Outer Banks Wedding

The USA Today travel section recently highlighted the Outer Banks in an article titled, “How to Get Married at Corolla Beach in North Carolina.”

The article does a great job giving an overview of the Corolla area and reducing the “to do” list to five steps.

You can find the article here, but here’s a quick recap with some added commentary:

Overview:  Corolla offers a beautiful backdrop for your wedding.

Step 1: Find a location.  The OBX has a wide variety of locations to choose from, and the beaches are public and accessible to anyone.  Seaside Vacations has an array of gorgeous vacation homes to host a wedding, rehearsal dinner, or guests coming to the wedding.

Step 2: Secure an officiant.  There are a number of officiants in all denominations on the OBX, but book early; they are very busy during the wedding season.

Step 3: Arrange for food.  There are an endless supply of amazing restaurants and caterers on the Outer Banks.  Enjoy this process…eat as much as possible!

Step 4: Book musicians and photographers.  A couple of our favorite photographers are Brooke Mayo and Matt Lusk.

Step 5: Get a marriage license.

I’m going to go off-script here and include a 6^th step not mentioned in the article.

Step 6: Go to the Outer Banks Wedding Expo in January.  It is a good reason to make a trip to the OBX for “planning” and a great opportunity to see all of the local vendors in one location…and there are great prize giveaways.

Have fun planning!

Outer Banks Wedding

Top 10 Reasons to Have a Destination Wedding on the Outer Banks of North Carolina

The 12th annual Outer Banks Wedding Association Expo will be held January 9th and 10th and will feature more than 150 vendors with individual booths.  2010 ticket sales have already far exceeded 2009 and there are still a few days of sales left.

Check-in begins on Friday at the Outer Banks Visitor Bureau Welcome Centers , where participants will receive packets including maps and info for Saturday’s Wedding Tour.  Saturday offers the oppotunity of a self-guided tour of wedding related businesses, and Saturday night includes festivities  at the Pointe Golf Club with music, drink, etc.  While you are sleeping in on Sunday morning the final touches will be put on the booths and displays for the annual Wedding Expo.

While at the Expo, see the fabulous fashion show and register for the ‘Wedding of your Dreams’ drawing to be given away that very afternoon!  The Outer Banks Wedding of Your Dreams is an incredible Outer Banks wedding package donated by our members and awarded at the Expo given away each year.  You must be present to register and win.  

Please stop by our booth to meet our great staff and get some help planning your big day.  We will be giving away a complimentary three day stay as well, so please sign-up for the drawing. 

We hope to see y’all there.

Rene has brought her modern yet whimsical style to many Outer Banks weddings and events.  In early summer, she discovered that the long held position of Chief White House Florist was going to be available.   Landry submitted her portfolio and won a coveted personal interview at the White House.   After successfully interviewing in the Map Room of the White House, Rene was one of the top three invited to proceed in the selection process. 

 On October 7, Rene joined two other competitors to prepare three different designs to show Michelle Obama.  She was given four hours in a tarp covered China Room to prepare her work, and allowed to work the day prior in the  White House Flower Shop with the current white house floral staff.  Michelle Obama spent time with each participant reviewing their designs and discussing inspirations and event ideas for the White House.

 Although she was ultimately not selected for this position, Rene continues to engage in local, national and international event design projects.

 Renee Landry Style is available to design and style events as well as create unique floral statements for delivery. For more information, please see www.ReneeLandryStyle.com or call 252.207.7038.

A local Outer Banks photographer, Brooke Mayo, was recently highlighted by the New Bern Sun Journal for her unique view on photography.

Brooke is a local photographer on the Outer Banks who grew up in New Bern.  She is ranked number 7 worldwide by The Artistic Guild of Wedding Photojournalist, but she never set out for a career in photography.

Brooke didn’t realize her love for photography until her junior year in college at Appalachian State…after changing her major nine times!  At that time, she didn’t even have a camera of her own.  She began by borrowing a friend’s camera and taking photos of family and friends.  After college, Brooke headed north to test her photography skills in the major market of New York City, but as Brooke says, “it was too cold,” so she returned south to the Outer Banks.

Brooke paid her dues as a waitress on the OBX while developing her love and expertise for photography, especially wedding photography.  As it turns out, Brooke couldn’t have chosen a better location.  The Outer Banks is well-known as a wedding destination due to its gorgeous natural setting.   She photographs about 35 weddings per year, and in addition to weddings, Brooke has branched out to dogs!

