I had the amazing privilege of officiating my goddaughter's wedding recently on the MV Skansonia and, yes, this is truly one of the highlight venues in the Seattle area. I'm from Indianapolis and most certainly have never had the opportunity to officiate a wedding at such a remarkable setting matched by stellar customer service and wonderful food. The entire event was exceptional from beginning to end. I will admit that I worried when my goddaughter announced her wedding would take place on the MV Skansonia - a retired Washington State ferry boat built in 1928 that has been beautifully refurbished and is permanently moored on Lake Union. I wanted to say to her "You do remember I'm in a wheelchair, right?" Of course, she did remember. While the MV Skansonia does have a small second level that is, in fact, not accessible, for this event it was primarily only used for dressing, etc. and I was able to fully participate in every aspect of the event from wedding rehearsal to ceremony to dinner to signing certificates and to the event closing dancing and social hours. I never struggled to get around and access to the boat has been made relatively easy with a wide ramp that goes up the venue (there is a bit of a steep lip - if you're not independent with a wheelchair, I recommend making sure you have some help). The set-up was beautifully arranged with Lake Union and the Seattle skyline in the background. Despite the challenges of holding an event on a ferry boat in record-breaking temps and the subsequent wedding outdoors on said ship, the event team was friendly, professional, and pulled the event off quite wonderfully. The ship itself is beautiful. The food served was tremendous and dinner arrangements were efficient and effective. I loved the woman, whose name I am completely forgetting, who helped with the rehearsal and came armed with ideas, tips, and lots of positivity. We worried a little bit as during the rehearsal a nearby tugboat made a little more noise than expected, but the day of the wedding was perfection and we even had nearby boaters stopping to watch. The wedding set-up allowed for great views and photography. The follow-up events were nicely organized. The main floor served as an awesome dance floor, while the dinner area was beautifully set up with tables and a picturesque setting. The Skansonia offers an all-inclusive venue with food, drinks, tables, chairs linens, staff, a coordinator, and more! They also note that they have a dressing room, indoor event space, outdoor event space, reception area, wireless internet, accessibility, and a covered outdoor area just in case (This is Seattle, after all). I stayed at a hotel about a mile away and was able to travel down by wheelchair largely using the Burke-Gilman Trail. There are other restaurants and sites nearby, as well. I'd easily and enthusiastically recommend this team and this venue. While I'm from Indiana, if by some weird shot I ever get married again I'd think long and hard about going to Seattle because this is easily the best venue for a wedding I've officiated and it offers an array of services, room to party, and an entire atmosphere that screams out romance. The venue has deservedly won awards and this experience was definitely one of my favorite experiences while in Seattle. read more

See all

We got married on the MV Skansonia on Sept 30, 2012. Easily, the best night of my life. We didn't have a wedding planner and we didn't know what we were doing, either- we just met with the wedding coordinator onboard and she did everything. It went perfectly. The food - amazing. So many compliments of how it was better than any other "wedding food" they've had. The view - no contest. The price- exceptional for what you get. The venue - the ultimate PNW experience. The staff - 10/10. Fantastic from start to finish. I will never forget the night that they made possible for us. Highly recommend the MC Skansonia for an event you'll never forget. read more

The MV Skansonia - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This is a great private party venue. The MV Skansonia is moored just west of Ivar's Salmon House and the I-5 Canal Bridge on the North end of Lake Union with fabulous views of the Seattle skyline across the lake. The food was excellent, the service friendly and it proved to be a perfect way to spend a Tuesday evening in August. read more

See all

I cannot hype the MV Skansonia enough!!! This is truly one of the most magical, affordable, and perfect venues in Seattle. They made our day PERFECT. Highlights: - View is UNREAL. It was important to us to have a classic Seattle, show-stopping view for our out of town guests. This one is hard to beat. - The classic Seattle ferry boat is so unique. Chances are your guests haven't been to a wedding like that before and I wanted to be unique. The inside is recently remodeled, spacious, charming, and has great string lights/portholes. - The venue is mostly all inclusive. I didn't have to find my own florist, caterer, furniture rentals, etc. And everyone they partner with is incredible. We did have to bring our own DJ, officiant, and any extras (such as a photo booth). - We found this venue to be more cost effective than going a la carte at other city venues. We could have gone cheaper outside the city limits but it was very key for us to be in actual Seattle. - Finni, the planner/coordinator, is the best of the BEST. She is included with the venue and is incredible. She had so much advice, answered a million questions, and took care of so much of the work!!!! Love you, Finni. This venue is a must see. If you are looking for classic Seattle but still right in the city and you want to do minimal planning by yourself, THIS IS IT! read more

