The Unfinished Church Est. 2000

Blockade Alley, St.George's, Bermuda

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The Unfinished Church
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A historic venue in St. George's, Bermuda.
The impressive Gothic vestige that looms over the town of St. George‰’s was begun in 1870 as a replacement for St. Peter’s, which had fallen into a state of serious disrepair. Designed by William Hay, the Scottish-born architect who later drew the plans for Hamilton‰’s cathedral, the St. George’s church was abandoned in 1899 when near completion.
The Lowdown
Type
Church / Chapel / Temple
Views
Garden
Style
Bohemian
Classic
Elegant
Garden Party
Romantic
BEST type of CELEBRATIONS
Anniversary / Engagement Party
Baby Shower
Birthday Party
Bridal Shower
Elopement / Vow Renewal
Holiday Party
Wedding Ceremony

Venue Setting

The history of these ruins is integral to the history of St Peter’s. In 1869, a meeting in the old Town presented a rare spectacle - a gathering of parishioners all in agreement to build a brand new church because they felt that St Peter’s was old and in poor repair. The dilapidated parish church was in danger of being knocked down. 
 
Fortunately, the Governor of the day offered the site of the old Government House (which is where the Unfinished Church now stands) to the vestry. This, together with concern that the demolition and rebuilding of St Peter’s might spread disease from the many yellow fever victims buried in the graveyard, caused the vestry to start building on the newly acquired site. St Peter’s was saved from destruction but slipped into further decay.
 
In 1874, construction began on the new church and continued very slowly. Unfortunately, the unity amongst the parishioners did not last. They had become divided along high church (Anglo-Catholic) and Low Church (Protestant) lines, and couldn’t agree on designs for the new altar and pulpit etc. It didn’t help that in 1884 the main church in Hamilton was almost completely destroyed when arsonists torched the building. The Diocese decided to build a big new a cathedral in its place and money which might have gone to the St George’s church went instead to the cathedral project. So construction work proceeded even more slowly. Finally, the new St George’s church was roofed in 1897. 
 
Meanwhile, during all this time, venerable old St Peter’s had continued to serve as the parish church and by now, animosities had faded away. Old and antique was fashionable, and the desire for a new church was no longer there.
 
It was almost as though the fate of what is now known as the Unfinished Church was sealed by an Act of God when a freak tornado took off much of the roof in 1925.  It was a remarkable tornado - nothing else was damaged in St George’s, not even the flowers in the garden adjacent to the Unfinished Church.  Since then, it has been left to the mercy of time and weather and has become a picturesque ruin and a popular place for weddings.
Fees
(Prices listed here are estimates only & are subject to change)
Price Range

Does this include catering fees?

No

Additional Charges

Additional charges can include the following:

Musician / DJ or Band
Flowers
Chairs

Insurance

Additional Insurance Is Not Required To Host An Event Here

Capacity

Seated
200
Buffet
N/A
Standing
500
Celebrations Hosted Here Since
2000
Curfew
11 PM
Venue Spaces
Outdoor Venue Space Only
Catering
Client Can Select The Caterer Of Their Choice
Alcohol
BYO Permitted – You Can Bring Your Own Alcohol
Music
Outdoors Only
Smoking
Non-smoking Venue
Eco/Green Events
Yes
Pet-Friendly Events
Yes
Kid Friendly Events
Yes
Handicap Accessible
Yes
Amenities
  • Ample Parking Onsite
  • Onsite Restrooms
  • Other
Wedding Inspiration
Looks Like We Found the Best Place to Have a Relaxed, Carefree Destination Wedding
Alyssa Brown
byAlyssa Brown
view venue profile

The Unfinished Church

Blockade Alley, St.George's, Bermuda

Created in partnership with our friends at Bermuda Tourism.


If you’re looking for the prettiest island wedding destination that’s rich in culture, filled with interesting architecture and has the best food and beaches, look no further than Bermuda. At 21 miles long and just a mile wide, Bermuda is made up of 181 islands and endless pink-sand beaches. Jose Villa, photographer extraordinaire, recently headed to the destination to capture a mock rehearsal dinner and wedding by design house Dasfete that showcases Bermuda in all its colorful, carefree, wedded glory.

To recreate this vibe, start with lawn games and a bonfire on the beach to welcome all your guests on the day they arrive on the island. Then, host your wedding ceremony inside an aged, open-air unfinished church dating back to 1874. Head out to the courtyard for cocktails and have dinner in the lush gardens.

For more of the story behind the design and the venues for this shoot, read on below for the scoop from Dasfete.


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