DESTINATIONS — WEDDINGS & HONEYMOONS

Bahamian bridesKatie McGonagle joins a

wedding-themed fam trip

to seek out the Bahamas’

best spots to tie the knot

8 August 2013 — USBWFMXFFLMZ�DP�VL�t���

“Most of our weddings take

place on the island, but

every so often we get a couple

who wants to jump straight in

with the dolphins,” says Kelly

Meister, as we skim across the

waves towards Blue Lagoon

Island, where her family has

owned Dolphin Encounters for

nearly a quarter of a century.

“The dolphins bring the rings

over, and we have a reverend who

just gets into his bathing suit to

officiate. He thinks it’s good fun.”

This sounded like a rather

outlandish way to stage a

wedding. But as we stepped off

the boat onto a tiny tropical island

– the backdrop for Beyoncé’s

latest fashion shoot with H&M

– it was easy to see why couples

would be tempted to swap the

sun-starved British Isles for these

pristine white-sand shores and

sparkling cyan water.

The dolphins are the stars of the

show, though, and can apply their

ring-bearing skills to marriage

proposals as well as ceremonies.

Even without a wedding, we got

a few kisses courtesy of dolphins

Dot and Abaco. It proved to

be one of the highlights of our

weddings-themed educational,

organised by the Bahamas Tourist

Office and specialist operator

Bahamas Flavour, which offers

10% commission on all wedding

packages, plus £50 of shopping

vouchers for all bookings in

2013-14. (All sample prices below

are through Bahamas Flavour).

O�BE ST FOR . . . TH E

WE DDI NG ALBUM

Where: One&Only Ocean Club,

Paradise Island

Location: Paradise Island is

adjacent to New Providence, home

to capital Nassau. It’s connected

by two bridges across Nassau

Harbour, easily reached by car.

Venue vibe: This resort boasts

such Zen-like tranquillity, it feels

more like walking into a yoga

retreat than a 105-room hotel.

Perhaps it’s the size – the estate

hides an 18-hole golf course,

surprisingly spacious rooms and

eight Balinese spa villas in its

expansive grounds – or the high

staff-to-guest ratio, which means

every need is attended to almost

before you’ve thought of it.

Wow factor: The 12th-century

Augustinian cloisters, shipped

piece-by-piece from France, and

Versailles-inspired manicured

gardens ooze glamour and

sophistication – a real masterpiece.

Agent opinion: Joanne Jordan,

Northampton Travel Services:

“This was a very elegant property,

whose attention to detail far

exceeded anything else we

experienced. The setting for its

weddings, in gardens with a 12th-

century cloister, is breathtaking.”

Book it: Wedding packages start

at £3,000 per couple, including

a personal consultant, licence,

minister, bouquet and boutonnière.

A seven-night stay in a Garden

View Room with flights to Nassau

and transfers costs from £2,199.

O�BE ST FOR . . . SAND

BETWE E N YOUR TOE S

Where: Pink Sands Resort,

Harbour Island

Location: For a small place,

Harbour Island attracts big names

– Elle Macpherson, Johnny

FAST FACT The number of

British couples getting married in the

Bahamas rose 20% last

year after a weddings

promotion across 16 islands

V

���t travelweekly.co.uk — 8 August 2013

Depp and Brooke Shields are just

a few to frequent this hot celebrity

hangout – and given the size of

the yachts moored in the marina

during our visit, they weren’t the

only high-profile guests.

It’s as unpretentious as it gets,

though, with pastel-coloured

clapboard houses, welcoming

locals, and golf buggies the only

means of transport. To get there

in the first place, fly to Eleuthera

and catch the ferry, or take a

three-hour ferry from Nassau.

Venue vibe: With 25 chic suites

dotted around a 20-acre resort,

Pink Sands is a simple yet elegant

escape. Decor is subtle and

contemporary, with Ocean View

Rooms boasting private paths

straight down to the beach.

Wow factor: As the name

suggests, this beautiful boutique

property leads on to a three-mile

stretch of rosy-hued sand perfectly

suited to saying ‘I do’. It’s one of

the best beaches in the Bahamas

– and on these islands, that’s

saying something.

Agent opinion: Gabi Birbeck,

Rendezvous Travel Group: “I

thought Pink Sands was perfect

for weddings – so pretty, fabulous

views, with no hustle and bustle

in the background. The couple

could tie the knot and be virtually

guaranteed not to have other

holidaymakers in the photos.”

Book it: Wedding packages are

tailor-made, but a ceremony starts

at $5,000 for on-site consultant,

document help, licence, officiant,

cake, flowers and champagne.

Reception venue hire costs $1,500-

$2,500 plus food and drink.

O�BE ST FOR . . . A QUI ET

H I DEAWAY

Where: Kamalame Cay, Andros

Location: Andros is a natural

wonder: despite being the

largest island in the Bahamas,

the mangrove-lined estuaries

cutting through mean it is only

sparsely populated. Marine life is

plentiful, though, with the world’s

third-largest reef just offshore,

plus blue holes and a mile-deep

abyss, the Tongue of the Ocean,

teeming with different species – a

haven for diving and snorkelling.