See all

Beautiful venue!!!! My friend just hosted the most beautiful birthday bash in this venue last week. Black tie, glitzy, bling, amazing views, open bar! And dance floor with lake union views all around!! The best!! Love having friends that go all out for birthday!! As we all should. There were close to 200 of us and most of us did take uber. The place is hidden from the street but it's behind the boats. It is a boat!! It doesn't leave! It's massive, expansive views! Oh so pretty inside!! We had a huge bar, dance floor, casino, buffet area, eating area. It was a pretty big spot! Love it! And I can see my house from here! Bonus! The food kept on coming! Kitchen crew my girlfriend got was fantastic. Evan the bar staff! Can't think of a better venue for private event! Gorgeous! Fun! An evening to remember for sure! And those views!!! read more

See all

​Skansonia--highly recommend! We were looking for a Seattle venue for our wedding that had a scenic view, offered tasty food, and was affordable. Location/View The Skansonia is on Lake Union and provides a great view of the lake and downtown. Indoor/outdoor One of the best features of the Skansonia is that the venue is versatile. We knew if the weather was sunny, we could enjoy cocktails with our guests and hold the wedding service outside, on the bow of the Skansonia, surrounded by views of Lake Union and the Seattle skyline. But if it rained, the interior of the Skansonia would be an excellent indoor alternative with its wood work and natural light. Food & Beverages​​ The food was amazing! All of our guests were raving about the food served at our wedding. Attending a tasting (before the wedding) was helpful in planning our menu. That being said--everything they offered was tasty. Bar service was great and well staffed. While planning our special day, Skansonia staff suggested having a signature cocktail. We loved the idea; it was well implemented and the guests were all impressed. Service The team at Skansonia was super helpful with planning and implementing our wedding plans. We appreciated their helpful attitude, prompt communication, and thoughtful ideas. Flowers and the cake It was great knowing the team at Skansonia would be able to take care of the flowers and the cake. No worries about working with additional vendors and day-of delivery. We worked with the Skansonia florist and were wowed by the seasonal flowers she selected. The cake was tasty and enjoyed by all guests. I can definitely say that Skansonia played a big part in making our wedding day memorable and fun--to the wedding couple and guests alike. Thank you, Skansonia! Mike and Jef read more

The MV Skansonia - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Seattle, Washington

What an awesome place to have our wedding! The day was perfect and we couldn't have felt more supported than we were with Finni and her team. She did a wonderful job, always willing to help and so patient throughout the whole process. She was extremely accommodating and so helpful throughout the whole day. The venue was gorgeous and the food and dessert were excellent. We lucked out with beautiful weather and our guests, who were mostly from out of Seattle, couldn't stop talking about the venue. I highly recommend this venue, and this staff, if you're looking to get married. Finni and team - thanks so much for helping make our special day perfect! read more

The MV Skansonia - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Seattle, Washington

When I heard where my friends had chosen to get married, this place was absolutely news to me. I figured it was something with a lot of funky charm to it. It turns out to be a really nice place with all the amenities--and enough quirk to it to be memorable. I can certainly see why they picked it. It's appropriate for a reasonably traditional ceremony, though obviously it's a secular structure. I believe your officiant can be of any denomination, though, if you want a ceremony within a faith. They set up everything for the ceremony and reception to be familiar and welcoming for all ages, including older guests, so they can be comfortable. The bow (or "end #1," as they call it in ferry boating) hosts the ceremony. You can see in the photos--this gives you a stunning view of downtown, the Needle, Queen Anne, and Lake Union. The sun goes down, the lights twinkle, the water glows. The staff breaks down the chairs and sets up a few tables after the ceremony. There's a posh upstairs with private spaces for changing and staging, and a staircase leading down to the bow for the wedding party and the happy couple to make an entrance. There's a fan up there, and a head. Downstairs, what used to be the car decks now serve as the bar, dance floor, and dining area. There's gorgeous antique furniture lining the walls--hutches, sideboards, lowboys, creating the effect of a grand old mansion. The bartenders worked overtime at this particular reception, offering fully 25 different kegs from homebrewers and pro brewers in town. (The mazer himself poured from the Methuselah of orange blossom honey mead). This kind of flexibility with special requests speaks highly of them for sure. The decking itself inside is gorgeous--battered old hardwood brought back to a high shine through, no doubt, countless hours of grueling labor done by somebody. There are roll-up garage doors to protect the interior from the elements, or to create ventilation. That was the one thing about this place that could be seen as a demerit...the ventilation. It was hot and humid in Seattle last night, but it was particularly hot and humid inside the boat. Not even close to cutting a star, though, since it was a genuinely remarkably muggy day (Cliff Mass explained this at length on the radio yesterday morning). Bottom line, this place is now a treasured memory for me, but really only applies to others if they're looking for a wedding or banquet facility. In that case, speaking only as a wedding guest, I can't recommend it highly enough. read more

