Ms. Begg and her three siblings “were pretty much brought up by a series of nannies,” prompting young Nikki to amuse herself with an imagined “fictitious world with very few parameters; a world where anything and everything was possible and the only boundaries were that of my imagination.” A less taxing mental feat would be imagining how that little girl, refusing all limits, grew up to be one of Bermuda’s most acclaimed wedding planners.

“One of the best parts is this belief that anything is possible,” Ms. Begg tells us. “It’s just about ‘how can I make this happen?’” Don’t just take her word for it—11 years since the inception of Ms. Begg’s two companies, Bermuda Bride and Petals, she has worked with nearly 1,000 weddings and now receives more than 500 annual inquiries.

The formation of Ms. Begg’s wedding planning company came as a result of her own rocky nuptial arrangements. “I had arranged my own wedding in England and the planning part was disastrous,” she says. “I had no idea where to find anything I wanted, the options were endless, but it’s a huge leap of faith to trust an advert – they were all selling the same thing. I was beyond stressed.”

Through the stress—and a driver losing his way en route to the church—the wedding came together smoothly. And then, at the end of 1999, Ms. Begg did it all again, this time for a friend of a friend.

“I had no idea what I was doing, but once I began, I developed an unshakeable belief that I could do destination weddings better than it was presently being done,” Ms. Begg says. “Weddings created a la carte, rather than as a package.”

She was soon off to the races with a certification, a Bermuda Bride website, business cards, and 67 weddings planned in the first year. “And not a lot of sleep,” she hastens to add.

The formation of Petals followed naturally. Flowers continually threw the largest monkey wrench into Ms. Begg’s all-encompassing wedding vision—she wanted to be as meticulous with the presentation and quality and provenance of her weddings’ flora as she was with every other detail. “The idea for Petals began the day the wedding flowers were delivered and, on the boutonniere, instead of real foliage, was a silk leaf,” Ms. Begg says. “I found the person I felt was the best floral designer on the island, Marguerite Clark, and we’ve been creating beautiful designs ever since.”

From that point forward, Bermuda Bride and Petals set a certain bar for weddings on the island. Ms. Begg was told numerous times—and overheard a handful more times—that she was the “bridezilla” version of wedding planners.

“I disagree,” Ms. Begg contends. “If it was your wedding, wouldn’t you want someone there to ensure that the day was exactly what you thought it would be; in fact, that it exceeded your expectations? I am hired to represent my client. I want to get it right. I am not too good at ‘no’ without reason. Instead, I respond with, ‘Well, show me how can we make it work.’” This enduring sense of possibility and the refusal to accept roadblocks lead to a lot of “uphill battles” for Ms. Begg across the years. The upside? She’s struggled against nearly every challenge a Bermuda wedding has to offer. She is, in the truest sense, a veteran of her craft.

“I have worked with many, many of the service providers and most, if not all, of the locations,” she says. “I recognize the strong points in each. I have learned to truly listen to and get to the bottom of what my client is looking for and then work to find the best complement.”

Petals and Bermuda Bride strive to integrate signature local essences into the alluring destination weddings. “One of the reasons that people come here is for that island flavor,” Ms. Begg says. “Our absolute priority is understanding the couple’s concept; how they imagined their wedding day would unfold.”

One of Ms. Begg’s favorite suggestions is to welcome wedding parties with a trip onto the water. “Whether it’s a luxury motor yacht or a sexy sailboat, there is no other way to see the island than by water,” she says. “It’s almost a surreal experience for guests to have left the madness of their home city and the stress of travel behind and end the day barefoot on a deck, drinking a rum swizzle the same color as the fat, fat sun as it melts into the horizon.”

It also helps that Ms. Begg seems to genuinely love the island. “It’s a hard place to leave!” she admits.

Ms. Begg and her employees are always on site for weddings and constantly available for clients, but they shy away from the spotlight some planners seem to love. “I prefer that we are there and work behind the scenes, always one step ahead,” she says. The Bermuda Bride and Petals feedback is, unsurprisingly, glowing. One intensely demanding bride piled on seemingly impossible request after seriously seemingly impossible request.

And lo and behold, “At the end of the wedding she offered me a job,” Ms. Begg says. “She had several homes and needed someone to organize her life. While highly flattered, I respectfully declined.” Ms. Begg did, however, end up working with several of the clients’ friends’ weddings.

