Bermuda Wedding

[ericar593]

Hello all! 

I am posting on behalf of my sister. She wants to get married in Bermuda on the beach in the summer of 2020. Her fiance proposed in Bermuda and he was also born there so it is a special place for them. We live in the Boston area, have a big family, and many of them already think that it is something that will be affordable and doable for them. We can't know for sure this far out, but there could be close to 50 people coming. She decided to do a cruise to Bermuda through Norwegian because it is more affordable than flying and staying at a resort. Our cousin is a travel agent and will take care of booking the trip for the whole family. It is important for her to have the ceremony on the beach and ideally the reception would also be on the beach. She wants a traditional reception. Cocktail hour, dinner, first dance, father daughter dance, cake cutting etc. The cruise is pushing her to do the ceremony on the beach and the reception on the boat. The problem with this is it doesn't seem possible to do the tradition reception activities on the boat. Just dinner (possibly with other cruise-goers) and then going to the nightly entertainment like everyone else. She is not too flexible with that and really wants a more private wedding like you would have in a hall at home.  I know it will be more costly than having NCL do the dinner since its already included. But it seems to be really important to her to have it private. So my question is, who out there has cruised to Bermuda and done ceremony and reception off of the boat? Any tips, ideas, tricks that you all have would be great. Also, what have you done in regards to insurance? Is there a wedding insurance company that you used? Or does the coordinator handle that? I have already learned that her first step is probably to talk with a couple wedding coordinator companies out there to get more of an idea what to expect. We are going to wait until after all the holiday chaos to really hit the planning stuff hard. 

Thank you for any and all help you can give us!

[Homosassa]

First piece of advice: If your sister's heart is set on having the wedding and reception ashore, DO NOT plan on doing it by cruise ship.

 

There is always the chance that the ship will not make port. Bermuda cruises are only during hurricane season. There is always the possibility that a storm will cause a complete itinerary change. 

[GeezerCouple]

44 minutes ago, ericar593 said:

Hello all! 

I am posting on behalf of my sister. She wants to get married in Bermuda on the beach in the summer of 2020. Her fiance proposed in Bermuda and he was also born there so it is a special place for them. We live in the Boston area, have a big family, and many of them already think that it is something that will be affordable and doable for them. We can't know for sure this far out, but there could be close to 50 people coming. She decided to do a cruise to Bermuda through Norwegian because it is more affordable than flying and staying at a resort. Our cousin is a travel agent and will take care of booking the trip for the whole family. It is important for her to have the ceremony on the beach and ideally the reception would also be on the beach. She wants a traditional reception. Cocktail hour, dinner, first dance, father daughter dance, cake cutting etc. The cruise is pushing her to do the ceremony on the beach and the reception on the boat. The problem with this is it doesn't seem possible to do the tradition reception activities on the boat. Just dinner (possibly with other cruise-goers) and then going to the nightly entertainment like everyone else. She is not too flexible with that and really wants a more private wedding like you would have in a hall at home.  I know it will be more costly than having NCL do the dinner since its already included. But it seems to be really important to her to have it private. So my question is, who out there has cruised to Bermuda and done ceremony and reception off of the boat? Any tips, ideas, tricks that you all have would be great. Also, what have you done in regards to insurance? Is there a wedding insurance company that you used? Or does the coordinator handle that? I have already learned that her first step is probably to talk with a couple wedding coordinator companies out there to get more of an idea what to expect. We are going to wait until after all the holiday chaos to really hit the planning stuff hard. 

Thank you for any and all help you can give us!

 

I would start by contacting (first Googling if necessary) "Bermuda wedding coordinators" or such, and contacting several to see if they could provide what she wants at a price they want.

 

I know that the Fairmont Southampton has a lovely beach.  A friend of ours got married there, but they may not do weddings for those who are not also staying at the hotel.  But I'd be very surprised if there aren't other vendors who offer beach weddings.

 

I'd *definitely* get both travel insurance and "event" insurance.

What if the weather doesn't allow the ship to dock!? 

 

And perhaps she could look into a "Plan B" (even if it "costs") for some other way to have the wedding on the ship.

(Does NCL even "do" actual legal wedding ceremonies on board these days?)

