Member Feature

A true local, Rande Banks has been living on the Outer Banks all of his life and performing weddings here for 11 years. Rande incorporates his everlasting joy and positive energy into his ceremonies to create an experience that you will never forget! Browse Rande's services or visit his website at theouterbanksofficiant.com

How long have you been involved in weddings on the Outer Banks? How did you get started?

I have been officiating ceremonies for around 11 years here on a "full seasons" schedule. My wife and some friends involved in the wedding association encouraged me to join a burgeoning industry, and I thought maybe I would officiate a few here and there. It became a labor of love from the beginning and I have never looked back on my decision!

What makes the Outer Banks special to you?

The Outer Banks is special in so many ways. I was born and raised in Currituck, and every single moment I didn't have to be in school or somewhere else, I was on the beach. From Carova to Hatteras Island was my back yard. I am almost certain I spent more time on the beach than I did the mainland growing up. The Outer Banks projects an unending beauty, from sound to sea, combined with an energy that you will find nowhere else. The history is without equal, from the first English settlement in America, to the Wright Brothers, Fessendon 's wireless radio transmissions, among others, we are a land of firsts, or a land of beginnings as they say, so it's only fitting that couples come here to begin their lives together as husband and wife.

Do you have any advice for a couple booking your services?

Advice for couples booking my services? Be prepared to have fun! Just because it is one of the most important days in your life does not mean it has to be painful.

What makes your business different from others on the Outer Banks?

I try to bring joy and energy to a ceremony. I try to effuse everyone there with my energy.  I want them to "know" they have just witnessed a monumental moment in a friend or a loved ones lives. I have crafted my ceremonies, that they are melodic and flow nicely and have included some seaside specific verses. I think we have all been to at least one ceremony where we all had to endure your basic mumbling monotone minister. That's not me.

What do you think are the benefits or smaller micro-weddings and elopements?

Over the years, while I have officiated tons and tons of large weddings, I have officiated just as many elopements or "mini" weddings as well. Those weddings appeal to the couples that don't want to endure all the planning and brainstorming and fanfare and costs of the larger weddings. The Outer Bank is the perfect place for a couple to come by theirselves or bring a few family or friends, rent a place and walk right out the back door down to the beach to get married. The biggest benefit of a wedding on the beach, be it large or small, is the lifetime of memories that come with it!

Photos courtesy of Rande Banks, The Outer Banks Officiant

Header Image Venue: 108 Budleigh

Every bride (and groom) deserves to feel beautiful on their wedding day and Glimmer Hair & Makeup will make your dreams come true! Mollie White, owner of Glimmer Hair & Makeup, invited us into her salon in Kill Devil Hills to style Ashley's hair and to talk about her business on the Outer Banks. Mollie and her team have been creating stunning looks for brides for over 13 years and she loves seeing the look on a bride's face once she has worked her magic. 

For more about Glimmer Hair & Makeup and to watch the full interview about her business and weddings on the Outer Banks, watch our We Do! Video below. Visit their vendor listing to learn more about the services they offer for your Outer Banks Wedding. 

We joined Caroline and Victoria of Basnight's Lone Cedar Cafe to learn more about the history of their famous restaurant and all the ways that they are involved with weddings on the Outer Banks. We even got the chance to try their delicious fresh and local catch of the day!

Blake comes into Lone Cedar a few times a week to clean the just caught fish and to prepare it for the kitchen. All fish is cleaned in their on-site fish cleaning building, one of the only restaurants that has one on the Outer Banks.

Fresh Caught Flounder

This is an automatic fish scaler that is used when you need to descale large quantities. 

The property also features a full-size herb and vegetable garden.

Owner Caroline Basnight with one of the dinner entrees for that evening. 

Fresh Pan Seared Wahoo with House Grown Carrots, Okra, Sweet Peppers & Tomatoes over Pimento Cheese Grits and a Ham Hock Cream Sauce.

For more about Basnight's Lone Cedar and to watch the full interview about their restaurant and catering weddings on the Outer Banks, watch our We Do! Video below. Visit their vendor listing to learn more about the services they offer for your Outer Banks Wedding. 