Now, 11 years strong into the story of Petals and Bermuda Bride, Ms. Begg relies increasingly on her ace team. “I hire the best people I can afford and let them do their job,” she says. “Just because I have been a wedding planner for a decade and think I know my stuff doesn’t mean that another team member can’t offer a different perspective or solution. I thrive on new ideas and challenges.” As part of moving forward rather than treading water, Ms. Begg enlisted her son, Alex Masters, for a beautifully redesigned website for Petals. And now she’s mulling experiencing some of the adventure she creates for her clients.

“I am going to set everything up so that I can work remotely three months of the year,” she says. “To continue to run Bermuda Bride and Petals with passion, I need to feed my soul. I want to continue to be inspired by the smallest thing, to be exposed to different ways of life, tweak it and apply that to what I do. But most importantly, after spending years of helping couples create their own memories, I want to start creating memories of my own.” Husbands-and-wives-to-be can rest assured that Nikki Begg’s plan will not involve a dip in her companies’ services. Ms. Begg’s favorite maxim pushes her daily: “Loyalty is the lack of something better.” She staunchly refuses to get fussed about what her competitors are up to, contending that if Bermuda Bride and Petals “stay focused on our product, we recognize what the client is looking for, constantly look for ways to improve and expand our services, be the best in our field, work within the budget and then ship it,” then prospective clients will be hardpressed to find that “something better.”

Photo by Sacha Blackburne at Lido Complex

As many of these women have noted, the custom wedding – as opposed to the ‘package’ approach – is rapidly becoming the norm.

Nikki Begg, professional bridal consultant and owner of Bermuda bride founded her business nine years ago. She sought to provide what was at the time, a nearly impossible service: a wedding representing what the bride wanted and nothing she didn’t. The only full-time, Bermuda-based wedding planning company on the island, Bermuda Bride specializes in destination weddings, which allows them to “focus exclusively on the bride and her wedding day” and are always available when you need them.
Not only does Bermuda Bride have excellent relationships with Bermuda vendors of all sorts, it is also preferred by many of the island’s hotels and resorts. Furthermore, the business branched out in 2001 opening a floral company called Petals, as well as a design and rental company, Elements. Through collaboration and complementary services, these companies streamline the planning process. Nikki adds that, while Bermuda Bride specializes mainly in high-end weddings, she and her team are equally enthusiastic to accommodate any budget. “Often the most creative weddings are where we have to come up with viable and exciting solutions,” she explains, citing tight cruise ship schedules as one challenging example.
Speaking of schedules, Nikki urges brides not to let the planning schedule overwhelm them. Her advice is to “decide on your priorities and make those decisions first – they will provide the framework for all the other decision you need to make.” She also councils brides to leave 10% worth of “wiggle-room” in the budget, as things tend to be more expensive, as well as take a bit longer, than expected. Like Kay-Annie Reid Young, Nikki Begg also recommends care in choosing the guest list, pointing out that greater volume translates to greater cost.
When asked about trends Nikki suggests simple elegance, elaborating that, as part of this “overall sense of elegance,” upcoming weddings will also showcase “varying hues of monochromatic colors as the main color way and texture upon texture as the theme.” Nikki, however, also draws her own inspirations from her surroundings, referring to the “deep tangerine sunsets, ocean blues, rich bronzes, and woody greens” which the landscape of Bermuda provides as perfect, vibrant accents to the wedding palate of whites and ivories. “And,” she adds, “the beach theme always, always works.”
In 2010, Bermuda Bride will be reworking its already elegant website,  www.bermudabride.com. The new site will provide even more information, including a library of 2009 bouquets, a blog, and a special interactive section for current brides, as well as a forum where past brides can post advice. With so many new things on the horizon, Nikki Begg and her team are more excited than ever to be making great strides in their industry. “There is a tremendous sense of satisfaction in seeing everything come together,” she explains. “Whether we’ve been working on a wedding for 18 months or 18 days, understanding what the couple want, truly want, and then being able to help them achieve that is incredibly important to us.” With over nine years and 800 weddings worth of experience, Bermuda Bride embodies everything necessary “for a wedding day as individual as you.”
Yolanda Furbert loves to organize events. “I’ve been doing this since I was 14,” she  says, laughing. “I wasn’t concerned with getting paid at first,” she recalls, “I did it just to do it.”
It is this very passion, which makes her business, To Have And To Hold Wedding and Event Planners, such a success. Yolanda, a certified planner, prides herself on her ability to make her clients feel “as though they are guests at their own event,”
adding that she also likes to “treat every event as if it’s my first,” with the same level of excitement and attention to detail. Specializing in both local and destination weddings, as well as other events, To Have And To Hold offers a professional versatility any bride would value. With an emphasis on client satisfaction, attention to detail, and an eye for the newest trends – lots of purple shades and orchids being a few Yolanda has noticed – To Have And To Hold’s meticulously planned events are sure to exceed expectations. Furthermore, Yolanda’s many connections within the Bermuda community have developed into various partnerships which allow her to offer inclusive wedding packages that provide the DJ, venue, catering, and more.
Yolanda, however, recommends that brides build their own custom weddings from the ground up, explaining that many brides will often choose a set package, only to find things they’d like to change, which complicates planning as well as adding on extra charges. She prefers to begin by sitting down and listening to exactly what each bride wants. The initial session is a free ninety-minute consultation in which Yolanda can speak with the bride about all the options available. In this way, she explains, she can be sure that each wedding is perfectly tailored to the bride’s vision. The business’ website, www.tohaveandtoholdbermuda.com, offers more information, including toll free numbers, and could be your first step toward your very own custom wedding by To Have And To Hold.
Donna Lindo, founder of Class Act Designs, is yet another woman who is dedicated to success. Her business is a multi-faceted, special event coordination company with abundant connections throughout Bermuda. Offering an array of services for all varieties of events, Class Act Designs has the ability to tailor any experience to the desires of the client. Indeed, Donna explains, this broad spectrum of services is one of the greatest strengths of her business. “Whatever you ask for,” she says, in a tone of unassailable confidence, “we can do it.” To this end, all prospective clients will have an initial consultation in which all of their needs and ideas will be discussed, ensuring that the event is customized exactly to their specifications.