View of Lake Union? Check Breathtaking sunset on the water? Check A historic venue that makes you feel like you're attending a Disney princess's wedding? Double Check How can such a wonderfully romantic wedding venue be tucked away next to Ivar's Salmon House and a bunch of random little boats? I attended a friend's wedding here yesterday evening and although it was October, the weather was perfection and the MV Skansonia has an indoor/outdoor portion ready for just about anything (except maybe typhoons). The ceremony portion was held at the bow of the boat and the seating room is rather limited but perfect for more intimate weddings. There's a dining area as well as a dance floor to boogie down to Spice Girls and Backstreet Boys (okay, that was closer to the end of the evening). The staff was courteous, the wine glasses were never empty, the buffet was fresh and in the end, it all came down to ambiance. The only hiccup was when I almost fell off my chair because the vessel was slightly slanted - how embarrassing would that have been? But all you future brides, definitely consider this location if you plan to have a wedding with just a few dozen of your nearest and dearest. You'll get the most gorgeous views of the Seattle skyline, a chance to celebrate your special day on a vessel boasting with local history ... and HELLO, you're getting married on a boat! Cheers! read more

The MV Skansonia - The gorgeous view - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Seattle, Washington

See all

They say that your wedding day is meant to be one of the best days of your life.. Thanks so much to Vicki, event specialist at MV Skansonia, for helping to make our wedding day the greatest day of our lives. First, you are delightful to be around and having you there on the wedding day coordinating everything was amazing! I loved my flowers from Lake Union Custom floral (their vendor) so much, they were so beautiful and exactly what we discussed and what I envisioned. All of the small details, you made them happen. I literally had the best time of my life, I wish I could press the rewind button!! Our wedding cake from Lake Union Custom Bakery, again, my description communicated by email come to life and more beautiful than I expected. My expectations were EXCEEDED. What a perfect perfect day. Thank you so much!! Margarita and Lorenzo p.s to all brides out there, I had such a wonderful experience with Skansonia (Vicki, Victoria and Mikaela... Lake Union Custom Bakery, Lake Union Cafe). I'm stilllllll in awe of the day. read more

See all

I attended a wedding here yesterday night. I had driven along North Lake many many times, and had never seen this place until Saturday when my brother (the groom) needed help unloading some stuff onto the boat. Probably the best thing about this place is the view. Since it's at the north end of Lake Union, you get a gorgeous view of downtown and a nice view looking down the cut. I took probably too many photos of it (soon to be posted to my flickr account, FYI), but I can't help mahself! The ceremony is at the front of the boat, outdoors, and very limited seating. Many guests stood for the ceremony which in this case was not too bad, as the weather kind of sucked so the officiant cut out a lot to get people back inside. The people who worked here also made it seamless. I hardly noticed them at all, which for a wedding, that's the way it should be! I enjoyed my time there, a little cold, but happy. read more

See all

A week ago I was the Maid of Honor/ObligatoryWedding Planner at my sister's wedding on the Skansonia. The wedding was absolutely perfect, sunset ceremony (see pictures) at 7:30 PM followed by a buffet dinner and reception on the boat. The staff at the Skansonia are lifesavers! We met with them several times before the wedding and felt very welcomed and taken care of. Like the wedding experts that they are, they take care of all the details that first-time wedding planners like us forget, recommendations, when to cut the cake, when to do the first dance, etc. Ceremony was on the deck, we lucked out on the weather but if not there's enough space inside as a back-up. About 40 guests were seated and the rest stood in back or on the upper deck looking down which worked out fine. We had a harpist play the wedding music and it was lovely! We opted for the buffet dinner, the salmon is DELICIOUS (I recommend going to one of the few tasting days during the year... ) and my mom brought a signature dish, summer noodles. One of the pro's for the Skansonia is that they allow you to bring your own beer and wine - a huge cash saver, other venues charge you an arm and leg for their house wine. The Skansonia staff recommended only one keg - we thought our friends and families were bigger drinkers and bought 3 kegs... we didn't even finish 2. Highlight of the night: Not sure if this is a Skansonia first but it's a story worth sharing! Despite finishing all the alcohol we had one friend make the groom's night by jumping overboard from the top deck! Wouldn't recommend it (who knows what's in the murky Lake Union waters??) but definitely a story to remember. read more

See all

What a great location. I attended a Company Christmas party here. Coat check, bar and wonderful food. Service was excellent and did I mention the food? Plentiful and delicious. Parking was easy and the night time view of the city was amazing. I would highly recommend this space for a wedding or other large group event. While it's a large space really consider flow with people. It's easy to think you have plenty of room with chairs pushed in and no bodies on the ferry. It also gets very loud with talking and music playing in the background. Just things to consider but it's a fun, different location that friends, family and guests will love. I'm sure day events produce amazing pictures. read more

I cannot say more positive words about our experience with the Skansonia. I truly believe there's not a better value when it comes to Seattle wedding venues. Not to mention the total professionalism and hospitality provided by the staff (Anita in particular). My wife and I have no previous marriage experience so we're somewhat ignorant in that regard, but we've heard from dozens of people who have been to other events there and unanimously they've all had positive experiences. Even in our conversations with other vendors (officiants, photographers, etc) they had nothing but positive remarks to say. Our special night could not have been more perfect and I sincerely thank the Skansonia and staff for their help. read more

