Say "I do" in Bermuda

Close your eyes and picture your wedding day.  Do you see yourself standing on the beach as the sun sets on the horizon,  or in a garden surrounded by tropical flowers?  If so, a destination wedding in Bermuda may just be for you.

A wedding in Bermuda is not as far-fetched as you imagine.  Sure, there will be a lot of research and planning involved, but most couples who have done it agree that their destination wedding was worth all of the extra work.

Pros and Cons

Planning a wedding can be stressful, especially one in which you have no choice but to put all your trust in an event coordinator in a foreign country.  Yet for so many people, the positives outweigh the negatives. Still, a Caribbean wedding might not be for everyone. The following collection of pros and cons will allow you to conclude if getting married in Bermuda is the ideal way to spend your wedding day.

Pros

• Cost. Although many individuals do not realize it, a Caribbean wedding might actually save you money - with airfare included. This is because destination weddings are inclined to be smaller affairs at which less people attend.  This means you will spend less on table settings and food. Many resorts also feature wedding and honeymoon package promotions, thus enhancing your savings even further.
• Weather. Weather is a key factor in any event, specifically if you are planning your your wedding outdoors. The average temperature in Bermuda ranges from between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the year. Rain showers do occur, but they are often over before they begin.
• Planning. When you plan a destination wedding, you typically utilize an event planner (or one is designated to you by your resort when you buy a wedding package through them). This guarantees that a professional attentively considers every single element of your wedding.
• Friends and Family. Choosing a destination wedding means that you can scale down your guest list - you don't have to feel compelled to invite an uncle you aren't that close to, or your fiancé's manager.

Cons

• Cost. Countless people feel that it is their responsibility to pay for air travel and hotel accommodations for all their wedding guests. If this is you, a destination wedding will ultimately be more pricey.
• Weather. Bermuda is situated within the hurricane belt, which means that scheduling a wedding during hurricane season (from the beginning of June until the end of November) presents a slight risk.
• Planning. Since you are not on site to personally observe and decide on wedding items for much of the time leading up to your big day, you may find yourself becoming restless because you feel everything is no longer in your control.
• Legal issues. Due to the fact that you are planning your nuptials in a different country, procedures involving marriage licenses in Bermuda could differ from those you would encounter at home. Procuring a marriage license in Bermuda takes time, so a quickly planned wedding should not be a consideration.
• Family and friends. Everyone you want to see at your wedding may not be able to attend a destination wedding, for reasons ranging from financial obligations to work responsibilities.

Why Choose Bermuda?

Bermuda is one of the most popular destination wedding sites in the Caribbean.  This means that event planners here are well equipped to help a couple planning their wedding day from a distance, and can be trusted to carry out your instructions and desires.  If you feel anxious about putting your wedding in someone else's hands, but still want to have your wedding in the Caribbean, Bermuda is one of your best options.

Another reason to choose Bermuda as your destination wedding site is the ambiance.  There are strict environmental laws in place, making the island feel like an untouched tropical paradise.  The people are laid back, and the island is known as the place to go for relaxation.  Planning a wedding can be a stressful experience, but once you touch down in Bermuda the pace of island life will help to calm your nerves.

Local Wedding Customs

A trend that carries through the Caribbean is serving a spiced fruit cake soaked in rum as the wedding cake.  Bermuda follows this tradition, but it is also common to have a second wedding cake with flavors of the couples choosing.  At the reception, the two cakes are placed next to one another, and intertwined with an ivy wreath.  On top of one cake, which is considered the groom's cake, is a gold leaf meant to symbolize prosperity.  On the second cake, the bride's cake, is a silver leaf to represent the growth of the couple's love. 

Types of Ceremonies

Bermuda law allows that weddings may take place in almost any public space.  This means your dreams of wedding on the beach, in a park, a historic home, or on the edge of a cliff are easy to make reality.  Indoor venues provide a variety of options as well, with dozens of reception halls, hotels, and restaurants willing to host your event.  Bermuda is home to more churches per square mile than anywhere else in the world - so if a religious ceremony would mean the world to you, Bermuda allows you to be picky when choosing your venue. 

Budgeting

Caribbean weddings generally cost less than an extravagant wedding thrown in your home town, but it is still important that you take the time to create an appropriate budget for your big day. To achieve this, build a summary of everything you believe you will find yourself investing money on, based upon significance to you. Some typical ideas include the food, venue, professional photographer, flowers, and wedding dress, among numerous others. After a little bit of quick investigation, designate an amount to each item on your list, then total everything up. This will give you a rough idea of how much money you can anticipate spending. Keep in mind that this number will vary as you prepare for your big day, and the organized list of important items will assist you in knowing instantly what items you can cut back on and which items you feel you absolutely need to ensure a flawless wedding experience.

Requirements

Planning a wedding in Bermuda will take at least three months.  This is because three months before your intended wedding date you are required to submit a “Notice of Intent to be Married” to the Bermuda Registrar General.  Your Notice of Intent will be published on two separate occasions in two different newspapers.  You will only be granted a marriage license if no one on the island objects to the union.  You will also be required to submit certified copies of divorce certificates if one or more parties has been divorced, and certified copies of death certificate if one of the parties is a widow or widower.

One of the most powerful moments in your life will be when you say "I do" to the person you love.  You don't want to make any mistakes when it comes to planning this special day, especially a wedding in a far-off locale.  One thing is for sure, if you choose a wedding in Bermuda, the setting of this momentous affair will be stunning.