It's February 14th—Valentine's Day—the one day specifically designated to the celebration of love and affection (other than your impending wedding day, of course!). It's no wonder it's an extremely popular day for engagements. Nearly six million people are likely to get engaged on Valentine's Day!

Courtney Hathaway Photography

In 18th-century England, Valentine's Day evolved into an occasion in which lovers expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, what has now become a symbol of love.

Natalie Heim Photography

The tradition of a bride carrying a bouquet has evolved over the eras. From signifying new beginnings and hope, to strong smelling herbs and flowers that would ward off evil spirits, to the more modern bridal bouquet made up of flowers representing different sentiments. Brides now select flowers for the beauty of their colors and shape. We love the element this ads to a wedding day, and how it is a way to showcase the brides personal style and taste. 

Alex Couey Photography

Of course we love the symbolism of flowers, but we also really adore YOUR love between one another. So a romantic day like Valentine's Day has us all gushy for sweet moments from Outer Banks weddings.

Kristi Midgette Photography

Audra Krieg Photography

Sarah Keenan Creative

We love the joy on newlywed couple's faces...

Neil GT Photography

...and all of their friend's and family's, too.

Lori Douglas Photography

We even love to see your happy dog friends! 9 million people will buy their pet a gift on Valentine's Day, so there's no questioning why many couples incorporate their furry companions into their wedding day.

Sarah D'Ambra Photography

So we and our 300 wedding vendors cheers to you and your love story today, and everyday! Now pop some champagne (or later, since it's 7 a.m.), and celebrate with your special someone!

ColemanShots Photography

Did we get you thinking all about your wedding day? Browse premier OBX wedding vendors here!

Jason Denson Photography 

Wedding Date: November 20, 2016

The warm golden light cast over Michael and Ellie’s celebration is simply magical. Ellie’s dream of white flowers hanging from everywhere came true, and all of the details are simply breathtaking, like the lovely long mismatched bridesmaids gowns and their “unplugged” ceremony. We love how they incorporated some elements of New Orleans to bring a little of their hometown traditions to their OBX wedding. Scroll on to see how their team of OBWA vendors came together to pull off their dreamy, fun affair.

Photographer | Coastal Shots Photography

Ceremony + Reception Site | The Currituck Club

Coordinator | Southern Hospitality Weddings & Events

Beauty + Spa | Lovie's Salon and Spa

Floral + Decor | Sugar Snap Events

Cake + Confections | Just Desserts

DJ | DJ Bruce 

Photo Booth | OBX Photo Booths

Transportation | Corolla Trolley

“We wanted a very intimate and romantic space that we would never forget. The flowers were one of the most important aspects of the day because of the beauty, simplicity, and elegance they bring to a wedding. Ellie likes to say that 'gold glitter' is her favorite color, so of course we asked for as much gold as possible.”

FROM THE COUPLE:

Why did you chose the Outer Banks for your wedding destination?

Ellie’s family has been vacationing in the Outer Banks since before she was born. The beach has so many important and special memories for her and her family. After introducing Michael to the area, we decided there was no better place to bring our families together and celebrate our marriage.

What was your absolute favorite part of your wedding day?

Literally the whole day. Ellie loved getting ready with her mom, sister, cousin, and friends. The first look with her dad and again with Michael are two moments she’ll cherish forever, and of course walking down the aisle was an incredible feeling. Michael loved finally getting to see Ellie in her dress and the ceremony being performed by his childhood friend. His favorite moment was when Ellie surprised him with a New Orleans second line.

On their vendors:

Everyone was amazing and we are so grateful to have worked with so many thoughtful, creative, and talented people!

Craft beer drinkers, rejoice! You can find all of your favorite beers for your wedding reception right in the heart of Duck at Growlers to Go.

Growlers to Go features craft beer 42 taps hosting a variety of different beer styles from your favorite national and North Carolina breweries. Looking for a keg for your wedding celebrations? GTG also rents Kegerators and their "Beer Wagon" with 16 taps of your selected beer. 

In addition to guaranteed ice cold beer, they also have a wide selection of wine, sophisticated adult beverages (like hard sodas, spiked spritzers and ciders) and the standard domestic options for your convenience. Their free delivery is the icing on the cake!

The Outer Banks Wedding Association is pleased have Growlers to Go as a member! To learn more, visit their vendor page here. 

