Getting Married

Getting Married in Bermuda

Couples who would like to get married in Bermuda must file a "Notice of Intended Marriage" with the Registry General, accompanied by a fee of $243 (£122), plus $42 (£21) for the certificate (in the form of a bank draft or money order, not a personal check). Make out the draft to "The Accountant General," and mail or deliver it in person to the Registry General, Government Administration Building, 30 Parliament St., Hamilton HM 12, Bermuda (tel. 441/297-7706; www.registrygeneral.gov.bm). Bermuda Department of Tourism offices in Atlanta and New York distribute "Notice of Intended Marriage" forms, or you can contact the Bermuda Department of Tourism (tel. 800/BERMUDA) and a form will be mailed to you. If either of the prospective marriage partners has been married before, that person must attach a photocopy of the final divorce decree to the "Notice of Intended Marriage."

Once the Registry General receives the "Notice of Intended Marriage," it will be published, including names and addresses, in any two of the island's newspapers. Assuming that there is no formal objection, the registry will issue the license 15 days after receiving the notice. Airmailing your completed notice to Bermuda takes 6 to 10 days, so plan accordingly. The marriage license will be sent to you and will be valid for 3 months.

Hiring a Wedding Consultant

Many hotels can help make wedding arrangements -- reserving the church and clergy, hiring a horse and buggy, ordering the wedding cake, and securing a photographer. Bermuda weddings range from simple ceremonies on the beach to large-scale extravaganzas at the Botanical Gardens. Other popular sites include churches and yachts.

Wedding consultants can discuss your options with you and arrange all the details. The Wedding Salon, 76 Spanish Point Rd., Suite 10, Pembroke HM 02, Bermuda (tel. 919/217-4395 or 441/292-5677; www.bermudaweddingsalon.com), operates its planning office in North Carolina. After a contractual agreement is made, the office puts customers in contact with their Bermuda consultant. The Bridal Suite, 125 North Shore Rd., Pembroke HM 14, East Bermuda (tel. 888/253-5585 or 441/292-2025; www.bridalsuitebermudaweddings.com), arranges wedding packages that range in cost from $2,000 to $20,000 (£1,000-£10,000).

Some hotels -- including the Elbow Beach Hotel and both of the Fairmont hotels -- will arrange weddings. If you're staying at a small hotel, it's better to go through a wedding consultant to plan your wedding.

Honeymooning in Bermuda

Bermuda attracts more than 23,000 honeymooners and second honeymooners each year, with good reason: It offers an ideal environment for couples, whether they prefer an active schedule or a relaxing one. Many of Bermuda's hotels, from luxurious resorts to intimate cottage colonies, offer honeymoon packages. Typically, these include airfare, accommodations, meal plans, champagne upon arrival, flowers in your room, and discounts at local attractions and restaurants.

Have Your Cake & Eat It, Too -- Custom dictates that Bermudians have two wedding cakes: a plain poundcake covered with gold leaf for the groom, and a tiered fruit cake covered with silver leaf and topped with a miniature cedar tree for the bride. The tiny tree is planted on the day of the wedding to symbolize the hope that the marriage will grow and mature like the tree. The rest of the first tier of the bride's cake is frozen until the christening of the first child.