Guide
Hosting a wedding or event in Bermuda
From the first decision to the morning after — who does each part, roughly when to book them, and where to find them.
It's a who-does-what, not a rulebook. Marriage licences, permits for public spaces and anything official are Government matters — see gov.bm — and this page doesn't state fees, notice periods or requirements.
First — the people who book out
The good ones are gone months ahead for the popular dates, and Bermuda's season is short. Book these before you decide anything else.
A planner, if you want one
Who: An event or wedding planner.
For anything with more than fifty people, more than one location, or guests flying in, a planner earns their fee by knowing which venues, caterers and boats are actually available and reliable. If you're doing it yourself, the rest of this page is your list.
The photographer
Who: A photographer — and a videographer if you want one.
This is the thing that lasts, and the good ones book out first. Look at full galleries, not highlight reels; ask what they deliver and when. If the day involves the water, ask whether they've shot from a boat.
Anything official
Who: The Registry General for a marriage licence; the relevant Government department for a permit if you're using a beach, park or public space.
Notice periods, documents and fees are theirs to state and they change — go by gov.bm, and start early. Nothing on this site is a substitute for that.
The place
If it's a venue, most of this is theirs. If it's a house or garden — yours or a friend's — this is the work that turns it into somewhere that can host.
Getting the house and garden ready
Who: Landscaper, painter, pressure-washing, and a handyman for the list.
The yard cut and edged, the hedge square, the walls washed, the deck fixed, the outdoor lights working. Book the landscaper for the week before, not the day before, so it has time to look settled. Same rule as selling a house — it's judged from the gate.
Power, lighting and sound
Who: An electrician; and the events company for hire kit.
A garden full of festoon lights, a band, a bar fridge and a coffee machine on one outdoor socket is how the evening goes dark. Have an electrician look at what you're plugging in and where; if a generator's involved, that's an electrician's job to connect safely, not the hire company's.
Marquee, tables, and the rest of the hire
Who: An events company for the marquee, furniture, dance floor, staging.
Bermuda weather can turn; a marquee is insurance as much as décor. Ask how it's anchored — pegs don't hold in a foot of soil over rock — and what happens if the forecast is bad the day before.
Security and parking
Who: A security company for larger events; and a plan for the cars.
Over a certain size — and certainly for anything with a public element — a couple of security staff at the gate keeps it yours. Parking is the thing that annoys the neighbours; sort a field, a shuttle, or a firm word about mopeds before the invitations go out.
The day
The bits people book last and wish they'd booked first.
Hair, makeup and the wedding party
Who: A salon or mobile stylist; spa the day before if that's your thing.
Book once the date is fixed — mobile stylists on a Saturday in June are the scarcest thing on the island. Do a trial. Tell them the time you need to be ready and let them work backwards.
On the water
Who: A boat charter, or a marine business that can put a boat and captain at your disposal.
A boat for the couple, a boat for the guests, or the whole thing on the water — it's what makes a Bermuda event a Bermuda event. Book early, be clear on numbers, and have a weather plan the captain agrees with.
Getting people there and back
Who: Movers or a hire company for the logistics; a car service if you're arranging one.
Chairs to the beach, the cake to the venue, grandmother from the hotel. Someone with a van and a plan. If guests are unfamiliar with the roads, don't assume they'll rent mopeds — arrange something.
The morning after
Book this the same day you book everything else. Nobody thinks about it until they're standing in it.
Clean-up and returns
Who: A cleaner for the house; the events company for their kit; the landscaper for the garden.
A cleaning crew booked for the morning after is the best money on this page. Confirm when the hire company collects and who needs to be there. Then let the garden recover.
Three months out and everyone's booked?
Post what you need — photographer, marquee, cleaner, boat — with the date and parish, and businesses who can do it can come to you. Free, no account needed.