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The Outer Banks is one of the most popular destination wedding locations in the country. The Outer Banks Wedding Association (OBWA) provides informative resources and access to nearly 300 local, passionate, and reliable wedding professionals on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. For 25 years, OBWA has proudly represented a carefully curated group of vendors whose businesses are driven by their love for our coast, the wedding industry, and relationships with their fellow professionals located in Dare, Currituck and Hyde counties. 

In honor of National Bagel Day (that's today!), we're sharing the insanely delicious Barrier Island Bagels as today's featured member. Always fresh and homemade with the best ingredients, Barrier Island Bagels has built a cult following of both visitor's and locals alike.

They are more than just extremely delectable baked goods and bagel sandos. They have found the perfect formula with their fresh squeeze juices and fresh fruit smoothies and bowls to bring everything to the table!

Whether it be baked goods, breakfast sandwiches, bagels with cream cheese, bagels by the dozen, lunch sandwiches, salads, or coffee, Barrier Island Bagels is a lovely option for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and baked goods catering. Just a few ideas that come to mind: a bridal luncheon, bachelorette party brunch at the rental house, wedding day getting ready fuel, day after the wedding recovery, sweet treats after your dinner, and more! 

To learn more, visit Barrier Island Bagels vendor page.

 Cover Photo - Amanda Hedgepeth Photography; Misc. Blog Photos - Brooke Mayo Photographers

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The Outer Banks is one of the most popular destination wedding locations in the country. The Outer Banks Wedding Association (OBWA) provides informative resources and access to nearly 300 local, passionate, and reliable wedding professionals on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. For 25 years, OBWA has proudly represented a carefully curated group of vendors whose businesses are driven by their love for our coast, the wedding industry, and relationships with their fellow professionals located in Dare, Currituck and Hyde counties. 

Wedding Date: September 22, 2017

College sweethearts David and Katie exchanged vows where they had their first trip together. Their Corolla celebration was a tropical affair inspired by a faraway destination while remaining close to home. The vibrant bouquets and details were the perfect match for their venue. Bridesmaids wore white for a unique twist to this colorful wedding. Their team of vendors executed their vision (check out that cake by Just Desserts, and we can only imagine how delish the menu from Steamers was!). We know you'll be in love with their Outer Banks wedding featured in Outer Banks Weddings magazine.

Photographer | Sarah D'Ambra Photography

Ceremony & Reception Site | Whalehead in Historic Corolla

Planner/Coordinator | Coastyle Weddings & Events

Floral & Decor | Honeysuckle Events

Caterer | Steamers

Cake & Confections | Just Desserts

Equipment Rentals | I Do OBX Chairs; Metro Rental

Accommodations | Hampton Inn & Suites

"Katie loves all things warm and relaxing... a.k.a.: the beach. We wanted it to feel like a far away destination where everyone could unwind, forget about their everyday lives, and focus simply on enjoying themselves."

FROM THE COUPLE

Why did you choose to wed on the Outer Banks?

The Outer Banks had been a family vacation spot for both of us growing up. After we met in college (JMU), our first trip together was to David's family's house in Corolla. Since then, we have taken many trips and spent many holidays at the beach. We thought it was a natural choice for our families to come together and have a great vacation at the same time!

What was your absolute favorite part of your wedding day?

Aside from marrying our best friend, the best part of the day was watching our families come together on the dance floor and not holding back. The size of the smiles of their faces was something I'll never forget.

When suggesting some activities for the entire wedding party and for your wedding guests, we can't help but jump at a wild horse tour! Wild Horse Adventure Tours offers guided tours to the sanctuaries of the Spanish mustangs and treasured wildlife on the 4x4 beaches. Their expert tour guides tell stories of legends, local lore, and ecology as you travel through beaches of the Outer Banks in customized Hummer's capable of seating 13 passengers.

There's something so fleeting about riding around the remote beaches, breathing in the salty air and feeling the ocean breeze as you see the beloved wild horses (and often times you'll catch some surfing dolphins). You'll be reminded why you chose to celebrate your love story on the OBX.

We are excited to have Wild Horse Adventure Tours as a member of the Outer Banks Wedding Association and hope you take the opportunity to explore this famed area of the Outer Banks! To contact them, visit their vendor page.

