Outer Banks Everyday Magic: Hurricane Wedding

Posted on December 15, 2011

Hurricane Evacuation

Thanks for sharing your OBX magic Elizabeth!

I have my own special OBX magic. My husband and I were married in the Outer Banks in August 1993 at the magistrates office. It was the day that they mandated an evacuation in preparation for Hurricane Emily.

We arrived at the magistrates office after getting our marriage license at the old courthouse in Manteo. When we arrived everyone was leaving and we had no witnesses. The magistrate, went out the door and retrieved two of the employees who stood up for us. After saying “you know there’s an evacuation, don’t you?”, we were married.

Afterwards we headed to the cottage we rented, and packed up not sure what to do next. We drove to Chesapeake, had lunch and talked over what to do next. A family overheard us and offered to let us have our “wedding night” at their house. Feeling a little unsure we graciously declined but felt it was a sign that we should stay nearby.

We ended up in Newport News, where we stayed a few days, and we returned to the Outer Banks when the all clear was given.

We spent the rest of the week at our “honeymoon cottage,” and we come to the Outer Banks every year at the end of August to relive our “magic”.

Such a great story! It’s amazing how much the Outer Banks touches peoples’ lives and how many awesome stories there are.

Please share your Outer Banks Everyday Magic story with us too….we’d love to hear it! You can use the form below to submit it to me.

More Couples Say “I Do” to the Outer Banks

Posted on November 8, 2011

Every little girl dreams of their wedding day, dressing up in a beautiful white gown, walking down the aisle to the perfect man, and basically just being a real princess for one day. Although this idea has never seemed to fade, the big to-do of a wedding has gone down, and the popularity of “destination weddings” is at an all time high. Today’s brides are cutting their guest list and combining vacations with the big event. In many cases, bride and groom will book one or more vacation homes for the wedding party and family during a week-long stay at the resort. Several event homes on the Outer Banks have been built for just that purpose.

The wedding season is longer and more businesses are offering services. About ten years ago, there were only about 40 vendors that catered to weddings on the Outer Banks, in both Dare and Currituck counties. Now there are more than 300 vendors in our area. The wedding industry is huge to the Outer Banks and is great for our local economy. Beach weddings can range from $15,000 to $100,000, depending on the bride and groom’s budget.

Hope Quade Anderson, who married on the beach last year, said she budgeted $25,000 for a “simple but elegant wedding.” The price included a week’s stay for the bridal party and family members at an 18-bedroom oceanfront home and a catered dinner by Ocean Boulevard in Kitty Hawk for 80 guests. She believes a little goes a long way in such a beautiful place.

The tourism department recently launched a new wedding website that lists 78 Currituck vendors for everything from photography to catering. The website offers tips for planning a wedding and allows a couple to create their own mini-website. With so many options and the perfect setting for a small but beautiful wedding, many couples from all around the country are saying “I-Do” to the OBX. For more information on Seaside Vacations event homes, or planning an Outer Banks wedding visit our website.

Outer Banks Whalehead Club Preparing Some Great Updates

Posted on March 30, 2011

Outer Banks Whalehead Club

The Whalehead Club, in Corolla along the northern stretch of the Outer Banks, is an amazing attraction. A historic hunting club sitting on a breath-taking piece of property along the Sound that has been restored to its original condition. It is a fantastic piece of OBX history…feels like you are stepping back in time. Unfortunately, history doesn’t always offer much “sizzle” in today’s fast-paced culture. Attendance could be improve, and great changes are in the making.

The Virginia Pilot is reporting that the Whalehead Club board and Currituck County commissioners are considering plans to make some new additions to the club in hopes it will bring in more locals and visitors to the historic site. These plans would include adding a new caretakers house, an amphitheater and vendor area.

The new caretaker’s house would be used for weddings, classrooms and meeting space as well as connecting new walkways to the Currituck Lighthouse and Center for Wildlife Education.

Plans for the vendor area include setting up white tents on the grounds near NC 12 that would be a great resource for local artists to sell their art or local fisherman to sell their catch of the day. It would provide the hometown feel that residents and visitors enjoy.

With music events like the Marsh Grass Music Festival right around the corner, commissioners look for the new amphitheater to be home to future music events like these. Music festivals are just one of many great ways to draw families and the community together and the new theater would be another way to keep travelers visiting the area.