Donna’s main advice to brides is simple: start early. In some cases, venues or endors can be booked up to a year, or even longer, in advance. The best way to ensure that a bride has everything she desires on her wedding day is to begin planning with plenty of time. The Class Act Designs website, www.classactdesignsbermuda.com, is an excellent and easy-to-use tool for brides who are just beginning. The site includes a list of services, a photo gallery featuring an array of events, and a testimonial page with a long list of glowing praises.

Some brides approach their wedding day with worries that something may go wrong, and that it will not be the perfect day they have hoped for. This fear, when it comes to working with Class Act Designs, is completely unfounded. This business specializes in, as the tagline promises, “providing the client with an experience that exceeds their expectations,” so brides can rest easy knowing that their special day will be just that, and more. With over twenty years of experience, Donna Lindo is a force to be reckoned with. Wedding mishaps, beware: you’ve met your match.

Speaking of forces to be reckoned with, Kay-Annie Reid Young of Kreative Koncepts also means business. As a certified professional holding customer satisfaction as her highest priority, Kay-Annie’s creativity and ‘outside-the-box’ mentality make her a cutting-edge figure in the world of Bermuda weddings. Her passion for her work leads her to find new ways to add to her already extensive knowledge of the field of wedding and event planning. Her experience prompts her to give brides the advice of staying calm. “Even though it may seem difficult at times, the wedding planner has a wealth of information that allows for couples to not make mistakes.” She adds that brides should always inform their planner of any guests that may be, as she puts it, ‘high risk,’ thereby providing the necessary tools for avoiding any conflicts that may arise throughout the day.

Looking toward the future, Kay-Annie notices several trends, many reflecting the more customized, less traditional approach to which other coordinators have called attention. Many brides are now using the internet instead of printed stationary for invitations, and are planning for more relaxed receptions as opposed to the formal, seated style. Also, many weddings are second, third, or even fourth weddings, challenging what used to be the accepted idea of bride and groom. Most intriguing, Kay-Annie notes, is that many brides are altering the tradition of being ‘given away,’ preferring terminology that more appropriately reflects the strong, independent womanhood of brides today. Another consideration Kay-Annie takes into account is that, in light of today’s economic environment, brides will want to make the most of their budget. Her advice is to focus on making the wedding as memorable and meaningful as possible by inviting those who are dearest to bride and groom, such as family and close friends. “Its O.K. to not have a large wedding just for the sake of having a large wedding,” she adds, understanding that brides have “other dreams and goals” toward which savings can be put.