Photos: Wild Horse Adventure Tours Facebook 

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The Outer Banks is one of the most popular destination wedding locations in the country. The Outer Banks Wedding Association (OBWA) provides informative resources and access to nearly 300 local, passionate, and reliable wedding professionals on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. For 25 years, OBWA has proudly represented a carefully curated group of vendors whose businesses are driven by their love for our coast, the wedding industry, and relationships with their fellow professionals located in Dare, Currituck and Hyde counties. 

Escape your real world winter air for a moment and start dreaming about your salty air escape to the Outer Banks and the special day you will share with your friends and family. Many of them will be making the trek to be with you, so providing them with travel information and accommodations suggestions is a delightful gesture.

Today's featured member, Hampton Inn & Suites, is one of many great OBX accommodations options to host your guests. The Hampton Inn & Suites in Corolla is a quiet beachfront retreat that is steps from the ocean. In addition to the pristine beach that it borders, guests can enjoy the outdoor pool, relax on the lazy river, or swim laps in the heated indoor pool. Hampton Inn & Suites is situated close to many amazing venues located in the northern OBX (Corova, Corolla, Duck), making it a great option for your guests needing a place to rest their eyes after a long day of enjoying the beach, exploring the area, and MOST important of all: celebrating your wedding day.

With their wedding group account system, reserving rooms is a breeze. To learn more, visit the Hampton Inn & Suites vendor page.

Photos: TripAdvisor

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The Outer Banks is one of the most popular destination wedding locations in the country. The Outer Banks Wedding Association (OBWA) provides informative resources and access to nearly 300 local, passionate, and reliable wedding professionals on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. For 25 years, OBWA has proudly represented a carefully curated group of vendors whose businesses are driven by their love for our coast, the wedding industry, and relationships with their fellow professionals located in Dare, Currituck and Hyde counties. 

Wedding Date: June 9, 2017

With the rolling dunes as their backdrop and gorgeous big blooms adorning the arbor, Andrew and Amie’s wedding was simply stunning. After a photo session on the beach where they were joined by wild horses, they moved to the deck for some al fresco dining and dancing. The pair had a lucky surprise as a full moon began to rise, creating a perfect ending to a magical day. Scroll on to see the amazing work from their team of Outer Banks wedding vendors!

PHOTOGRAPHER | Coastal Shots Photography

CEREMONY + RECEPTION SITE | Wild Horse Coastal Estate

COORDINATOR | Southern Hospitality Weddings & Events

OFFICIANT | Rev. Jay Bowman

CATERING | Basnight’s Lone Cedar Catering

FLORAL + DECOR | Renee Landry Events

CAKE + CONFECTIONS | Just Desserts

HAIR + MAKEUP | Lovie's Salon & Spa

EQUIPMENT RENTALS | Ocean Atlantic Event Rentals

DJ | Outer Banks Wedding Entertainment

SPECIALTY SERVICES - INVITATIONS + PAPER DETAILS | HLR Designs

VIDEOGRAPHER | Swell Productions

ACCOMMODATIONS | Twiddy & Company Realtors

“Having family dispersed around the country, it was a perfect opportunity to have everyone together for a fun week and an amazing wedding day.” - Andrew + Amie 

FROM THE COUPLE

Why did you chose the Outer Banks for your wedding destination? 

Andrew had been coming to a family home in the Outer Banks since a child and introduced Amie to the area when they started dating. We both love spending as much time as possible there and naturally decided it was the perfect place for us to bring our families together for our wedding. 

What was the inspiration behind your wedding?

Our general inspiration was the beach and the Wild Horse house. We wanted to have a comfortable place for our guests and our wedding was all about everyone having a fun time.

What was your absolute favorite part of your wedding day?

It's very difficult to chose a favorite part, Rev Jay conducted a beautiful ceremony and we were lucky to have a full blood moon as a backdrop for our evening pictures. If we had to choose one part, it has to be the wild horses who photobombed our beach pictures.

Swell Productions creates wedding videos using a cinematic approach to capture the emotion, energy, and beauty of your wedding day. Each film that the local professionals at Swell Productions produce is visually dynamic, and we know you'll love this team who's passionate about films that will be treasured forever. Try and watch their reel without smiling (not possible.)!

https://vimeo.com/202702449

To learn more about Swell Productions, visit their vendor page here.

