Just Back: Bimini Bay + Win a Free Wedding for 20 Guests!

I had an absolute blast on a recent visit to Bimini Bay Resort in the Bahamas. The property is at the tip of the tiny island of Bimini, which is only seven miles long and a half-mile wide. I totally loved that the whole island is accessible by golf cart. It was easy to explore, and the people were friendly and welcoming.

Yours truly, hard at work on Spookhill Beach

Bimini Bay itself is made up of one- to three-bedroom suites and villas; most are privately owned and rented out to guests. We stayed in a two-story, three-bedroom treehouse villa, which had all the comforts of home: a full kitchen, washer and dryer, flat-screen TVs and walk-in closets. The property is ideal for intimate or large weddings where family and friends want to stay together and catch up. Because of the close proximity to Miami (about a half-hour flight), the high season is June through August, opposite of most Caribbean islands. Visiting in October, the weather was gorgeous (although a tad warm), and it felt like we had the whole resort to ourselves.

Our treehouse-style villa

Event Spaces: Say I do in the resort’s wedding gazebo while overlooking the gorgeous crystal-blue waters of the Caribbean Sea, or opt for a beach ceremony on the powder-white sand of the main beach area. There are also numerous beach alcoves where smaller and informal ceremonies could be held; these sites can be a bit rocky but provide fabulous photo ops. An indoor/outdoor reception can be held at Sabór, the resort’s Mediterranean-inspired restaurant, and the adjacent pool overlooking the yacht harbor. Other reception options include an outdoor party by the luxurious infinity pool or an indoor affair in the larger Glass Pavilion, with stunning ocean views.

A sunset ceremony in the wedding gazebo

Personal Highlights:
Lobster Pizza at Edith’s: This small oceanfront establishment serves up the best pizza on the island, hands down. We were urged to try the house specialty: lobster pizza. While I wasn’t so sure the two would mix very well, I was game, and the pairing absolutely melted in my mouth!

Snorkeling Shipwrecks: Bimini Bay can arrange snorkeling and diving excursions through Bimini Undersea Adventures. They took us to The Sapona — a shipwreck about four miles off the coast of Bimini. Snorkeling can sometimes be disappointing because of rough waters or low visibility, but this was one of my all-time favorite trips. The crystal-clear, calm waters enabled perfect viewing conditions of the wreck, which was teeming with wildlife, and being able to swim inside the ship itself was way cool. I saw a stingray on the ocean floor, a puffer fish at full size, and tons of different schools of fish swimming in and out of the wreck.

Bimini must-do: Snorkeling The Sapona shipwreck

On our way back to the resort, we were greeted by some friendly bottle-nosed dolphins who wanted to play with our boat. To our delight, they rode in our wake and jumped over the waves, giving us an unexpected performance. Bimini Undersea Adventures also offers a dolphin adventure, where you can get up close and personal with wild Atlantic spotted dolphins. Either of these excursions would be a great group activity for your wedding guests.

Our new friends playing with us!

Interested in having your own wedding at Bimini Bay Resort? You're in luck! We're giving away a free wedding package for up to 20 guests, including a four-hour open bar with beer and wine, a wedding cake from Ana Paz and a sit-down dinner. Contest ends October 31, 2009 so don't wait! Enter now for your chance to win!