Brooke recently published a hardback book of photographs called Diving Doggies: A Celebration of Play Underwater.  Using underwater camera equipment, she takes pictures of pups diving and playing in the pool from a ground up perspective; i.e. lying on the bottom of the pool.

We are a bit partial to Brooke.  Due to her amazing work and great reputation, Seaside Vacations recently partnered with Brooke to offer a great deal for all Seaside Vacations guests.  All Seaside Vacations guests have the opportunity to receive free prints during your Outer Banks Vacation.  More details:  http://www.outerbanksvacations.com/photography-promotion.htm

It is hard to find more picturesque scenery than the Outer Banks, and rental homes make a great alternative to other housing arrangements in many ways.  Renting a vacation property makes it easier for the wedding parties and family to connect and to get to know each other before the big day.  Maybe a vacation rental could also help trim the cost of a venue for a rehearsal dinner?  

Sly Crandal and Rob Lehman chose to tie the knot on the Outer Banks, and decided on a beach wedding during June 2008.  At first, the couple was a little apprehensive.  After celebrating their special day on the Outer Banks, the expressed a different opinion. “I loved that the small-town feeling was in everything,” said Aly. “Everyone worked together and gave us great personalized service that made it easy.”  It was a casually elegant wedding that also gave family and friends a chance to relax and get to know each other.  A block of ten homes in Corolla and additional hotel rooms kept everyone together.  “Most everyone came and spent four to seven days.  Cousins spent hours playing volleyball and body-surfing the waves.  We had golfers, runners, anglers and tennis players.  People toured the wildlife museum and went to see the wild horses. Others just spent hours at the beach, reading and talking,” said Derrick Crandall, father of the bride.   All of the wedding guests commented on how elegant the wedding was.   What most of the guests said they enjoyed particularly about the wedding was the relaxing beach setting in which the event was held.

Event homes available!   Come find out why the Outer Banks is the perfect place to say “I do.”

  The 11^th annual Outer Banks Wedding Expo will be held this weekend (1.10 – 1.11) at First Flight High School in Kill Devil Hills. 

The Outer Banks is a world-class wedding destination, and the Outer Banks Wedding Expo is the oldest and largest wedding planning event on OBX. 

You could with the “Wedding of Your Dreams”(a wedding package donated by the members of the Outer Banks Wedding Association), but in order to win, you must be present at the Expo. 

You must register to attend the event.  You can register online or on Friday from 6 to 10PM and Saturday from 10AM to 6PM at:

·         the Comfort Inn South (map),

·         The Pearl Restaurant (map), and

·         Argyle’s Restaurant (map).

Schedule of Events

Friday, January 9

·         Registration from 6PM to 10PM
Comfort Inn South (map)
The Pearl Restaurant (map)
Argyle’s Restaurant (map)

Saturday, January 10

·         Registration from 10AM to 6PM
Comfort Inn South (map)
The Pearl Restaurant (map)
Argyle’s Restaurant (map)

·         Wedding Tour from 10AM to 4PM
Locations throughout the Outer Banks

·         Meet & Greet Reception from 7PM to 10PM
Duck Woods Country Club (map)

Sunday, January 11

·         Expo from 11AM to 4PM
First Flight High School (map)

·         Events at The Expo
11AM to 3PM – Registration Open
2PM – Fashion Show
2:30PM – Door Prize Giveaways
3:45PM – Wedding Tour Giveaways & Wedding of your Dream Giveaway

The Outer Banks Wedding Salon will  be held November 28 – 30 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Kitty Hawk.  The Wedding Salon offers brides offers a variety of events bringing local wedding vendors and brides to be together. 

General admission tickets for Salon events are $15 per person and $20 per couple and include:

·         Your choice of one chauffeured Outer Banks wedding venue tours on Friday.

·         Admission to the Outer Banks Wedding Salon on Saturday.

·         Admission to the Salon After Party at the Hilton Garden Inn Pierhouse on Saturday night.

·         Admission to the Sunday Dessert Brunch at the Hilton Garden Inn on Sunday.

·         Special offers from select Outer Banks retailers and restaurants.

·         Your luxury Swag Bag, filled with special offers and gifts from participating vendors.

Tickets for the Saturday morning Champagne Brunch sponsored by the Hilton Garden Inn are $25 per person and include a scrumptious feast in the Hilton’s newly renovated Pierhouse overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.