All advice and savvy planning aside, however, it is clear that Kay-Annie has a supreme commitment to the happiness of her clients. “My favorite part about this industry is the look I get when I see one of my couples, completely relaxed after all the planning, just fully enjoying their wedding without a care in the world. This speaks volumes to me as a planner because it means they have completely put their trust in me and my ability to ensure this moment happens, and this is what motivates me to become a part of their journey.” For more information on how to make Kay-Annie a part of your wedding journey, visit www.kreativekoncepts.biz.

Phyllis Soares of AWESOME! Events also supports the custom approach to wedding planning. She’s noticed that, more often than not, the modern bride has a precise idea of how everything should be laid out on the big day. She adds that “it should be about what the bride wants,” and is committed to achieving everything that might entail, and more – something she is quite capable of, having spent the last year and a half as the chief wedding coordinator at the Nine Beaches Resort in Bermuda.
Phyllis is full of handy tips for brides, cautioning them, among other things, not to forget the small details – such as transportation to and from the airport for guests – that often go unnoticed until the last minute. She also recommends a site visit before the wedding, in order to meet face to face with both coordinator and vendors, and to get an idea of the venue. This recommendation, in particular, is easy to take, as the only thing better than one trip to Bermuda is, of course, two trips to Bermuda. Phyllis adds that she has noticed a trend toward simple elegant style in recent weddings, but that she has also organized a few very unique or unusual weddings – further indication that the wedding as an event is becoming more diversified.
The AWESOME! Events website, www.awesomeeventsbermuda.com, is an excellent information source, providing detailed descriptions of what the bride can expect. Here, the more traditional bride can select a wedding package and go from there, or, for those feeling adventurous, inquire into customizing any existing plan by making a quick phone call. For an exceptionally unique wedding, choose Poseidon’s Adventure, which offers a ceremony at sea. The three-hour cruise aboard a gorgeous, state-of-the-art yacht offers a selection of entree choices, a digital photographer, and full service bar, along with everything else necessary for a perfect wedding on the water. During 2010, AWESOME! Events will be offering monthly specials, as well as a drawing to win a free wedding. Register on the website to receive an e-news letter. Also, keep an eye out for Phyllis’ new web project, a site called www.justcruisin.com, which will be exclusively geared toward cruise ship weddings. After seeing just how well-rounded Phyllis’ experience is, you’ll want to pick up the phone, call AWESOME! Events, and let Phyllis, as she puts it, “maximize your wedding dollar.”
With so many capable coordinators to choose from, it may be difficult to decide which one best suites your wedding needs. What won’t be difficult is choosing Bermuda as the destination for your wedding. With its renowned pink coral beaches and gorgeous sunsets, the island provides the perfect backdrop for the passion and romance of every wedding.

The first inquiries from wedding couples are typically about the travel arrangements.

Concern about coordinating travel for family and guests along with offering a variety options to meet all budgets seems a challenge.

Bermuda Travel offers expert advice and assistance to determine the travel arrangements that coordinate perfectly with individual requirements, budget, wedding ceremony and reception.

Exclusive discounts are negotiated exclusively for the wedding couple and guests that may include flights, airport transportation and hotel accommodations.

Individual requests from each traveler are personally serviced by Linda Mitchell, Destination Wedding Travel Specialist at Bermuda Travel.

Guests benefit from the exclusivity of your very own personal travel specialist with focus on your guests specific travel needs. As well, Linda Mitchell’s expertise as a Bermuda specialist with an intimate knowledge of the island, is shared with every client. Personal recommendations on restaurants, activities and travel requirements are offered.

Special memories of a destination wedding include spending the time before and after the wedding with family and friends. A magnificent experience will result through specialized destination wedding travel organization while leaving the wedding couple and families free to focus on the wedding arrangements.

Guest’s arrivals, accommodations and other important travel details are coordinated with the wedding event. The wedding couple is kept informed of guests travel arrangements.

