Weddings and Honeymoons
Bermuda is a popular wedding destination because of its secluded pink beaches, easy access from the United States, well-established infrastructure that includes English-speaking wedding personnel, and its remarkably high romance quotient (the island even has an honest-to-goodness Lovers' Lane).
The Details
License. You must send a Notice of Intended Marriage form to the Bermuda Registry General (441/297–7739 www.gov.bm/department/registry-general) within three months of your intended wedding date. A fee of $353 must accompany the form. A Marriage Certificate costs $65 and can be applied for at the same time. The notice is then published in the local newspaper. There is a waiting period of 15 days, and if no formal objection is raised, the license (valid for three months) will be issued.
The Perfect Backdrop. The obvious choices for a Bermuda destination wedding are right on the beach or on one of the stunning cliff-tops looking down over the turquoise water. Some hotels have beachfront or graden gazebos. Historic properties like the World Heritage Centre in St. George’s or Fort Hamilton are also popular.
Local Customs. Bermudians serve two wedding cakes; the groom's cake is plain, often a pound cake, and the multitier bride's cake is a dark fruitcake. The bride and groom walk hand in hand beneath a Bermuda moongate—an archway made of limestone and coral usually found at the entrance to gardens. It's said that all who do so are assured everlasting luck.
The Big Day
Most larger resorts have their own wedding planners, but the island also has independent wedding planners.
Bermuda Bride. Nikki Begg is internationally renowned for delivering breathtaking Bermuda destination weddings. 441/295–8697; www.bermudabride.com.
The Bridal Suite Bermuda. The knowledgeable wedding consultants here will work tirelessly to create the most unforgettable day of your life. 441/707–1318; www.bridalsuitebermudaweddings.com.
The Honeymoon
Cambridge Beaches Resort & Spa. Sunsets, candlelit dinners, and beautiful scenery are all at this adults-only resort, which offers the ultimate pampering experience.
Elbow Beach Resort. This cottage colony with lush gardens welcomes its honeymooners with a bottle of bubbly. There are beautiful beachfront cottages, and the spa has couples' treatment rooms.
The Loren at Pink Beach. An escape does not get much more private or luxe than at the island's chicest hotel, which has 45 oceanfront suites set on 8 coastal acres. Book a couples' spa treatment in rooms overlooking the Atlantic.
The Reefs Resort & Club. The cliffside luxury resort has breathtaking views. You’ll get champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries on your arrival, and you can book a gourmet dinner right on the beach.
