By Rachel Sawden
In between the rehearsal dinner and ceremony, there is so much for your guests to do in Bermuda. From exploring the stunning shoreline to visiting landmarks and other attractions, the island is sure to keep your guests busy while wowing them with natural beauty.
Bermuda is a golfer’s paradise. Six world-class courses have been sculpted into the island’s 21 square mile landmass, attracting elite golfers, movie stars, and even royalty. Tee off before you tie the knot at the breathtaking Newstead Belmont Hills golf course. Stretching 6,100 yards and set against panoramic views of Hamilton Harbor and the Great Sound, the course’s unique layout offers a challenge for players of all handicaps. Bachelor groups looking to improve their game can take a group golf lesson with one of the course’s experienced professionals. This is a popular activity, so be sure to book well in advance. After working up an appetite on the links, kick back and enjoy a meal and ice cold rum swizzle at Divots Bar & Grill, located right at the course.
The island’s pink sand beaches beg to be explored. Perhaps Bermuda’s most unique stretch of shoreline, Sea Glass Beach near the Royal Naval Dockyard is covered with sea glass dating back to the 1800s. Or spend a day on the water and get up close and personal with some of Bermuda’s world-famous shipwrecks. Blue Water Divers is the island’s oldest full-service dive center, and they can cater to groups of various certifications and abilities. PADI courses are available if any of your guests are looking to begin or continue their diving education.
Throw one last fling before you exchange rings at Dog House, an ideal venue for bachelor and bachelorette parties. New on the Front Street scene, Dog House is Bermuda’s best beer house and entertainment venue, boasting the coldest beer on tap. Party like a rock star with bottle service and a roped off VIP area designated for you and your friends. Dedicated servers will attend to your guests, ensuring everyone’s glasses stay topped off as they dance to the DJ’s best top 40 tunes. For a more low-key event, catch a game on Dog House’s big screen while dining on delicious bar snacks and sampling the array of 24 available beers. Larger parties can opt to enjoy 100-ounce towers of beer and mixed drinks. If you’d prefer to have your own private venue, Café Cairo, an Egyptian-themed bar and dance club directly above Dog House, can be rented out.
Encourage your guests to tap into their inner creativity with a visit to Dockyard Glassworks at the Royal Naval Dockyard. Venetian-trained skilled Maestro Stephen Zawistowski leads the team here, making hot sculptured art pieces and classic blown practical glass right inside the store. Visitors can create their own pieces with the careful guidance of the store’s helpful staff. Whether you arrive knowing what you’d like to create or you need some suggestions, Dockyard Glassworks staff will patiently walk you through the process.
Even if you opt not to make your own masterpiece, you and your guests will surely get a kick out of the store’s ongoing glass blowing demonstrations, and you can all select from among adorable little glass frogs, Bermuda’s longtail birds, fish, and tiny sea creatures as a special keepsake and reminder of your island wedding. Glass plates, bowls, vases, and intricate sculptures reflect Bermuda’s unique beauty and will surely serve as conversation starters, giving you the opportunity to share and remember your special time on island.
At Dockyard Glassworks you’ll also find traditional Bermuda rum cakes, which make excellent thank you gifts for your wedding party. From Rum Swizzle to Coconut Rum to Banana Rum to Black Rum Fruit Cake, there are many flavors to choose from, and you and your friends and family can enjoy free samples during your time at Dockyard Glassworks.
When it comes to your welcome drinks party, rehearsal dinner, and your reception, you can bring each of these events to life with Island Soul Bermuda. From sound to dynamic lighting to smoke machines to live music, ISB is a one-stop production shop. Their live band can play jazz, Motown funk, soul, top 40 hits, and much more, for an unforgettable musical experience. ISB can even organize a live band and DJ to play side by side.
With so many options to entertain your guests, Bermuda is more than just a beautiful wedding backdrop—it’s a place where you and your closest family and friends can make memories of a lifetime together.