I truly can't say enough good things about the Skansonia. My fiancee and I were looking for an impossible venue - large capacity without being a big-box convention center; full-service without being cookie-cutter; glamorous without being overpriced. And improbably enough, the Skansonia checks all of those boxes. One of the Skansonia's biggest advantages is that they have in-house vendors for catering, baking, and florals, although you're free to use your own instead. They even helped connect us to a photographer and a band. Most importantly, Anita and Finni were razor-sharp day-of coordinators. Once we got to the boat, we knew that everything was taken care of, and we were free to enjoy ourselves on the most special day of our lives. Oh, and the food. The food is AMAZING. Get the whisky barbecue pork shanks. You won't regret it. read more

My husband and I just got married on the MV Skansonia last weekend and WOW! Everyone said it was the most beautiful and best choreographed wedding they had been to. The clouds parted right before our ceremony and we had the best backdrop in the whole city. During the entire 6 month process I worked with the team, they were fun, friendly, professional , and walked us through every step of the way. They made the day easy and fun! We can't thank their team enough so I hope others see this and find this stunning venue like we did. Thank you Finny and team!! read more

The MV Skansonia - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Wow! What an incredible experience! Anita and Finny made this process so fun and seamless. They seriously know their business. They knew to think of details I would have never thought of, and were so confident I knew not to worry. Everything turned out absolutely perfect. The weather, the food, the venue. It all turned out so wonderfully, and was all that we had hoped for. Tayler was our day of coordinator, and she did awesome. She has a very calm sweet energy, and kept the event flowing smoothly without any hiccups or issues. We are so glad we booked here. Finny, Anita,Tayler, and the whole dream team- thank you!!! Thank you for making our special day so exceptional and memorable. Our guests had a fantastic time, and the pictures are fabulous!! You get a 10!! Everything was on point and we couldn't be happier! Best always, The Milazzo's read more

We are both from Illinois and wanted to give our guests a truly Seattle experience. This was it. The staff was amazing to work with, gave us extremely helpful suggestions, and truly took effort to get us the special day we were looking for. They were extremely responsive and helped us numerous times with all our questions. The venue offers decor, catering, and floral options which made planning so much easier (plus, the options were awesome)! The food was FANTASTIC. Our guests have told us again and again how they usually hate wedding food, but loved our menu. So impressed and happy with how our wedding turned out and can't recommend the Skansonia enough! read more

My wife Terri and I just had our Wedding on the Skansonia on July 16th 2017 and we want to send a BIG thank you to Melissa for knocking it right out of the park. This young lady is Magnificent, we had a couple of small details that didn't go as planned ( that were our fault ) and Melissa didn't flinch for a second in fact she ROCKED IT !!!! She kept the day running smooth and was fun to work with. Beautiful wedding and beautiful venue, Thank you Skansonia and a special Thank You to Melissa for an Amazing wedding :) ~ Drew and Terri read more

I just had my wedding on the Skansonia on July 22nd 2010. The venue is beautiful. The boat itself has a magical feel about it. The floors are all original hardwood and there's lots of antique lighting and other touches that make it special. We had minimal flower arrangements because the place is so gorgeous on it's own, and doesn't need much added. The Skansonia was the only venue we looked at the we loved and could afford. They charge a min of 100 people, but it includes pretty much everything but alcohol. Some people don't like the alcohol policy here, but for us it saved us a ton of money. They do not provide alcohol, but will serve anything you bring. They also charge $300 extra an hour, if you want to go more than the 5 hours that is included in the price. I personally think 5 hours is too short of time when it's for both wedding ceremony and reception. For dinner, a buffet is included, in which an entree, two sides can be chosen, plus cheese, fruit, and rolls. Additional entrees or side can be added for more money of course. We stuck with one entree and there was tons of food, in fact we ended up taking a ton home with us. We did opt for passed hors d'oeuvres, which was a very reasonable add on. We chose pistachio enrusted pork tenderloin with merlot jelly, spiced nut and pear salad, and garlic leek potatoes. All of the food was excellent and we received a ton of praise on how good the food was. One recent upgrade that they've made is white padded folding chairs. Previously they had ugly, tacky white lawn chairs for the ceremony. I was ecstatic that I found out they replaced those ugly chairs (which we thought we would have to have), a couple weeks before our wedding. I would recommend if getting married and having a reception here, to have a friend or someone coordinate the evening as it goes along, meaning when to enter after signing the guest book, cut the cake, dances and other such things to keep the night moving. The staff is supposed to do that, but seemed to disappear after a while. I had a good friend do this for me, so it all worked out OK. They did set up a nice plate of cheese and fruit and champagne upstairs for when the ceremony ended and we signed our wedding certificate. I thought this was a nice touch. Overall, if you're looking for a beautiful, budget friendly wedding, this is the spot for you. Your guests will think you spent way more than you actually did on this gem of a venue. I could go on and on about lots of small details and such, but message me if you have any questions! read more