The Whalehead Club currently hosts guided tours, wine tasting, and other local events and draws in over 17,000 visitors annually.

PS – We are proud to partner with the Whalehead Club to offer complimentary tours to Seaside Vacations’ guests through Club Seaside. A great opportunity to see an amazing piece of OBX history.

Update: By a unanimous vote, the board of directors of the Whalehead Preservation Trust has agreed to discontinued consideration for placing vending areas for merchants within Heritage Park in Corolla.

For more information visit http://www.womacknewspapers.com/obsentinel/

Mother & Daughter Valentine’s Day on the Outer Banks

Posted on February 7, 2011

Valentine’s Day usually focuses on “lovers” more so than “loved ones,” but the Hallmark holiday is really about the celebration of love in all its forms. And what better way to celebrate love than with some mother/daughter fun?!

Renee Landry, an amazing floral and event designer on the Outer Banks, is offering a super fun Mommy & Daughter Valentine’s class. Details below.

Renee was one of three finalists for Obama’s Chief White House Florist position, and I can also brag about Renee from personal experience….she was the florist for my wedding, and according to my wife (the true expert), the floral arrangements were out of this world.

As an added bonus, Renee will be a new addition to Club Seaside this year!…a complimentary design class offered to Seaside Vacations guests! Stay tuned for more details coming soon.

Renee Landry - Mother & Daughter Valentine's Day

Fall in Love with the Outer Banks for Your Wedding Day

Posted on January 7, 2011

Outer Banks Weddings

The Outer Banks is a world-class wedding destination. Miles of empty beaches and gorgeous sound front lots offer the perfect backdrop for the big day. And since you’re at the beach, everyone can enjoy a vacation full of sun and sand.

The 13th annual Outer Banks Wedding Expo is this weekend, and we can’t wait to see all of the brides and grooms. It’s a whirlwind day with few hundred vendors and a few thousand attendees, but the Expo is a such a fun event filled with a lot of energy from the excited couples.

If you’ll be at the Expo, 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.

Here’s a fun wedding video we’ll be showing at the booth.

Outer Banks Weddings Highlighted in USA Today

Posted on July 16, 2010

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!

Top 10 Reasons to Have a Wedding on the Outer Banks

Posted on February 4, 2010

Outer Banks Wedding

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

1.	As destination weddings go, a wedding on the Outer Banks is extremely budget friendly. Plus, the Outer Banks is within reasonable driving distance from most major cities in the eastern United States.

2.	From weddings alongside the breaking waves of the Atlantic to those nestled among the flowers at the Elizabethan Gardens, the options for fabulous settings are limitless.

3.	From the rehearsal dinner to the ceremony and reception to the honeymoon, we’re able to accommodate each and every wedding event.

4.	No need to block a set of hotel rooms. Your guests can enjoy spacious accommodations in one of our relaxing Outer Banks vacation rental homes.

5.	From a small and intimate gathering of close family and friends to a large and lavish, we’ll ensure your Outer Banks wedding is an affair to remember.

6.	It was time for family reunion anyway.

7.	Seaside Vacations has a full-time, on-site staff dedicated to your needs.

8.	Seaside Vacations properties provide a splendid backdrop to an eventful wedding weekend. Whether you and your guests choose to stay in an oceanfront home or a cozy villa, all of our accommodations are within close distance to Outer Banks activities, Outer Banks attractions, Outer Banks golf and the beach.

9.	Your guests will thank you for it.

10.	Long after the cake is gone and the guests have departed, you’re left enjoying a romantic, carefree honeymoon on the beautiful Outer Banks!

Outer Banks – World-Class Wedding & Honeymoon Destination – Wedding Expo this Weekend!

Posted on January 6, 2010

The Outer Banks is a world-class wedding destination, and the great growth of the annual wedding expo is proof positive.

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.

Great Outer Banks Photographer

Posted on December 15, 2009

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

Outer Banks is a World-class Wedding Destination

Posted on August 28, 2009

The Outer Banks is an amazing wedding destination. Every year couples come to the Outer Banks to include gorgeous scenery in their wedding plans and rent elegant rental properties to accommodate their wedding and/or their guests.

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.”