Wedding Advice
Jun 21st, 2012, 07:38 AM
#1
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Wedding Advice
My fiancee and I want a destination wedding abroad. It is going to be very small with just immediate family and I was hoping to find a resort that offers live music and dancing nightly as that way we do not need to worry about hiring a band or DJ and it wont just be ten people in a room dancing.
I am quite taken with having a wedding in Bermuda but any caribbean island we would consider and I was hoping someone could offer me some advice.
Thank you
I am quite taken with having a wedding in Bermuda but any caribbean island we would consider and I was hoping someone could offer me some advice.
Thank you
Jun 21st, 2012, 08:45 AM
#2
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I got married in Bermuda, and lived there for 5 years.
I will help as much as I can.
When are you looking at getting married?
What's your budget? Hotel/flights/wedding. Any other must-haves or must-not-haves?
There are a few hotels in Bermuda that do Friday evening 'happy hour' music - Fairmont Hamilton Princess and Beau Rivage are the two that come to mind. You'd have a great atmosphere, music, bar service and lots of what we used to call 'pretty people'. (Very popular end-of-the-work-week, get dressed up and go meet your friends for a few drinks kind of crowd.) For Bermuda, that would be (IMO) your best bet for a music and party atmosphere.
I'd start your search by looking at wedding requirements for the different islands you're considering. Some islands make it easier than others for foreigners to get married. Some islands are enough hassle that people just do a civil service at home, then go away for a 'vow renewal' etc.
(Incidentally, Bermuda is fairly easy, all preliminary paperwork can be handled through the mail, and every hotel has someone on staff to assist you.)
I will help as much as I can.
When are you looking at getting married?
What's your budget? Hotel/flights/wedding. Any other must-haves or must-not-haves?
There are a few hotels in Bermuda that do Friday evening 'happy hour' music - Fairmont Hamilton Princess and Beau Rivage are the two that come to mind. You'd have a great atmosphere, music, bar service and lots of what we used to call 'pretty people'. (Very popular end-of-the-work-week, get dressed up and go meet your friends for a few drinks kind of crowd.) For Bermuda, that would be (IMO) your best bet for a music and party atmosphere.
I'd start your search by looking at wedding requirements for the different islands you're considering. Some islands make it easier than others for foreigners to get married. Some islands are enough hassle that people just do a civil service at home, then go away for a 'vow renewal' etc.
(Incidentally, Bermuda is fairly easy, all preliminary paperwork can be handled through the mail, and every hotel has someone on staff to assist you.)
Jun 25th, 2012, 08:48 AM
#3
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Oh thank you so much.
We were looking at either April or August of next year as I have two sisters who are teachers and this is the only time they get a few weeks of work.
We havent set a budget but likely will try to keep it under $15,000.
I have already looked at requirements and Im not intersted in a Church wedding and Bermuda seemed fairly easy to comply with.
We were looking at either April or August of next year as I have two sisters who are teachers and this is the only time they get a few weeks of work.
We havent set a budget but likely will try to keep it under $15,000.
I have already looked at requirements and Im not intersted in a Church wedding and Bermuda seemed fairly easy to comply with.
Jun 25th, 2012, 09:20 AM
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OK, so you're working around your sister's spring break or summer vacation?
April pros - weather should be great, probably still a little cool for watersports/swimming, but sunny days and not yet humid. Tourist season hasn't quite kicked in, so you won't be dealing with the summer hordes. No spring breakers in Bermuda. Might still get off-season rates at hotels, depending on how early you're looking at.
April cons - Tourist season hasn't kicked in, so you're not going to have the social scene at hotels, and the summer-time activities won't be in full swing yet (happy hours, Harbor nights, etc) Watersports might not be up and running for the season yet. Ocean temps still a little cool for swimming.
August pros - sunshine, plenty of people around to enhance the atmosphere, Friday night happy hours, late nights at the dance clubs, lots of boating, snorkelling, swimming.
August cons - high season rates, hordes of tourists, HOT and HUMID.
If you're looking at a beachy wedding, you need to concentrate on the South Shore hotels. Pink Beach Club, Elbow Beach, Southampton Fairmont, The Reefs (where we got married), Cambridge Beaches, Pompano. Again, every hotel has someone on staff to assist with filing your wedding license paperwork and organizing things, but it's easy to do one your own as well. Even though we lived there, I still did everything (flowers/cake/etc) over the phone/via email, with the exception of one signature.