Just had our wedding at this place the other night, and it was AMAZING! Here are some things worth mentioning. The food: They let you do a tasting before you select your entrees. We chose the chicken, smashed potatoes, quinoa salad, crab cakes appetizer, cheese cubes, sliced veggies, and more. Everyone really thought it was so good, especially the smashed potatoes. And since we only had 75 people, and the minimum you get charged for is 100, we got the appetizers included in our price. Nina was really awesome in making this happen. The staff: All the other staff members were awesome, too. From the wedding coordinator to the bartender to the extra help, they made sure everything we needed was taken care. My wife needed last minute bobby pins. BOOM, taken care of. We needed a sharpie for the guest book. BOOM, taken care of. They were very laid back and helpful, which really put us at ease. The cake: We got our cake thru Lake Union Cafe, their preferred vendor, and it was really delicious. They, too, let you do a tasting. They ask you to bring pictures in with you so they can get an idea on what you want your cake to look like. They do an excellent job. I highly recommend the pumpkin chi flavor! They also include the price in your final bill from the Skansonia, so you don't have to pay a bunch of different people. The view: It was so great! It was cloudy on our wedding night (mid-September), but it didn't rain. And the sun was setting just as we had our ceremony, which turned the sky pink behind the Seattle skyline. Someone said, "It was very sexy." It was. I obviously can't put it into words enough that would fully describe how beautiful it was. But if you ever get a chance to be on the boat all lit up at dawn, go for it. It's like a painting. The tealights: Yes, they cost like $75 to rent them but they were well worth it, I highly recommend them. They light up the tables really well and add to the mood tremendously. We also got the arch with flowers and Dann made them look stunning. We had all our bouquets and corsages done thru him as well, and I've never seen flowers quite like that before. Elegant. Beer/wine: I took a previous commenter's advice and got our alcohol thru Costco. I actually spent around $300 and got 48 bottles of wine (red and white), 14 bottles of champaign, and a keg that I had to get somewhere else. We had 50 guests and were able to drink for 4 hours on the boat (we did not purchase or really need the extra hour), which left us with about 30 bottles of wine and half a keg. For some reason we mostly drank champaign all night. We dropped the wine off the day before the wedding no problem, but you can't do this with the keg since they have no refrigerator. You have to either bring your own ice or buy ice from them and they will keep the keg cold with it. And I didn't know this, but apparently in Washington you have to buy kegs well in advance. So don't do like we did and buy your keg the day of! We spent too much time calling around, just looking for a keg on our wedding day, when we could have had it waiting for us already. read more

We had our wedding reception on the Skansonia Ferryboat, which my parents had been to a wedding at the previous summer and reported that is was wonderful - 'very conducive to partying' is what they said exactly. And that sounded like exactly what we were looking for. Plus, it's a historic ferryboat docked on the north end of Lake Union - doesn't get much more 'Seattle' than that. Beautiful views of Capitol Hill, the skyline, and Queen Anne from the decks. And finally, it's no hotel banquet room! From the first time you call, there's someone assigned to work with you, and we had Tamara. She was fabulous - she took care of everything, answered all our questions, answered all our parents' questions, made the million little changes we asked for as our planning process went on, and was there guiding us around on our wedding day, making things were running as they should at the reception. And it was flawless. The boat is a little funky, but it is way more charming that it is funky. The only drawback is that, being an antique wooden ship, they do not allow candles of any kind. Small price to pay, I say. Get a couple extra flowers in your centerpieces instead. There is a beautiful, carved wood bar on the boat, and we draped a swag of flowers on it which looked gorgeous. I'll always remember gorging on the snack boxes Tamara sent us off with to our hotel. They were full of all our wedding food, and tied with a flower plucked from our arrangements. The Skansonia was key to our wedding day being so memorable and perfect. read more

This place gets a lot of good reviews - but I don't understand how anyone got far enough to actually book an event here. My Fiance and I looked at it and really wanted to have our wedding & reception here and started the process of selecting a date. We were told our date was open and placed a 72 hr hold on it. When we called to confirm it, the primary contact person started a string of three of the most unprofessional and unhelpful interactions I've ever had. In the first - she said "I thought that date was open because there was someone interested in it, but I didn't think I had received his contract and deposit - But then I found it in the mess on my desk! So that date isn't available.' Really? I don't need to know your desk is messy or anything more than 'I'm sorry - there was an error. That date is not available.' In another phone conversation discussing dates, she said 'This date is open now - the couple who had it booked broke up and he moved out. But he called today to see if he could still book the weekend. So I'm not actually sure if it is available. I think he patched things up.' ?? Discussing other people's relationship status? There was one other statement that was extremely inappropriate - I think it was something about price per head when breaking down ceremony/dinner guests and reception guests. She said something like, 'The food is really nothing when we set this fee.' Really? So every other place we talked to has it wrong? The place we settled at charges $65 per dinner guest and $25 per dessert/reception guest, which we found to be more common. She was either trying to deceive me or didn't know what she was talking about. This is all too bad - because we really really liked the space and setting. We just didn't want to deal w/ unprofessional staff and/or risk our personal business being shared with other clients. read more

