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Unique aesthetic style
Quality catering
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About

On WeddingWire since 2008

We at Spirit of Ethan Allen are a wedding venue located in the heart of Burlington, Vermont. As the only cruise ship located on Lake Champlain, we offer breathtaking views of the city, the Green Mountains of Vermont, and the New York Adirondacks. We host all of your celebrations - including ceremonies, receptions, rehearsal dinners, wind-down brunches, bridal showers, engagement parties, and elopements. We hope to join you in an unforgettable celebration!

Facilities and Capacity

Our beautiful cruise ship offers two unique private decks for weddings. Rent one, two, or even three if you would like to charter the entire ship! Check out the decks in our photos - our lower deck, which is handicap accessible, is the Admiral Deck. The midlevel of the ship is our Horizon Deck. Our top level is off-limits to weddings unless the party chooses to charter the entire vessel. Each level of the ship has a different capacity based on Coast Guard regulations. Get in touch with us to find out which deck (or which decks!) suit your wedding best.

Services Offered

At Spirit of Ethan Allen, we strive to be an all-inclusive venue for our brides. We understand that planning such a large event can be an enormous undertaking. We offer the following to keep your planning simple:

  • Catering and Waitstaff
  • Bar, Bar Set Up, Bartender
  • Event Coordinator
  • Tables, Chairs, Dance Floor
  • Linens for tables and buffets
  • China, glassware, silverware
  • DJ, M.C., and Entertainment Services
  • Set Up/Clean Up
  • Liability insurance
  • Lighting/sound

Cuisine

We have our own on-board galley and Executive Chef so we can serve your delicious meal piping hot! We specialize in Nouveau American and are delighted to offer an array of different menus designed for ease of planning. We are more than happy to customize to your unique tastes, so please do not hesitate to ask us. Our offerings include delicious appetizer packages and bountiful buffets. We understand food is one of the most important components of your Lake Champlain wedding, and we are pleased to offer the exclusive services of our amazing culinary team!

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Frequently asked questions

Do you have a site fee for wedding receptions at your venue?

Yes

Do you have a site fee for wedding ceremonies at your venue?

Yes

Which of the following are included in starting site fee?

Chairs
China
Clean Up
Event Planning
Flatware
Glassware
Lighting/Sound
Linens
Set Up
Tables

Which of the following are included in the cost of wedding catering?

Cake Cutting
Server(s)

Which of the following are included in the starting price for bar service?

Bartender(s)
House Beer
House Wine
Specialty Beer

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

2

Describe your venue:

Boat/Yacht
Cruise Ship
Marina
Waterfront

What kind of settings are available?

Indoor
Covered Outdoor
Uncovered Outdoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Bridal Shower
Engagement Party
Elopements
Rehearsal Dinner

What event services do you offer?

Bar Services
Catering Services
Clean Up
Event Planner
Liability Insurance
Outside Vendors

What catering services do you offer?

Buffet
Cocktail Reception
Dessert
Hors d'oeuvres
Outside Cake
Server(s)
Stations

What bar services do you provide?

Bartender(s)
Cash Bar
Champagne Toast
House Beer
House Liquor
House Wine
Limited Bar
Liquor License
Open Bar
Outside Alcohol
Premium Liquor
Signature Drink
Specialty Beer
Specialty Wine

What event items are available?

Altar/Arch
Chairs
Dance Floor
Decor
Lighting
Photo booth
Tables

What food and beverage items are available?

Barware
China
Chocolate Fountain
Flatware
Glassware
Linens

What transportation and access is available?

Wheelchair Access

What months are included in your peak season?

April
May
June
July
August
September
October

Pricing information

Do you want more pricing details?

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4.8 out of 5 rating
43 Reviews
  • Quality of service
    4.8 out of 5 rating
  • Average response time
    4.7 out of 5 rating
  • Professionalism
    4.8 out of 5 rating
  • Value
    4.7 out of 5 rating
  • Flexibility
    4.8 out of 5 rating
95% Recommended by couples
Susie
Susie P. Sent on 07/19/2022
5 out of 5 rating

