yacht. (Or launch from San Francisco or Berkeley, if you’d rather.) Then the Empress, lined with huge picture windows and appointed with shiny brass fixtures, frosted glass sconces and cherrywood trim, would slip out of the harbor and head toward San Francisco as your guests enjoyed drinks from the yacht’s two bars. The captain, a veteran sailor who knows the Bay’s water intimately, would soon guide your yacht under the Golden Gate Bridge, where he would cut back the engines and let the Empress glide silently under the great span. There, surrounded by some of the world’s greatest scenery, you’d be making memories to last a lifetime.

For fifteen years, Empress Events has been delivering idyllic experiences like this to couples who love the idea of a wedding on the water. The appeal is understandable: At anchor, the gleaming white Empress is easily the monarch of her part of the harbor, flanked by yachts of every description that seem to bob and bow in her presence. There’s a delicious sense of anticipation as you walk all the way to the end of the dock to reach her, and your guests will be eager to set sail.

Once the Empress is under way, wedding parties often start the festivities with a champagne toast to the bride and groom in the forward section of the lower deck. The ceremony usually takes place upstairs, followed by a reception below. Besides its journey beneath the Golden Gate, the Empress also sails past the downtown skyline, which over the years has also become a favorite wedding photo background. Once photographers finish staging shots on the upper deck’s fantail, musicians move in and the entire deck becomes party central, with guests dancing on its beautiful deep-stained oak surface. (If you like, the sound system can be adjusted so that loud music doesn’t intrude on the lower deck.) The yacht has a great sense of flow, with front and back stairways—the forward one curves as gracefully as a grand staircase.

Of course good food is a must for a seaborne celebration, and previous clients have raved about what Empress Events serves. The onboard galley can prepare everything from a simple luncheon to a gourmet meal. In place of a sit-down dinner, where guests find it hard to mingle, the Empress sets up a cocktail reception where everyone can nosh on tapas-like dishes from buffet tables while circulating with each other. The company also draws from a select group of vendors who know how to work efficiently on water.

If your wedding will be the start of a lifetime journey, why not launch it aboard a vessel that has hosted so many beginnings? Spend the day with the love of your life as front-row spectators to the beauty that is San Francisco Bay.

Formerly Bay and Delta Yacht Charters.

Capacity

Ceremony

Reception/Special Events

Meetings

Max. Seated Indoors: 129
Max. Seated Outdoors: 0

Max. Seated Indoors: 149
Max. Seated Outdoors: 0
Max. Standing Indoors: 149
Max. Standing Outdoors: 0

Max. Seated: 129

CEREMONY & MEETING CAPACITY: Indoors, the Empress holds up to 129 seated guests.

EVENT/RECEPTION CAPACITY: The Empress accommodates up to 129 guests seated indoors and 149 for a cocktail party.

Fees & Deposits

50% of the estimated event total is required to reserve your date. The balance is due 10 days prior to the event. Rental fees range $600–4,000 depending on day and time of the event and guest count. Meals range $30–60/person. Tax, alcohol and a 19% service charge are additional.

Availability

Year-round, daily, anytime.

Catering

Provided

Alcohol

Provided
BYO w/ Corkage Fee

Site Uses

Ceremonies
Wedding Receptions
Special Events, Parties
Business Functions/Meetings
Rehearsal Dinners
On-Site Accommodations

Services/Amenities

Catering: provided
Parking: large lot
Kitchen Facilities: n/a
Accommodations: 3 guestrooms
Tables & Chairs: provided
Telephone: office phone
Linens, Silver, etc.: provided
Outdoor Night Lighting: yes
Restrooms: not wheelchair accessible
Outdoor Cooking Facilities: no
Dance Floor: provided
Cleanup: provided
Bride's & Groom's Dressing Area: yes
View: panorama of SF cityscape and SF Bay
Meeting Equipment: full range
Other: event coordination, on-site wedding cake and florals, clergy, A/V equipment

Amplified Music

Indoors
Outdoors

Wheelchair Access

Not Wheelchair Accessible

Site Views

Coastline
Ocean/Bay
Panoramic

Site Type

Ship/Yacht/Boat
Banquet Hall/Events Facility

Restrictions

Alcohol: provided or BYO with corkage fee
Wheelchair Access: first floor only
Smoking: designated areas only
Insurance: not required
Music: amplified OK

Contact: Event Coordinator
415/332-3291
www.empressevents.com
Email or request more information for your event from Empress Events

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