There are names that alone are enough to inspire dreams. Orient Express has been one of them for over a century: overnight journeys, lacquered salons, the art of taking one's time. Today, the legend is reborn in four forms: a sailing yacht, a train, two palaces. Together, they shape a new kind of wedding—a wedding that travels, from the Venice Lagoon to the Bay of Cannes. Here is the guide to imagining it.
At a Glance
- The sailing yacht: the Orient Express Corinthian, approximately 220 meters, presented as the world's largest sailing yacht, 54 suites, in the Mediterranean in summer and the Caribbean in winter.
- The train: La Dolce Vita Orient Express, in Italy since 2025, twelve carriages, up to 62 guests, available for private hire for a wedding.
- The palaces: Orient Express La Minerva in Rome (2025) and Orient Express Venezia in Venice (2026)
- For a wedding: the sailboat, the train, and both hotels can all be privatized for a wedding or a private event.
- Tomorrow: the historic Orient Express train, expected from 2027, from Paris to Istanbul.
- The signature: Yannick Alléno’s tables aboard the sailboat, Heinz Beck’s on the train and in Venice.
The rebirth of a legend
The first Orient Express departed Paris in 1883. For decades, it embodied European luxury travel between Paris, Venice, and Constantinople, operated by the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits. Then, the name grew rarer, almost mythical. In recent years, it has come alive once more. The Accor group, joined by LVMH, has turned it into a hospitality house in its own right. The first creations of this new universe are now in service: a sailing vessel, a train, two hotels. Others will follow, including the return of the historic train. For a wedding, this is a rare privilege. Never before has a single house united sea, rail, and palaces under one name, with the same exacting standards. It allows one to imagine a multi-day celebration, moving from one setting to another, without ever departing from elegance.
The sailing yacht: Orient Express Corinthian
It is the most spectacular piece. Built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique and christened in 2026, the Corinthian measures approximately 220 meters and carries three rigid sails powered by a new technology. It is presented as the world's largest sailing yacht. On board, just fifty-four suites, decor by Maxime d'Angeac inspired by the golden age of rail, gastronomy under the direction of Yannick Alléno, five restaurants, eight bars, a cabaret, a speakeasy, a spa, and a marina. In summer, it sails the Mediterranean: Saint-Tropez, Cannes, Monaco, Portofino, Corsica, Greece. In winter, it journeys to the Caribbean: Saint-Barthélemy, Saint-Martin, the Grenadines. For a wedding, it can be fully privatized during select periods, or accommodate an intimate circle within a collection of six suites.
The train: La Dolce Vita Orient Express
Since April 2025, La Dolce Vita has been journeying across Italy, departing from Rome. Its twelve carriages, designed by Dimorestudio in the spirit of 1960s Italian design, welcome up to 62 guests. Three-Michelin-starred chef Heinz Beck crafts its menus. The train connects Rome to Tuscany, Venice, Portofino, Puglia, or Sicily. Orient Express officially offers full or partial privatization for weddings and grand celebrations. The lounge at Rome Ostiense station can also host a reception prior to departure.
The palaces: La Minerva in Rome, the Venezia in Venice
In Rome, Orient Express La Minerva occupies a 17th-century palace behind the Pantheon, where Stendhal once stayed. 93 rooms, including 36 suites, decor by Hugo Toro, a 360-degree rooftop overlooking the Eternal City, and five reception rooms.
In Venice, Orient Express Venezia opened in 2026 at Palazzo Donà Giovannelli, a 15th-century Gothic palace in Cannaregio. 47 rooms and suites, an inner garden, cuisine by Heinz Beck, and above all, the Salone Vittoria, a Baroque salon built in 1548 for the wedding of a Farnese princess.
Tomorrow: the historic train
Orient Express is also preparing for the return of its original train. Seventeen carriages from the 1920s and 1930s, rediscovered and restored, are set to return to the rails starting in 2027, from Paris toward Central Europe and Istanbul. A future dream setting for celebrations departing from Paris, and one that we are following closely.
The Grand Journey: From Venice to Cannes
This is the most compelling concept in this universe. Orient Express has envisioned “Grand Tours” that combine its hotels, train, and sailing yacht. One of them connects Venice to the Côte d'Azur via Siena, Rome, and Portofino, all the way to Cannes. Transposed to a wedding, it yields a celebration without equal in the world:
- Day 1 · Venice. Guests arrive by private boat at Palazzo Donà Giovannelli. Welcome dinner in the Salone Vittoria, the very setting where a princely wedding was celebrated in 1548.