Venue vibe: Kamalame Cay

is a private island featuring a

family-run property of just 12

lodges. The central Great House

brings guests together to enjoy

innovative Bahamian cooking and

some of the best rum cocktails in

the Caribbean. Access is easy: a

15-minute flight from Nassau to

Andros Town, followed by a short

ferry ride or seaplane transfer.

Wow factor: This little gem hides

a charming overwater spa – a

wooden structure jutting across

sea so shallow, it takes on the

TOP TIP

Couples must be on the island for 24

hours before applying

for a marriage licence,

which costs $120. bahamas.co.uk

Wedding march:

Pink Sands’ beach

is picture-perfect

Isle do: private island

Kamalame Cay

Pomp and

circumstance:

One&Only’s

Versailles

Gardens

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8 August 2013 — USBWFMXFFLMZ�DP�VL�t���

DESTINATIONS — WEDDINGS & HONEYMOONS

ASK AN EXPERT

golden colour of the sand below.

Agent opinion: Julie Wells,

Travelux: “My favourite place for a

honeymoon has to be the barefoot

luxury of Kamalame Cay. It is

completely off the beaten track,

so staying in one of the private

and spacious beachfront cottages

would be bliss: even the bathtubs

have a view of the beach.”

Book it: Weddings cost from

£9,500 per couple including a

10-night stay with flights to

Nassau and connections to

Andros, all meals, drinks and

in-room bar, accommodation

in a beach suite, plus a beach

ceremony with gazebo, flowers,

minister and licence. Honeymoon-

only starts at £2,850 per person.

O�BE ST FOR . . . VALUE

FOR MONEY

Where: Sandals Emerald Bay,

Great Exuma

Location: Exuma encompasses

more than 360 cays, breathtaking

viewed from the air on the short

connecting flight from Nassau.

This long line of islands stretches

130 miles, and includes several

celebrity-owned private isles.

Venue vibe: Compared to its sister

property, Sandals Royal Bahamian

in Nassau, this is quieter and more

spread-out. A comprehensive

all-inclusive offering features

premium-brand spirits, varied

dining options and access to

its 18-hole golf course. Group

discounts are available for larger

wedding parties, and the Beautiful

Beginnings wedding package is

free for stays of at least six nights.

Wow factor: Impossibly bright

turquoise waters lap gently at

the shore, making it the ultimate

beach setting.

Agent opinion: Julie Wells:

“Sandals Emerald Bay

would be ideal for

honeymoon clients who

want an all-inclusive

hotel. It was

originally owned

by Four Seasons

and the rooms are

a generous size.

From here,

couples can

take a day

trip around

the beautiful

Exuma cays

to see

some of

the Bahamas’ best beaches and

sea life.” 

Book it: A Beautiful Beginnings

wedding with seven nights’

all-inclusive accommodation in

a honeymoon luxury suite with

concierge service starts at £3,999

per couple, with flights to Nassau

and connections to Great Exuma,

airport transfers, marriage officer,

licence and a wedding gift. 

 

O�BE ST FOR . . . COLONIAL

E LEGANC E

Where: Graycliff Hotel, Nassau

Location: In the heart of the

historic capital, easily

accessed via direct British

Airways flights from

Heathrow.

Venue vibe: This

iconic hotel has

played a central

role in centuries of

Bahamian history.

It was built in

1740 by a

pirate ship

captain,

becoming a

garrison for

the American

Navy in the

War of Independence, an officers’

mess during the American civil

war, a supplier of bootleg booze to

Al Capone during prohibition, and

a host to high-profile guests such

as Winston Churchill.

Wow factor: The Graycliff has

plenty of special touches – not least

its cigar factory, chocolate workshop

and top-notch dining – but chief

among them is its renowned

wine cellar. It’s one of the largest

collections in the world, with more

than 250,000 bottles, one dating

from 1727. For an extra-special

wedding meal, guests can dine in

the atmospheric private cellar room.

Agent opinion: Joanne Jordan:

“The position of this 18th-century

mansion gives no indication of

what lies behind its doors. It’s

a property unlike any other,

offering elegant surroundings and

a beautiful setting for weddings

around the gardens and pool.” 

Book it: A consultant designs each

wedding individually, but a Ruby

Package starts at £950 including

documents, minister, flowers,

and bottle of champagne, but

excluding accommodation and

flights. Weddings are not held over

Christmas, New Year or Easter. TW

Kim Valente,

Bahamas Flavour

“Couples choose

the islands because

of their simplicity, the ease of

getting married, breathtaking

beaches, and inexpensive

wedding packages. Many of the

larger hotels – Sandals Royal

Bahamian, Sandals Emerald

Bay and Breezes Bahamas, for

example – offer complimentary

wedding packages for stays

of seven nights or longer. For

larger wedding groups, we offer

discounted rates: every 10th

person stays free (room-only) on

stays of seven nights or longer,

while for couples with 20-plus

guests, the bride and groom

receive a complimentary stay.”

bahamasflavour.co.uk

0870 066 9975

The life

aquatic:

dolphin

weddings

on Blue

Lagoon

Island

No hitches:

free weddings

at Sandals

Emerald Bay

A wine romance: private dining in Graycliff Hotel’s

wine cellar