With guest size limitations and many events having to be postponed, 2020 has been a whirlwind year for weddings. Vendors within the industry are adjusting to a new normal, helping ensure the health and safety of everyone involved. 

As weddings change, so does the vocabulary surrounding them: Corona-Bride, Latermoon, and Minimony to name a few, but the term gaining the most popularity among engaged couples and wedding vendors? Micro-wedding!

A micro wedding is exactly what the name implies: A small wedding, larger than an elopement, but a significantly smaller guest count than average (which was 131 guests per wedding in 2019 according to The Knot). Couples have been embracing the idea of micro weddings due to the global pandemic, and honestly, what’s not to love about them?  Enjoy your wedding day surrounded by those closest to you instead of a 3rd cousin once removed or your mom’s coworker whose name you can’t remember! 

There are TONS of benefits to a more intimate affair and there’s no place better to celebrate than on the Outer Banks. On the fence about a micro wedding being the right fit? Read below for some compelling reasons a smaller event may be your best bet. 

Save that Money, Honey!

For most of us, money is a huge consideration when it comes to planning a wedding. 

According to a survey by The Knot of more than 25,000 couples married in 2019, the average wedding cost is $33,900. That doesn’t even include the honeymoon! This is a large chunk of change, especially for younger couples just starting off in their careers, and others who are burdened with financial responsibilities which leave them unable to allocate substantial funds to a wedding.

By paring down guest counts, couples free up space to focus on other aspects of their wedding. Perhaps you didn’t buy your dream dress because it was too expensive, or you skipped over booking a few vendors because there wasn’t enough room in the budget. With the extra money afforded by a micro wedding, you’re able to splurge on extra flowers and decor or add on an hour or two to photographer/videographer packages. Remove the stress of having to coordinate and arrange with vendors by hiring a planner. Book that honeymoon to a destination you and fiancé have always dreamt of visiting. Or, do none of these and save it all. At the end of the day, it is all about what makes sense for the two of you. 

Have an Effortless Engagement

The average couple is engaged for around 15 months and a lot of that time is spent planning: Making a guest list, sending out save the dates and invitations, creating a registry, planning bachelor/bachelorette parties and rehearsal dinners, choosing your vendors, etc., IS stressful, especially during a global pandemic! 

A huge perk of a smaller wedding is having less to plan in general. You’re not waiting for over 100 responses to see if guests want prime rib or grilled chicken, and you leave behind the burden of endless phone calls from guests requesting a plus one. Embrace time to relax and truly enjoy being engaged and living in that moment!

Go with the Flow Guests

Due to the circumstances currently facing engaged couples, changing dates, switching venues and coordinating with vendors has become the norm, but there is a silver lining--guests will understand last minute alterations because this is a new experience for everyone! Lower guest counts can help reduce some of the load when impromptu changes are necessary. Instead of sending out a mass email to all of your guests and anxiously awaiting their responses, take an hour out of the day to call or text with the changes. This means less people having to rearrange their schedules for your wedding and more time to focus on that Pinterest dream wedding board you’ve had since before you met fiancé! 

Decide Who Matters Most

Large weddings aren’t for everyone. Not all of us are social butterflies, and the idea of being the center of attention may seem exhausting. Days of pre-planned events and tight schedules can color something that was supposed to be one of the best days of your life. Perhaps you’re dreaming of eloping - just you and your significant other - but both families are expecting you to go the more traditional route. A micro wedding will make them feel included, while keeping the eyes on you to a bare minimum. If you’re looking for a laid-back vibe and relaxed atmosphere, keeping the number of people attending low will certainly help, not to mention the extra time you’ll get to spend with your guests, as opposed to making the rounds during dinner service and only seeing them for a few seconds. It’s simple quality over quantity. 

