By Susan Breslow Sardone, TripSavvy
What a great idea, to combine your wedding and honeymoon at a fabulous Bermuda getaway made for romance.
Surrounded by key friends and family members—or perhaps just the two of you and an officiant—an all-inclusive destination wedding package is the simplest, and often most affordable, way to seal your vows and get on with married life.
Ideal for people too busy, those marrying a second time, and couples uninterested in planning a traditional wedding, destination weddings let you enjoy days of fun instead of just a few intense hours under the bridal spotlight at a big, formal affair. What makes things even easier is opting for an off-the-shelf, all-inclusive package that provides the basic elements you need to marry legally,
Since destination weddings have become so popular (and big business), many Bermuda resorts now offer an array of wedding options. That's perfect for people who care deeply about whether they will have an exact number of photographs, a specific kind of flower, and a custom cake. If you're that type of couple, send in a request for proposal to a resort you're interested in, and let the negotiations begin.
On the other hand, if you agree that the honeymoon is the best part of getting married, choose an-all-inclusive wedding package and don't sweat it.
Note: Few of the following resorts are all-inclusives; these package rates never quite caught on in Bermuda as they have in the Caribbean. You won't find any stay-three-nights-get-a-free-wedding deals here as you do at Sandals Resorts. However, wedding packages featured do offer basic wedding amenities under one all-inclusive price beyond the cost of accommodations. Any event extras and customization will cause the price to be increased. Also note that Bermuda charges 17 percent tax on food and beverages.
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What a great idea, to combine your wedding and honeymoon at a fabulous Bermuda getaway made for romance.
Surrounded by key friends and family members—or perhaps just the two of you and an officiant—an all-inclusive destination wedding package is the simplest, and often most affordable, way to seal your vows and get on with married life.
Ideal for people too busy, those marrying a second time, and couples uninterested in planning a traditional wedding, destination weddings let you enjoy days of fun instead of just a few intense hours under the bridal spotlight at a big, formal affair. What makes things even easier is opting for an off-the-shelf, all-inclusive package that provides the basic elements you need to marry legally,
Since destination weddings have become so popular (and big business), many Bermuda resorts now offer an array of wedding options. That's perfect for people who care deeply about whether they will have an exact number of photographs, a specific kind of flower, and a custom cake. If you're that type of couple, send in a request for proposal to a resort you're interested in, and let the negotiations begin.
On the other hand, if you agree that the honeymoon is the best part of getting married, choose an-all-inclusive wedding package and don't sweat it.
Note: Few of the following resorts are all-inclusives; these package rates never quite caught on in Bermuda as they have in the Caribbean. You won't find any stay-three-nights-get-a-free-wedding deals here as you do at Sandals Resorts. However, wedding packages featured do offer basic wedding amenities under one all-inclusive price beyond the cost of accommodations. Any event extras and customization will cause the price to be increased. Also note that Bermuda charges 17 percent tax on food and beverages.
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Grotto Bay Beach Resort
Grotto Bay is not strictly an all-inclusive resort. Here you can choose accommodations and then pay for meals a la carte either on the premises or elsewhere.
However, the resort offers an all-inclusive option, which is a fee added to the room rate that then includes three meals a day, non-alcoholic beverages, and liquor, beer, and wine by the glass. Tennis court time, non-motorized water sports, passes for public buses and ferries, and some tips are also included.
The hotel also offers three all-inclusive wedding packages at various prices. One is conceived for 2 to 6 people; a larger package accommodates 10 people, and the largest is for 20 guests. Details are available on the Grotto Bay Weddings page.
The 10-person "Small Wedding" Package includes:
- Main Lawn with Ocean View or Honeymoon Beach
- Local Minister
- Collection of Marriage Certificate
- Certificate Signing Table
- White Folding Chairs for Guests
- Wooden Arbor (2 poles/no floral)
- Hand-tied Bridal Bouquet & Boutonniere
- Four Bottles of House Sparkling Wine
- 3 Dozen Hors D’oeuvres Sampler Platter
- 12” Wedding One Tier Cake
- Photographer (for 1 hour)
- Set Up Fees & Gratuity
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Cambridge Beaches Resort & Spa
One of the top-rated and most enduring resorts in Bermuda, Cambridge Beaches hosts weddings on the beach, in its gardens, and indoors. Rather than being all-inclusive, its inexpensive wedding package provides just a few elements:
- Personal services of the wedding coordinator
- Wedding License
- Minister
- Ceremony Set-Up
- Champagne at the Ceremony
- Wedding Night Rose Petal Turn Down
- Breakfast in bed the next morning
Couples who want to enhance their wedding with a cake, photography, music, flowers and a candlelight dinner are charged for these additional amenities.
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Rosedon Hotel
A five-minute walk from Hamilton, Bermuda's capital city, the traditional Rosedon Hotel was once an elegant private home. It extends to guests an affordable wedding package that includes:
- Minister
- Registrar’s fees
- Marriage license
- Marriage certificate
- Floral arrangement
- Wedding cake
- Bottle of champagne
- English afternoon tea
- Complimentary transport to and from the beach (to take pictures)
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
- Choice of hotel front porch or gardens for wedding ceremony or reception
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The Reefs Resort and Club
For weddings of up to 12 guests, the resort offers its signature Bermuda Wedding Package, which includes:
- Intimate ceremony on The Deck at Caso's Point
- Bride's bouquet and groom's boutonniere
- Minister to officiate
- License fee and one copy of marriage certificate
- Photographer
Of course, that package can simply be the start. On-site, certified wedding coordinators are available to design customizable packages. The wedding planning team, Bermuda Event Solutions, is available to arrange every aspect of a wedding weekend from group airport pickup to scheduling excursions and activities on the island.
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Fairmont Southampton
Rather than offering an all-inclusive wedding package, the Fairmont Southampton customizes all the elements a couple wishes to have in their ceremony.
However, it does offer set banquet menus for a variety of reception meals. These range from a chocolate extravaganza (the least expensive) to an afternoon barbecue to "The Bermuda Triangle" (lobster tail, lamb chop, and petit filet mignon). Prices are available here.
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The Loren.
One of Bermuda's newest hotels, The Loren doesn't do anything in a cookie-cutter way. So here you won't find an all-inclusive wedding package. It's a growing trend among high-end hotels to individually tailor every wedding ceremony and reception. It's all about choice, since The Loren has:
- Seven different spaces, both indoors and outdoors, that can accommodate up to 200 guests
- Designated wedding planner
- Catering services from The Loren’s culinary team
- Food and cocktail menus customized to each wedding.
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Cunard Ships
Since Cunard's three ships — Queen Elizabeth, Queen Victoria, and Queen Mary 2—are registered in Bermuda, you can be legally married on any of them during an all-inclusive cruise regardless of where they sail. The wedding would be a civil ceremony performed by the ship Captain.
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