My sister got married here last July. It was WONDERFUL. The sun was shining, the lake was sparkling, the space needle was standing regally in the distance (great photo-op). The food was perfect and the staff were very diligent and discrete. What a magical place for a wedding reception. Absolutely perfect for a summer Seattle wedding! read more

I fell in love with the Skansonia the moment I first stepped onto it. I can't say enough good things about this place. It is located on Lake Union with a beautiful view of Seattle and the water, We had an evening reception the evening of October 6, 2012. As we stepped onto the boat the sun had just set, all the tea lights were lit, our guests enjoyed cocktails on the bow and that was just the beginning of what turned into a perfect evening. I realize I sound like an annoying bride, but when everything turns out fantastic, it's hard to not sound like a drooling sycophant over this place. Ellie and Shauna did a fantastic job answering any question I had during the process. I gave Ellie my table frames, guest book and seating assignment chart and she made magic happen. These guys know what they are doing and it shows. If you want a venue that provides not only a beautiful atmosphere but also fantastic service, this is your place. I tend to be anxious and a worrier, meeting with Ellie the week of the wedding calmed any fear I had. They take care of everything, and make sure the night is as seamless as possible. The food was AMAZING and at the end of the night Ellie boxed up bride and groom doggie bags full of all of our food. (not going to lie, ate all that night) Food and cake (also fantastic) come from their sister company Lake Union Cafe. They allow you to bring on your own alcohol which saves SO much money. We had about 100 people, bought all of our alcohol from Costco and spent about $500 (we actually bought too much). When you compare this to venues that charge $18 per head for alcohol, it's not hard to see the savings. Bottom line: gorgeous venue, wonderful experience working with Ellie and Shauna. We have gotten so many compliments on our beautiful wedding and it wouldn't have happened without the Skansonia. Thanks guys! read more

Beautiful Setting Water, downtown, Space Needle Good Food, Good Service We got married in late May at Skansonia and were very happy with our choice. Shauna was our point person and she is responsive, professional, warm, and diplomatic in working with couples. She also worked very well with our other service providers, who all noted how easy it was to work with her. We wanted something quirky, original, and reasonably priced and Skansonia was all of that and more. Although the food is not stellar, it's also not bad....it's good enough, especially given the price that you pay. The service on the big night was also amazing. Everyone was helpful and the night ran very smoothly. The staff were so sweet at the end of the night; they packed us some food and cake, knowing that we likely did not have a lot to eat and would get hungry later on. They were right! Some pros/cons/tips: Pros: -You can be outside if the weeather is nice and inside if it's raining -Food is good -Staff is competent and efficient -Great view! Space needle, downtown....sailboats, kayakers...you got it all! -Lots of parking in the evening -You can bring your own alcohol and they don't charge you a corkage fee -Great sound system you can just plug your ipod or other music device into for music -Reasonably priced Cons: -You can't use open flames anywhere -It can get pretty warm on a hot day -The shape is a little long so some guests feel quite distant from others -You have to get more items of food in order to get their dinner plates and linens -They have no high chairs or booster seats -Upper level is not wheelchair accessible -The walkway to the boat is not the most attractive as there are a lot of rusted old boats/barges beside the Skansonia Other tips: -Have your service folks talk to and coordinate with Shauna -Check with everyone about your sound system needs and get a sense from Shauna what the limitations of Skansonia are -Be prepared to pay for an extra hour or two as time passes by quickly! read more

***UPDATE: SEE BELOW FOR CHANGED REVIEW*** I hate it when businesses do not publish essential info on their website so I thought to put it here. Bear in mind that these prices will likely go out of date soon and were only informally communicated to me over the phone. Max seats = 200. For Peak period (July-Sept?) weekend days, nights seem to fill up over a year out. Days seemed available. You rent a 5 hr period (1hr setup, 4 ceremony) so if eves are booked you can still do day noon-5pm. $54.50 per person on Sat, $50 per on Sun. This includes light lunch. No discount if you don't want food. Can't bring your own. For off-peak, costs are $2500 + labor and rental. Possible to bring own food. Based on this info, we are likely priced out. Looks like a very scenic venue tho. UPDATE: The MV Skansonia crew contacted me after I posted this and wanted to ensure the info I posted was accurate and complete. They assured me that they only want to present the right tailored prices for guests, and that they are about to launch a more full-featured website. I have included their helpful info below: January- April & November Off Peak Season Rates per person Guest Minimum Monday - Thursday $44.50 50 Guests Friday PM $46.50/ $42.50 50/75 Guests Saturday AM $46.50/ $42.50 50/75 Guests Saturday PM $48.50/ $44.50 75/100 Guests Sunday $46.50/ $42.50 50/75 Guests May- June & October Semi Peak Season Monday - Thursday $46.50 50 Guests Friday PM $48.50 100 Guests Saturday AM $48.50 75 Guests Saturday PM $57.50 125 Guests Sunday $48.50 100 Guests July- September Peak Season Monday - Thursday $48.50 50 Guests Friday PM $61.50 125 Guests Saturday AM $54.50 100 Guests Saturday PM $70.50 150 Guests Saturday PM 2017 $74.50 150 Guests Sunday AM $50.50 100 Guests Sunday PM $56.50 100 Guests December Seasonal Monday - Thursday $46.50 50 Guests Friday PM $48.50 100 Guests Saturday AM $48.50 100 Guests Saturday PM $54.50/ $50.50 100/150 Guests Sunday $48.50 75 Guests Our facility rentals for the 2015-2017 season show case our off peak, semi peak, peak and seasonal package rates. These rates include a four hour event period with an hour prior to the event for set up. Additional time is also available for purchase. A 20% Service & Labor fee and WSST 9.6% will be added to the final bill. read more