OBX Wedding Planning

What to consider before you dive in 

We know how exciting it is when you first get that ring! You should definitely take time to celebrate your engagement, but you've inevitably already internally started to plan your dream wedding. If you are reading this, odds are you've already decided on an Outer Banks wedding. Good start! But before you figure out what you should wear and what your first dance song will be, there are some bigger picture decisions you need to make. So before you make your checklist, here are our indispensable pre planning tips below to get you started.

CHOOSE A SEASON + A TIMETABLE

The looming question: "Have you picked a date yet?". An important thing to consider when you're engaged is how long you want to plan. On average, couples are engaged for 10-15 months. However, it's important to keep in mind that engagement lengths can vary greatly depending on the pace of the couple's lives. One factor that your planning timetable is dependent upon is the season in which you want to get married. 

On the Outer Banks, seasons don't transition quite as drastically as other places, but they offer their own wonderful differences. If you're looking for a summertime wedding, June, July and August are the prime beach months. Sunshine radiates, and excitement abounds as school is out and the days are long. Don't want your fiancé sweating buckets in his classic suit? These summer months tend to be the hottest, but they make for a great excuse for your guests to get away for a beach vacation!

Summer-like weather on the Outer Banks extends far beyond the official changing of the seasons. Fall offers warm but milder temperatures and less crowded beaches. Though summer and fall are popular seasons to get married, spring is no stranger to hosting weddings. Spring offers budding flowers, rising temps, cheaper amenities, and it is a great time to take advantage of the relaxed, slow pace of island life. Wintertime brings colder temps and a great amount of solitude which can make for a romantic celebration at one our many gorgeous ceremony and reception sites (check out this gorgeous January wedding!).

Lastly, if you're just not sure what time of the year appeals to you, consider your floral and décor. If you've been picturing a particular flower, do a quick Google search to see when they are in season.

A classic color palette for an April wedding at The Currituck Club. | Amanda Hedgepeth Photography

BEFORE YOU TRY ON A GOWN, PICK A TOWN

The allure of the Outer Banks is pristine beaches, unmatched natural beauty, and romantic remoteness while still being easily accessable. Weddings occur from the 4x4 area of Carova to the quaint gem that is Ocracoke Island--that's 125 miles of pure beauty to exchange your vows on! After you've chosen your season, envision the vibe and style you want for your OBX Wedding. Whether it's a private event home, among the vines at Sanctuary Vineyards, a country club celebration, oceanfront "I Do's", Hatteras Island sound to sea views, or the charming historic Ocracoke accessible only by ferry, choosing what town you will plan your wedding in will make a difference in choosing everything else. 

A wedding at The Pine Island Lodge offers both a classic and beach vibe. | Matt Lusk Photography

DREAM UP A THEME + COLOR SCHEME

Draw your theme and color palette from the bigger picture decisions like the season and your venue vision. Modern, classic, romantic, rustic, bohemian, vintage, or glamorous—Outer Banks weddings have seen them all. Consider if you want a fancy or a casual celebration, or somewhere in between. Once you decide on your theme and color scheme, floral and décor, paper details, attire, and other main checklist items will be easier to settle on. 

Tropical botanical garden vibe with an emerald, metallic copper, and apricot palette. | Ryan and Rach Photography; HLR Designs; Honeysuckle Events; Grande Ritz Palm

INSURE YOUR RING + WEDDING

Couples often overlook this aspect when laying out their to-do list, but having insurance to protect the unforeseen can give you great peace of mind. First Flight Insurance Group can develop a policy that can cover a range of items. What are some things wedding event insurance can cover? Lost or stolen wedding rings, a damaged wedding gown, unavoidable cancellation (hurricanes or site damage), sickness or injury. Be sure to check with your ceremony or reception site as they may already have their own insurance policy.

 Alex Couey Photography

ATTEND THE OBX WEDDING FEST + OUTER BANKS WEDDING WEEKEND AND EXPO

Get tons of inspiration and meet with vendors in person, sample cuisine and spirits at the OBX Wedding Fest coming this August! Can't attend a summer expo? Visit the OBX January 19-20, 2019 for the annual Outer Banks Wedding Weekend and Expo for two days of booking vendors, touring venues, and more. 

We wish you happy planning! We know your wedding is such an exciting time of your life, and it can seem overwhelming. Contact one of our amazingly talented Planners and Coordinators to help prioritize items on your checklist and alleviate the stress.

Cover Photo: Sarah D'Ambra Photography