The Getaway Bride

With a smaller group size and more freedom to explore different ideas of what you want your wedding to look like, why not have a destination wedding and honeymoon all in one? Round up those closest to you and get married right here on the Outer Banks! There are tons of accommodations to choose from: rental homes that can fit your entire guest list to full-service resorts that can double as the venue. Our vendors are eager to work with their clients, no matter the size of the event. Some even offer special packages just for smaller weddings. Browse our full list of vendors to find ones your match or submit an information request so that vendors can reach out to you!

Images: Mary Basnight Photography

Facing both the Atlantic Ocean and the Currituck Sound, The Sanderling Resort is a beautiful location for your dream wedding. The resort, which is located in Duck, NC, is the only full-service resort that you will find on the Outer Banks. 

"Most people don’t realize we are a resort with over 120 hotel rooms, 5 vacation homes, 3 restaurants on property, a spa, and a variety of wedding venues. One of the things I love most about working here is being able to sell it to our couples that everyone that stays on property for their wedding weekend, may never even need to leave the resort because there is offer so much!"

-Kristen Allen, Catering & Sales Manager

The resort is able to accommodate weddings of all sizes, from 15-200 guests! The different venues are all unique and beautiful in their own ways, and there are special elopement packages for each. For larger ceremonies & receptions, Sanderling's in-house wedding planners will work with you to create your dream wedding! 

On-site catering is also a fabulous perk of a Sanderling wedding, with the resort's creative and delicious catering menu that is full of options that you are certain to find something you love. Tastings are available for contracted couples, or you can join the Sanderling Resort at their Annual Bridal Tasting to sample food options, browse decor and get the chance to envision what your wedding could look like. 

See more of their ceremony & reception spaces below, and find wedding packages here.  

The Pavilion

Photos: Genevieve Stewart Photography & Films

Kimball's Kitchen

Photos: Neil GT Photography

Ocean Deck

Photos: Genevieve Stewart Photography & Films

Event House & Deck

Photos: Mary Basnight Photography

Keeper's Loft

Photos: Genevieve Stewart Photography & Films

To contact the Sanderling Resort, click here. You can also visit them at the OBX Wedding Fest on November 8th at both Duck Woods Country Club and Keeper's Galley at Haven on the Banks. 

Header Image: Julie Dreelin Photographer + Film Maker

Floral & Decor: Renee Landry Events

Videos: Reel Love Weddings by Baldwin Video

Jeremy Russell of Outer Banks Wedding Entertainment is the go-to-guy for your wedding entertainment needs, from walking down the aisle to the first song you dance to as a newly-wedded couple. Outer Banks Wedding Entertainment offers a variety of packages that cover DJ Services, Vocals, a Full Band and even Lighting. In addition to singing and playing music on the Outer Banks, Jeremy is also a new Board Member of the Outer Banks Wedding Association. Visit his website (www.jeremyrussellmusic.com) to find out where you can see him play next!

How long have you been playing for weddings on the Outer Banks?

I started performing for weddings about 12 years ago - playing acoustic for friends and family ceremonies at first; pursuing music, DJ-ing, and weddings full-time several years later.

What makes the Outer Banks unique and special to you?

What trends are you most excited to see in future weddings?

What makes Outer Banks Wedding Entertainment different from other vendors on the Outer Banks?

What’s one of your favorite songs to play?

What has been one of your stranger song requests?

This Member Monday, we are featuring one of our newest members, The Roanoke Bungalow. Built in the 1930s, the historic bungalow has been passed down and is now open as a Bed and Breakfast in Manteo, NC. Current owner, Cheryl Ambrose, has turned this quaint home into a beautiful destination setting on the Outer Banks. 

"The Roanoke Bungalow, a wedding venue located on beautiful Roanoke Island, and most likely the single best kept secret on the island and perfect for your uniquely intimate wedding experience. The charming setting, just a few blocks from the downtown waterfront or a few minutes from the beach, lends natural light and beauty to the outdoor ceremony and reception of your fantasies. The casual, open-aired setting, full of trees, flowers, and romantic stone walkways, is the ideal backdrop for couples who's dream wedding is both elegant and rustic."

Browse their photos, and find out more information on their website.

Photos: Brooke Mayo Photographers

Photos: Basnight Photography