Keep the questions coming!
April pros - weather should be great, probably still a little cool for watersports/swimming, but sunny days and not yet humid. Tourist season hasn't quite kicked in, so you won't be dealing with the summer hordes. No spring breakers in Bermuda. Might still get off-season rates at hotels, depending on how early you're looking at.
April cons - Tourist season hasn't kicked in, so you're not going to have the social scene at hotels, and the summer-time activities won't be in full swing yet (happy hours, Harbor nights, etc) Watersports might not be up and running for the season yet. Ocean temps still a little cool for swimming.
August pros - sunshine, plenty of people around to enhance the atmosphere, Friday night happy hours, late nights at the dance clubs, lots of boating, snorkelling, swimming.
August cons - high season rates, hordes of tourists, HOT and HUMID.
If you're looking at a beachy wedding, you need to concentrate on the South Shore hotels. Pink Beach Club, Elbow Beach, Southampton Fairmont, The Reefs (where we got married), Cambridge Beaches, Pompano. Again, every hotel has someone on staff to assist with filing your wedding license paperwork and organizing things, but it's easy to do one your own as well. Even though we lived there, I still did everything (flowers/cake/etc) over the phone/via email, with the exception of one signature.
Keep the questions coming!
Jun 25th, 2012, 10:09 AM
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I definately want a beach wedding. We will probably choose August as it gives us more time to plan, and im sure our families would prefer to go when we can make use of the amenities available during high tourist season.
My main concern was music. Like i said it will be a very small wedding so I dont see much point in hiring a reception hall and band or dj. I would prefer to eat at a really good restaurant and then go somewhere where we can dance that will have more people and atmosphere. I was hoping resort's offered this type of thing nightly but wasnt sure.
My main concern was music. Like i said it will be a very small wedding so I dont see much point in hiring a reception hall and band or dj. I would prefer to eat at a really good restaurant and then go somewhere where we can dance that will have more people and atmosphere. I was hoping resort's offered this type of thing nightly but wasnt sure.
Jun 25th, 2012, 01:16 PM
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Assuming you want the ease of having the wedding at a resort's beach, rather than having to organize a ceremony on a public beach? Your best options for that really are the handful of hotels I listed above.
Pink Beach, Pompano and Cambridge Beaches have the disadvantage of more remote locations, making transportation and taking advantage of other properties and restaurants a little more of a hassle.
Elbow Beach was under some major renovations when I left Bermuda over a year ago, I am not sure how much of the work has been done. Big property, plenty of resources though. They do have a guest-only section of the beach, but it is adjacent to the public part of that beach.
Southampton Fairmont has a private beach with a restaurant at the beach, and the advantage of shared amenities with it's sister property in town, the Hamilton Princess.
The Reefs is small, fairly adult-oriented, private beach, small restaurant at the beach, plus a large deck built on the rocks over the water (for a sand-free, waterfront option).
Again, nightly music/DJ/party atmosphere just isn't a huge resort thing in Bermuda. My personal opinion would be the Friday night end-of-week parties at the Hamilton Princess or Beau Rivage. You'll get the music, the nicely-dressed people, the bar, and none of the extra cost. Maybe your beach wedding late afternoon, dinner at that resort, then head to town to party the night away?
Pink Beach, Pompano and Cambridge Beaches have the disadvantage of more remote locations, making transportation and taking advantage of other properties and restaurants a little more of a hassle.
Elbow Beach was under some major renovations when I left Bermuda over a year ago, I am not sure how much of the work has been done. Big property, plenty of resources though. They do have a guest-only section of the beach, but it is adjacent to the public part of that beach.
Southampton Fairmont has a private beach with a restaurant at the beach, and the advantage of shared amenities with it's sister property in town, the Hamilton Princess.
The Reefs is small, fairly adult-oriented, private beach, small restaurant at the beach, plus a large deck built on the rocks over the water (for a sand-free, waterfront option).
Again, nightly music/DJ/party atmosphere just isn't a huge resort thing in Bermuda. My personal opinion would be the Friday night end-of-week parties at the Hamilton Princess or Beau Rivage. You'll get the music, the nicely-dressed people, the bar, and none of the extra cost. Maybe your beach wedding late afternoon, dinner at that resort, then head to town to party the night away?