FAQ

Q. With a group rate and block of rooms what if some guests want to stay elsewhere?
A. When your guests contact Bermuda Travel they are offered information on the host hotel as well as options on other properties to satisfy budgets, special interests or even a favorite hotel they have stayed at before.

Q. How do the guests know how to make contact with Bermuda Travel?
A. When all of the details are worked out with the wedding couple regarding the travel arrangements that will be offered, the wedding couple then informs their guests, usually with a Save the Date announcement to contact Bermuda Travel specifically for group room rates, discounted airfare and other requests.

Q. What if guests want to use Frequent Flyer miles?
A. Not a problem, they can still benefit from the services of Bermuda Travel to book their hotel and airport transportation arrangements.

Q. How far in advance should we send Save the Date announcements?
A. Once the travel arrangements have been set up Save the Date announcements can be sent, but it is recommended that it be no more than 10 months in advance.

Q. We are concerned that our family and friends will not come to Bermuda for our wedding.
A. With the increase in popularity of destination weddings there is an excitement that surrounds an invitation to one. Guests look at the experience with enthusiasm. By working with Bermuda Travel even the guests with budget limitations are offered options that can work for them. As well since Bermuda is within a short plane ride from the eastern seaboard gateways, the length of stay can be as short or as long as they wish.

Q. Why is Bermuda such a great destination wedding location?
A. Bermuda offers many varieties of accommodations so there is something to suit every wedding couple, from small intimate guest houses to large resort hotels. The spectacular setting of a beach, park overlooking the ocean, private hotel gardens or under a moongate overlooking the harbor are but a few choices of memorable spots to tie the knot!

Q. What if we want to elope?
A. At Bermuda Travel every wedding receives specialized attention and great service as well as the benefit of the expertise of having arranged destination wedding travel for weddings of all sizes. Your wedding will be as special as you and Bermuda Travel will work with you to insure you have exactly the arrangements you desire for your special day!

Q. How do we make the arrangements for the actual wedding once plans have started with Bermuda Travel and are you a wedding planner?
A. Bermuda Travel handles the travel arrangements specifically. You will be directed towards wedding planners working either directly at the hotel that is chosen or that work independently to assist you with all of your arrangements.

Bermuda Travel will share the personal experience of destination wedding travel of wedding couples who have enjoyed the magnificence of a dream wedding on the charming island of Bermuda. Family and friends will arrive happy and ready to share in your beautiful memories of your special day.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Linda C. Mitchell
BERMUDA TRAVEL
INFO@BERMUDATRAVEL.BM
WWW.BERMUDATRAVEL.BM

Every woman can remember the first wedding she attended as a guest during her childhood. Filled with excitement and awe, I remember seeing the beautiful bride and the flowers that she carried, as she seemed to float up the cathedral aisle past me in the wooden pew.

I was thrilled to study every detail of the reception, and examined the monogrammed napkins during the cocktail hour, and the matchbook covers near every place setting. Wedding couples strive to make their wedding personal and meaningful for their guests. And today, brides are searching for unique ways to express gratitude to their guests for coming to the wedding celebration. Stylish remembrances have evolved from napkins and matchbooks to elaborate gifts with distinctive messages.

The Internet will provide any bride with countless ideas for wedding favors or designer paper products for the special day. Most wedding planners will encourage the bride to begin to think about these special extras early in the planning stages. Once the wedding theme, monogram or motif is determined, the bride and groom will begin to decide how to thank their guests for attending that day.

Ideas abound with categories of edible and non-edible gifts often highlighted. Living favors have become popular in recent years, with plants or flowers in individual vases forming centerpieces at reception tables, used as gifts for each couple at the table as they leave for the evening. Custom imprinting with captivating phrases such as: Love is brewing attached to tea bags, mint to be on monogrammed tins, or Love is blooming on seed packets are other choices.

Many companies offer custom chocolates or chocolate bar wrappers, as well as imprinted favor boxes or bags for candy treats. Some brides offer a candy table with an assortment of sweet items and empty boxes to fill with guests’ own selections.