Or immediately after arriving back, "just in case".  Everyone is already gathered, right?

 

And best wishes to the happy couple.

 

GC

[cathi007]

A friend of mine had a beautiful beach weeding all planned out last year in Florida, on the beach....And wouldn't you know it, a hurricane came in the day before and destroyed everything. Everyone was evacuated and the wedding was called off. No to be a debbie downer, but maybe she should look into Aruba, much better weather year round. Good luck

[sanger727]

Agree with other posters that choosing a cruise ship as a means to get to a land wedding venue is risky. Ships can get chartered out and/or cancel sailing for a number of reasons; a hurricane headed towards the path of Bermuda will mean a completely itinerary change, and even weather or mechanical failure on the prior cruise could lead to a delay/cancellation or itinerary change. It’s not like planes where you can hop on the next one or fly out a day early or late to miss weather. Good luck if she moves forward and definitely insure everything.

[ericar593]

Ugh I know it is SO risky! I think looking into NCL and seeing what they would be able to provide for a backup plan(such as having it aboard the ship) is a good idea. If she doesn't like that idea then maybe she does need to look into an island that has more reliable whether. Cruising from Boston to Bermuda is so affordable that many of our family and friends will be able to come. Maybe it will be best to fly in all the VIP people(parents, grandparents, best man, MOH) so that even if the ship gets redirected, the wedding could still happen? I'll have to discuss with her and she what she's willing to compromise on. 

 

Assuming everything works out fine with the cruising, has anyone been to or had a ceremony and reception on the beach in Bermuda? Is having a DJ and dance floor and dinner on the beach plausible? Or is ceremony on the beach and dinner and dancing at a restaurant/ resort more likely?

 

What is something that you wish you knew or thought of before your wedding in Bermuda? Advice that no one told you? Things you wish you did differently?

 

Thank you for all your advice!

[fridaythe13th]

I would go on the first week in June as it's the least possible time for a hurricane. (plus it's cheaper)  Getting in touch with a wedding planner in Bermuda would be your best bet so you get first-hand answers.  Good luck and I hope your sister finds what she is looking for!  I think it will be doable.

[GeezerCouple]

39 minutes ago, ericar593 said:

Ugh I know it is SO risky! I think looking into NCL and seeing what they would be able to provide for a backup plan(such as having it aboard the ship) is a good idea. If she doesn't like that idea then maybe she does need to look into an island that has more reliable whether. Cruising from Boston to Bermuda is so affordable that many of our family and friends will be able to come. Maybe it will be best to fly in all the VIP people(parents, grandparents, best man, MOH) so that even if the ship gets redirected, the wedding could still happen? I'll have to discuss with her and she what she's willing to compromise on. 

 

Assuming everything works out fine with the cruising, has anyone been to or had a ceremony and reception on the beach in Bermuda? Is having a DJ and dance floor and dinner on the beach plausible? Or is ceremony on the beach and dinner and dancing at a restaurant/ resort more likely?

 

What is something that you wish you knew or thought of before your wedding in Bermuda? Advice that no one told you? Things you wish you did differently?

 

Thank you for all your advice!

 

Having the key people fly out solves "the wedding itself" problem, but loses the festivities together on the cruise, both directions.

I'd vote for a backup plan on board, with insurance for the big plan on the beach.

 

Also, IF you are really thinking of "setting up a dance floor on the beach", then ONLY do that with a vendor who has proven ability to do that.  Too many chances for failure/over-promising otherwise.

I'd think a restaurant/venue on/near beach would be much safer.

Do check with Fairmont Southampton, as they have two venues right ON their beach.  And they "do" weddings.

Question is whether they'd do it for "non-guests", and then... is it anywhere near the envisioned budget?

 

Other beachfront properties would be worth checking, too.

 

Good luck to all!
 

GC

[GeezerCouple]

4 minutes ago, fridaythe13th said:

I would go on the first week in June as it's the least possible time for a hurricane. (plus it's cheaper)  Getting in touch with a wedding planner in Bermuda would be your best bet so you get first-hand answers.  Good luck and I hope your sister finds what she is looking for!  I think it will be doable.

 

Yes.

But... water will be colder...!

 

GC