Incredible wedding venue and staff

We had the most amazing wedding aboard SOEA on 6/25/22- I truly cannot recommend this venue enough. Stephanie and the entire boat staff were fantastic and worked with us every step of the way. They were professional, attentive, flexible, and incredibly accommodating to our needs and vision- from our (tons) of decorations to a literal flash mob (if only I could attach videos)! We also had the most incredible sunset that our guests are still talking about. Our wedding was the best day of our lives and SOEA played a HUGE role in this. You will not regret getting married here- it is like nothing else!
Gina
Gina A. Sent on 10/14/2020
5 out of 5 rating

Best place to get married in Vermont

Getting married during Covid isn't easy. Kristin and the long time local small family business that is The Spirit of the Ethan Allen never stopped working with us, helping us, and putting in the time to make sure we could still have a small, safe, special wedding. There are a lot of venues, packages, and vendors out there to choose from. Go with Kristin and SOEA if you need someone creative, flexible, extremely hard working, professional detail oriented, dependable and friendly to make the process simple and fun for you. We had the wedding of our dreams - amazing food, music, and breathtaking scenery out on beautiful lake Champlain, at a price we could afford. Kristin and SOEA went above and beyond for us in every way imaginable. I know they will do the same for you.
Suzanne
Suzanne W. Sent on 09/04/2020
5 out of 5 rating

The best wedding planner!!

Kristen, our wedding planner was so amazing!! She planned everything to the tee! As a mother of the bride it took so much stress away and it allowed me to just take it all in with only excitement and now worry or stress! Everything was scheduled and ready for us to follow. This money was worth every penny!! I would do it again too! Kristen’s eye to detail was amazing! We dropped all decorations and she took care of it all! Her personality is the most sweetest and genuine! She became part of our family on such a special day! It was a fairytale to be part of’ what an amazing person to gain as a friend! Even though the pandemic of Covid-19 it was still the best event ever!!
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Awards

43
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2021 Winner
WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2015 Winner

Professional Network & Endorsements

7 Endorsements
Fiori Bridal Fiori Bridal Wedding Dresses

Looking for something different ~ the Spirit of Ethan Allen is a great place to start. Sarah is great. She really listens and cares about all the details for your day. A sunset wedding on the lake would be truly spectacular.

Vermont Event Center Vermont Event Center Hotel Weddings

If you're not going to have your wedding with us than why not have it on the Lake! A boat, a lake really how amazing is that? For a day to remember call the SOEA!

Vermont Wedding Officiant Vermont Wedding Officiant Wedding Officiants

Spirit of Ethan Allen III is a fun, unusual, and beautiful venue for a wedding. The team there is well-organized and super-responsive to client needs. Vermont alone is a marvelous wedding venue, but a boat cruising the vibrant waters and spectacular views of Lake Champlain is an experience few could hope to replicate.

Preferred Vendors

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5.0 out of 5 rating , 121 Reviews
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Map

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Spirit of Ethan Allen frequently asked questions

Spirit of Ethan Allen includes the following items and services for wedding events in its starting site fee:
  • Chairs
  • China
  • Clean Up
  • Event Planning
  • Flatware
  • Glassware
  • Lighting/Sound
  • Linens
  • Set Up
  • Tables
Spirit of Ethan Allen includes the following items and services in its wedding catering costs:
  • Cake Cutting
  • Server(s)
The bar service starting price at Spirit of Ethan Allen includes:
  • Bartender(s)
  • House Beer
  • House Wine
  • Specialty Beer
The space offered by Spirit of Ethan Allen for wedding events is known for:
  • Boat/Yacht
  • Cruise Ship
  • Marina
  • Waterfront
Spirit of Ethan Allen offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
  • Indoor
  • Covered Outdoor
  • Uncovered Outdoor
Spirit of Ethan Allen offers the following types of wedding events:
  • Ceremony
  • Reception
  • Bridal Shower
  • Engagement Party
  • Elopements
  • Rehearsal Dinner
Spirit of Ethan Allen offers the following services for wedding events:
  • Bar Services
  • Catering Services
  • Clean Up
  • Event Planner
  • Liability Insurance
  • Outside Vendors
Spirit of Ethan Allen offers the following furniture and decor items for weddings:
  • Altar/Arch
  • Chairs
  • Dance Floor
  • Decor
  • Lighting
  • Photo booth
  • Tables
Spirit of Ethan Allen is recommended by 95% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 4.8 out of 5 with the following breakdown: 4.8 in quality of service, 4.8 in flexibility, 4.8 in professionalism, 4.7 in average response time and 4.7 in value.

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