I went to a wedding reception here last Thursday night for one of my oldest friends Francie and her new husband Bobby. It was an absolutely beautiful evening, and the view from this hidden gem of a private reception facility was breathtaking. I have never had the joy of basking at the beauty of the Seattle skyline like that before. The boat was very quaint, with just enough space for our group of Rowdy Americans and foreigners (half the wedding party was from Ireland, and boy did it make for one fun night). Beautiful view, perfect seating and spacing, wonderful food, and a fabulous wait staff. Overall one of the most charming, fun and whimsical receptions I have ever been to. read more

What a wonderful little spot. I have been up in and around the Udistrict many times, but have never run into this place. The Skansonia is a very old ferry, it is docked and can't go anywhere else. The view was just great, you could see all of Seattle in its glory. They did not have much seating, but that was okay too, since the actual vows took less than 2-3 minutes. The rest of the evening was spent eating, drinking, eating again and drinking again. The bartenders were very nice. The DJ sucked, but that was not the Skansonia fault. It was a great time had by many! read more

Attended/help setup a wedding here. What a great venue for hosting a wedding. The seattle skyline and the space needle make for a great backdrop for an outdoor wedding. BUT, being craptastic weather seattle, the inside of the boat is also a very nice setting for a wedding. The staff is very helpful and accomodating and the upper level of the boat has an area for the wedding party to get dressed. The food was also good! Can you believe that? Good wedding food? On a boat? I'm on a boat! read more

When rating your wedding venue badly, no one wins. We had out wedding here just over a year ago and it's taken me this long to write a review because it still upsets me. When planning our wedding here, the staff was amazing. My time was overcommitted, so the all- inclusive aspect really drew me in. Every question I had along the way was answered quickly and perfect. Once our day came around, shit hit the fan. First, The room was set up wrong. When my now-husband went to ask the coordinator, he found her crying in her office. The dj had issues setting up because the room was not as promised, my aunt got yelled at for trying light candies ( they want to do it themselves and charge $100). Our food menu was wrong. The table setup was wrong. The staff was rude. As the bride, I got refused service after 3 drinks. They refused to open the alcohol I paid for. They began to reset the room after 10pm, when our event ended at 12am. They "packed up" our stuff to get us out the door quicker and we realized 2 weeks layers bags of stuff was not packed. They got mad at my 80 year old grandma for spilling her drink. They were rude,we didn't get what we asked for, and their pie is dry. Please brides, don't do it. Find someone you trust for your special day. Someone who takes credit cards. read more

Found MV Skansonia through their friendly event staff at Seattle wedding expo and was pleased to hear about its all-inclusive pricing, its (compared to other options) per person pricing rates, and lovely venue. Unfortunately, when I went to tour the boat, the Skansocian's cold and unflexible event manager quoted me a rate twice the price of their event staff. Having a ceremony on their deck? Even without chairs? That's an extra $600+. One thing after another was an add-on. Then, their catering menu seemed inflexible for dietary needs for vegetarians. An all-carb dinner will just make for hangry guests. I couldn't get answers on things like portion size (reported to be small), or how we could taste/put together a menu before hand. It was more "pick items from this list." To top it off, the printed estimate was TWICE the price of what I was quoted at the wedding expo. But I was reminded that "parents of the bride like to just pay for things and have it done." Gee, thanks, because it couldn't possibly be that my fiance and I are paying for us ourselves, not through our parents, and we really care about budgeting. While the boat has lovely ambiance, there are floorboards on the top deck that are soft and I was concerned about people tripping. Ultimately, I went with not one, but TWO other venues on Lake Union with a great view, and at a total price that was a fraction of the Skansonia. read more

