If you live near a lake, river or the ocean, it's a pretty sure thing that there is a company near you that offers dinner cruises. If so, it's a pretty safe bet that they also have wedding packages of some sort. Typical costs run right around $50 a person, but that's normally an all inclusive price that includes food, drinks the wedding ceremony and of course, the cruise itself. And it's not just in the movies - a captain of a boat can indeed marry you!

For those couples who are on a tight budget, boat based weddings provide a number of advantages including:

1. It's pretty darn impossible to go over budget by inviting too many guests because boats have a finite number of people they can hold. Reputable boat companies will have nothing to do with carrying more passengers than they are approved for.

2. Where the boat is on a schedule, there is very little chance you'll be faced with additional billing for extra time on the water. The boat will return to its dock on a very specific schedule, which means the bar will close a short time prior to arriving back at the dock.

3. There will be no worries about having to provide transportation between your ceremony site and your reception site. If your guests are coming into your city or town and are staying at a hotel, they may need transportation to the dock, but that can be arranged pretty easily. If you have multiple guests in the same situation, you may be able to work out a special deal with their hotel for a discounted shuttle service.

4. You won't have to have a huge decorating budget simply because there isn't a whole lot of room for a huge number of decorations. Depending on the size of the tables and how crowded the tables are, you may not even be able to have centerpieces.

Just like any other venue, you'll likely be able to score a discount if you book your wedding during an off peak time. This could mean going with a mid week voyage instead of a Saturday night at sunset sailing.