Monique Bridgewater, Professional Bridal Consultant for Sweet Dreams says, “For 2008, monogramming on invitations is big.” She offers menu cards, wedding celebration programs, dining accessories, such as place cards and even thank you notes. “With today’s demands growing, having everything accomplished at one stop makes for a nice experience,” says Monique.

Bridgewater provides for weddings “Just Married” car decorations, with the bridal couple’s vehicle decorated in custom white ribbons, while the bridal party vehicles are decorated in the colors of the wedding. Sweet Dreams will help with Bermuda welcome bags for special guests traveling to the ceremony. By using a canvas bag filled with rum cake, gingerbread, sand or Bermudian remembrances, Bridgewater creates a special thank you.

Kay-Annie Reid-Young, weddings and event planner for Kreative Koncepts is “in the business of catering to the bride’s every need.” She works with every bride to find something for the guests to admire while they are celebrating with the couple at the reception. “The trends now in wedding favors are definitely non-edible items,” says Reid-Young. Plant seeds, items made from organic materials or something made from recycled paper can be designed for the environmentally friendly couple.

Kreative Koncepts will also help the destination bride choose something representative of the island for her guests. “For the most part, the most popular wedding favor is still a beach themed item, like an Adirondack chair, silver starfish place card holder, personalized messages in bottles filled with sand, or even flip flop photo frames,” says Reid-Young.

Personalized chocolates are a specialty offered at Surprise, owned by Corrine Parris. Along with these decadent sweets, cake boxes and napkins are made to coordinate with the wedding theme. Other choices could be tiny Satin bags or sachets that could be filled with sand or shells for the beach themed event.

Some favors will be personalized with special messages from the couple, and The Paper Pomegranate can help with favor tags or other monogrammed paper or designer stationery. Meghan Correia, Art Director and Designer for the company says, “Our designs can be ethnic based for couples wishing to respect their diverse backgrounds. We have designed Asian, Persian and Egyptian products for their special days.” Correia’s website www.thepaperpomegranate.com showcases thirteen designs that can be selected for invitations or other printed items used for the day.

Another unique way bridal couples have expressed gratitude to their guests is by donating to their favorite charity in the names of those attending the wedding celebration. Each guest would receive a card, saying thank you for their participation, with a notation about the gratitude donation. Anthony’s of Hamilton Bermuda offers these cards and numerous other items, including menu cards in the shape of beach chairs. Many beach themed items for the reception, such as, seashell place cards and tinted craft sand for table arrangements are featured on their web page: www.anthonysofbda.com. Of course, their specialty is tuxedos for the bridal party.

Adenike Simmons of All in the Details says, “Brides like to incorporate colors of their maids’ dresses into the many products we supply for wedding planning.” Her studio provides all the necessary printed items for the wedding celebration, as well as many extras. “I supply design, printing, and assembly for everything from save the date cards to table numbers, seating and menu cards,” says Adenike. Every bride has a unique outcome with All in the Details, as the paper line of products offers special elements for each bride and groom. With over 1000 fonts, Simmons says, “We can match almost any color ink and offer decorative cardstocks, translucent papers and tissues.”

Joanne Veney, managing director of Destination Bermuda Limited promises, “We have a team of experts who work to fulfill the wedding wishes of our brides and grooms.” Their business will arrange everything from favors and invitations to entertainment and even the minister for the ceremony. Some of her most popular items include specialized gift baskets which include Bermuda rum, chocolate, fruit and cheese. Other brides use the beach theme and provide sun block and towels for their out of town guests.

Other ideas for special wedding extras include: a monogrammed guest book or photo matted frame for guest signatures, personalized CD’s with the bride and groom’s favorite song, a pocket size book titled The Art of Kissing, confetti for each guest, monogram cookies, or even custom M&M’s. At the Stationery Store, Bill McKenna can help the bride select personalized paper goods to help her create a style for the moment of her lifetime. While Tanya Gordon of Artcetera offers an outstanding selection of Calligraphy pens for thank you notes from the bride and groom.

With so many ways to make the wedding celebration personal, the bride and groom must begin this process of selection early. Take some time to reflect on the style of your wedding, and decide how to communicate that message to your guests. Center on the theme and use the colors of the bridesmaids’ dresses in your line of printed items, favors, flowers, and room decorations. With help from the creative vendors listed, the wedding becomes a celebration for all those who attend.

~ AMY MILLS