- Day 2 · The train. Boarding La Dolce Vita. The scenery sweeps past, lunch is crafted by Heinz Beck, the party begins in the bar car.
- Day 3 · Tuscany. A stop at the foot of the hills. The ceremony, set within a wine estate, amidst the vines and cypresses. Return to the train for the wedding dinner.
- Day 4 · Rome. Arrival in the Eternal City, overnight at La Minerva, sunset cocktails on the rooftop facing the Pantheon.
- Day 5 · The sea. Embarking aboard the Corinthian. Portofino, then the Riviera.
- Day 6 · La Côte d'Azur. The grand celebration on board, at anchor facing the Bay of Cannes or the Îles de Lérins.
- Day 7 · Cannes. Farewell brunch, disembarkation, and the memory of a wedding that spanned two countries.
Each stage can also be experienced on its own: a Venetian wedding, a wedding aboard a train, a wedding at sea. The grand voyage is merely the most complete version of the same dream.
Which Orient Express venue for your wedding?
- For the sea and a grand spectacle: the Corinthian, for a hundred guests, in the Mediterranean or the Caribbean.
- For Italy and romance: the La Dolce Vita train, for up to 62 guests.
- For a historic and intimate wedding: the Venezia and its Salone Vittoria.
- For a celebration in the heart of a capital: La Minerva and its rooftop.
- For the ultimate experience: the grand journey, bringing them all together.
The Seasons
- Spring and autumn: Rome, Venice, and the train, in the finest light, far from the summer heat.
- Summer: the Corinthian in the Mediterranean, from the French Riviera to Corsica and Italy.
- Winter: the Corinthian in the Caribbean, around Saint-Barthélemy.
- New Year's Eve: the train offers festive departures, which can inspire a winter wedding in Italy.
Our role
Orient Express offers the venues, the tables, and the hospitality. We compose the entire wedding, in close collaboration with their teams.
- Design: the itinerary, the rhythm of the days, the common thread between the venues.
- Artistic direction: floral scenography, lighting, stationery, recommended attire for each stage.
- The ceremony: choice of venue, the officiant, the music, Plan B.
- Guests: flights, transfers by boat, car, or helicopter, pre- and post-stay accommodation, personal welcome.
- The artists and the imagery: musicians, performers, photographer, and videographer who tell the story of the journey.
- Confidentiality: non-disclosure agreements, photography guidelines, absolute discretion.
What you need to know
- The dates: they depend on the calendars of the sailboat, the train, and the hotels, and the periods when they can be privatized. This is the first question to ask.
- Civil marriage: ceremonies aboard and in hotels are most often symbolic. The civil wedding is celebrated beforehand, in your home country, in France, or in Italy, depending on the required formalities.
- Capacities: approximately 110 guests aboard the Corinthian, 62 on the train, and 93 and 47 rooms across the hotels. The number of guests guides the selection of venues.
- The timeframe: allow twelve to eighteen months, and longer for a grand, multi-day journey.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can you host a wedding with Orient Express? Yes. The sailing yacht Corinthian and the train La Dolce Vita can be privatized for private events, including weddings. The hotels in Rome and Venice can also be privatized for a wedding or a private event.
- What are the Orient Express destinations today? The Orient Express Corinthian sailing yacht, the La Dolce Vita train in Italy, Hotel La Minerva in Rome, and Hotel Venezia in Venice. The historic train is expected from 2027.
- Can a train, a sailing yacht, and hotels be combined for a wedding? Yes. Orient Express offers journeys that blend its hotels, train, and sailing yacht, notably from Venice to the Côte d'Azur. We can make this the common thread of a multi-day wedding.
- Does *The Corinthian* call at the French Riviera? Yes, select summer itineraries pass through Saint-Tropez, Cannes, and Monte-Carlo.
- How many guests can we welcome? Around 110 travelers aboard the Corinthian and up to 62 on the La Dolce Vita train. For a larger wedding, the other guests join the celebration at a stop along the way.
- Who crafts the cuisine? Yannick Alléno aboard the Corinthian, Heinz Beck on the La Dolce Vita train and at Hotel Venezia.
- How far in advance should an Orient Express wedding be planned? Twelve to eighteen months, and longer for a multi-day grand journey.
The journey as a vow
To marry is already to set off together. In the Orient Express universe, this departure becomes a true journey, shared with those you love, from city to city, from shore to shore. You don't merely remember a wedding: you remember a world traversed together. With all my elegance, Sandrine Arnould — Founder, Luxury Events Agency