My wife and I got married on the Skansonia 5 years ago on 09/05/2008 (One of the best decisions in our lives). And yesterday was our actual 5 year anniversary date. And a few days before yesterday, I randomly called the Skansonia and a sweet lady by the name of Nina picked up the phone. Told her our situation and my wish to revisit the Skansonia with my family on our anniversary date as a surprise to my wife. Nina, without hesitation said that we are welcome to do so and she'll even chill a bottle of Champaign on ice for us. Wow! Fast forward to yesterday 09/05, I teased by wife all day about how we are going to do something special, we are going to go somewhere special. To throw her off, I aimlessly drove all over downtown Seattle which was perfect because our baby needed to nap anyways. But as I started heading north, my wife was like "Are you going to Skansonia?" And I was like "No" with my face turning bright red. But I went the back roads and shot straight in between two parked cars and my wife couldn't see the Skansonia to her right because of a big van. She was like "Where are we?" I said "The Skansonia!" Her reaction was a cute little smile... Then I brought a suite case (Containing our wedding champagne glasses, champagne, camera, tripod, anniversary card, and gift). She's like "Why do you have a suit case?" I was like "Don't worry about it" and headed in. Then me and my family boarded the Skansonia and were greeted by Nina and Jen. Nina set up our sitting area with champagne while we walked around getting nostalgic and taking pictures. Halfway through it, we went upstairs to our sitting area for a anniversary champagne toast. And the whole experience was dizzyingly nostalgic and sentimental and it couldn't have been a better thing to do on our 5 year anniversary. Thank you Nina, Jen, and Skansonia for making it special, once again! Key words for Skansoina: Classy, classic, unique, affordable for what it is, in Seattle, convenient for locals, and pictures always turn out great on Skansonia's vintage backdrop. read more

The Skansonia was a perfect venue for our March 30, 2012 wedding. It has so much charm and character and our out of town guests and locals were pleasantly pleased. Shauna and Ellie took care of all our needs and were so easy and professional to work with. These ladies asked all the right questions and there was no pressure on what vendors to use or selling services that were not needed. We enjoyed an evening ceremony and reception and the view of the city was spectacular! We truly didn't want the night to end. The ceremony was beautiful and the food served was delicious and received huge raves from all. We are looking forward to seeing pics from our magical day and will never forget our wedding on The Skansonia! read more

omgoosh....From start to finish on our big day! Everyone did a wonderful job! I am so thrilled that we picked Skansonia as our venue. Everyone loved to food and venue. Truly worth $$$$ it! read more

See all

We just had our wedding here last weekend and can not say enough great things about this incredible venue! We wanted something unique, where we could do both ceremony and reception, and also a place that offered in-house floral, food, bakery, setup and takedown and also planning help (they'll work with other vendors too no problem, as in our DJ who was off their list but you would have never known it). We got all of the above and then some! Finni was amazing all the way through making sure we got everything coordinated and planned with zero stress (who can say that for wedding planning???). On the day of, Finni and Ruby and team were amazing keeping us on track thinking of things we didn't behind the scenes and making sure our event ran smoothly without us having to think of a thing except enjoying our wonderful wedding day. All of our guests RAVED about the food and the amazing views of the waterfront and the skyline. We loved sharing this beautiful part of PNW history with our guests both local and from out of town. We were sad when it was over (it really does go by in the blink of an eye!), we loved this boat so much...and the adorable Canadian Geese that graced our event! We are kind of already thinking of another event to plan here we had such a great time! Thank you Finni, Ruby, JJ (floral) and the entire Skansonia team...you made our wedding day phenomenal! read more

Highly recommend this venue and their staff. They made planning and the actual day a total breeze. They are pros in the wedding business - super responsive, flexible, calm, and just lovely people to work with. They were so patient with my husband and I who really had no interest in actual planning and the day of coordination was amazing. The venue itself is so charming. You'd be hard pressed to find a more unique and romantic venue. We absolutely loved it and so did all of our families and friends. read more

Fabulous Venue and Team! My Husband and I were married on Nov. 8th 2014. It was the perfect fall ceremony I could ask for and it was the only sunny day of that week. We had our rehearsal Thurs. night and were the next event so we were able to bring any props, alcohol, etc that night, which made Saturday setup simple... there was nothing for us to do except get dressed and show up! During the year working with Jen and Kristine was easy, most the time i emailed and received response within the hour. The day of our wedding went smoothly as well. The food is phenomenal! We opted for the mini cheesecake bar through their sister cafe Lake Union Cafe... that was delicious! James was amazing at our rehearsal and the. He really kept me calm and walked and talked us through everything. They really make it about their customers and do what they can to make it a memorable day. This venue came recommended to me from a co worker who was married aboard here years ago. The first step onto this venue and I was in love. Cost was also very favorable. read more

See all

Amazing staff, value, and most importantly FOOD! Anita was very attentive through the entire planing process answering any questions and organizing every detail. The boat is a unique and breathtaking venue and the food is phenomenal. Because of their organization, the day went off with out a hitch (except for us, we got hitched). read more

The gals at Skansonia are AMAZING! They are all so speedy getting back to you with any questions and were great at keeping us on schedule with meetings, etc leading up to the wedding day. Anita was the best coordinator! She made everything so easy and less stressful. We wanted a venue that was very unique and the Skansonia was the first place we looked at in person and WE WERE SOLD!! The vintage ferry boat was so cool, beautiful view, food was FABULOUS(I had guests say it was the best wedding food they have ever had), decor/flowers were beautiful. It was great that they give you the option of using their florist (who rocks!) and caterer/bakery, and had multiple vendors to recommend for every need. We couldn't have been happier, and our guests had a blast. Thank you! read more