Are weddings planned in 2011 different from 5 years ago, or even last year? Discover some of the wedding trends revealed. Visit OBXWA and discover all that the Outer Banks can offer you in a destination wedding, from premiere accomations, energizing activities, to professional wedding vendors who are expert in creating fabulous wedding experiences. Can you relate to these trends? Visit the Outer Banks Wedding Association Facebook page and let us know.

• December is still the most popular month of the year to get engaged (18%).
• Length of engagement has increased from 14 months in 2009 to 15.4 in 2011.
• The reception accounts for 36% of wedding costs, $13,367 is the average spent.
• 22% of couples have a wedding weekend, up 38% from 2009.
• 87% of couples have a rehearsal dinner.
• 86% or brides have an average of 2 or more bridal showers.
• 34% of couples have a post-wedding brunch.
• 24% of couples have a post-reception party.
• 5% of couples have multiple ceremonies.
• Nearly half of couples (48%) wed in the city or town where they currently live, with 23% returning to their family's hometown for the occasion.
• 15% of couples have a destination wedding, an increase of 25% from 2009.
• Of those having a destination wedding, they are staying an average of 6 days on location and their guests are staying 3.
• The average number of wedding reception guests is 152.
• Liquor has increased in importance with 92% including a bar, toast, or signature cocktail. Alcohol glassware gifts for groomsmen has doubled since 2009.
• Only 42% will have either a sit-down or buffet meal. Instead, couples are opting for cocktail hour (58%), passed hors d'oeuvres (46%), dessert stations (28%), food stations (19%), picnic/barbeque (5%), sushi chef (2%), wine tasting (2%), food trucks (1%) or cheese mongers (1%).
• The average age of today's bride has risen to 27 years old.

Bridal Market Statistics from Brides.com

Wedding Location: Beach Ceremony

Reception: Pelican's Landing, Corolla

Photographer: The Love Project

Cake: Great Cakes

Caterer & Bar: Coastal Provisions Market

Ceremony & Reception Music: George Wainwright, DJ Professionals & Video

Florals/Decor: OBXWeddingFlowers.com

Rentals: Ocean Atlantic Rentals

Attire: Black Tie Affair

Beauty & Spa: Eden Day Spa

The rain stopped and the sun appeared as Mandi dressed in her wedding dress. A smile filled her face as she excitedly reflected, "This is acutally happening. I am having the wedding of my dreams."

Mandi and Brian knew they wanted to have their wedding on the Outer Banks ever since they visited the long strand of beaches. They celebrated with an intimate wedding including 45 of their closest friends and family.

Photos submitted by The Love Project

Open for Business! Hatteras Island businesses are overwhelmingly excited to welcome visitors back to the Island via NC Hwy 12 this week. After nearly five weeks, the devastating road damage caused by Hurricane Irene has been repaired. With a new bridge and an improved road, Hatteras is fully operational and ready to serve you!

Through the initial calamity and confusion caused by the storm, the resilience and resourcefulness of the Hatteras Island community was astounding. While some weddings, originally planned for Hatteras during this time, were rescheduled on the Northern Outer Banks, many Hatteras Island vendors travelled to the mainland, via the resident ferry, in order to serve their clients. "We do whatever it takes!" was the attitude shared by all. On the other side of the road, the northern beach vendors were flexible, understanding, as well as generous, often making last minute reservations for rescheduled events. These vendors proved that in times of trouble, Outerbankers are hardy, resourceful, and they will always come through for their clients.

Upon returning home to Buxton from a 9/24 wedding, I met a family at a local coffee shop. They had travelled to the Island for an intimate Hatteras wedding, braving a long journey and two ferries. Despite the difficult travel arrangements, the family recounted their incredible journey that was full of helpful, flexible, and friendly service. They had the beach "all to themselves," and it was the wedding in paradise that they had envisioned.

With the storm over, the road open, and the recovery process begun, Hatteras Island vendors invite you to explore the Island paradise we call home. Unspoiled beaches that go on for
miles, a nostalgic historical setting, and the magic of the sea- it is a perfect place for an Outer Banks Wedding.

Planning a 2012 event? Come meet the friendly professional Hatteras Island vendors at the 2012 Outer Banks Bridal Expo- they're ready to make your dreams come true!

Photographer, and Hatteras Island resident, Daniel Pullen, flew over Rodanthe on 9/1/11, while flying to a wedding in Carova. He shot this photo of the breech closest to the village of Rodanthe. This is one of the several small "inlets" or "breeches" on NC 12 caused by Hurricane Irene.  

The breath-taking beauty of the Outer Banks is not the only advantage for scheduling your wedding here. Discover the superior customer service available to you through working with the professional wedding vendors of the Outer Banks Wedding Association. Tim and Cassondra of Gettysburg, PA, were married on 9/28 near the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, with Leslie Buck-Ferguson of St.'s Alive Ministries, in Rodanthe officiating the ceremony. Tim and Cassondra were able to celebrate their day and enjoy all of the natural splendor of the Outer Banks. After the wedding it seemed that they were the only ones on the beach, a truly enchanting experience. Their celebration continued with a sunset ferry ride to Ocracoke and an intimate dinner with family and friends.

Story and Photos Submitted by Kate Pullen.

You ve planned the perfect wedding, on the beach in the Outer Banks. You can feel the ocean breeze, you see the wild ponies grazing on the dunes behind the wedding party, as the sound of waves crash in the background. It s perfect. . . except for the four-wheelers racing by, inches from the ceremony. Can t blame them, they have to stay out of the tide.

When finalizing the location, date and time for your wedding, the tide charts for the Outer Banks is an essential tool to have available. The obvious reason is to know where to set up for the ceremony and to ensure your guests are not ankle-deep in the ocean. However, if you have chosen your location towards Carova, or in the northern section of the island, then the tide will also determine what time you can travel to your location, what type of vehicles your guests need available to reach the location, and who you may be sharing the location with. This area of the beach allows vehicle access, and if the tide is high, then others driving on the beach may be closer to your ceremony than you had anticipated.

Planning around the tides is quite simple, as simple as learning to read a chart. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), http://www.noaa.gov/, has the current tide charts for the Outer Banks. Without delving into the technicalities of what all the numbers mean, you want to find the date you are considering, and locate the times listed for the high and low tides and then plan accordingly. Since the tide changes every 6 hours, some proper planning will allow for you and your guests to experience your wedding without the worry of when the tide rolls in.

Wedding photography submitted by Neil GT Photography.

Spotlight on I Do Florals in Manteo.
Owner Holly Hall is excited to work with the brides that come to be married in the Outer Banks and she strives to bring their floral vision to life for their ultimate wedding experience. Holly provides floral arrangements for all of the bridal party, as well as ceremony d cor, reception d cor and centerpieces.

A floral expert for the Outer Banks since 2008, Holly began I Do Florals in 2011. Raised in California, Holly fell in love with the Outer Banks as she fell in love with her husband, a native of Manteo, and together they spent 10 years regularly returning to the area to help the family business. Now that they are settled in Manteo, Holly relates what she loves about living and working in the Outer Banks. I love the beach community, the autonomy, the unconventional and flexible job schedule and the outdoor activities.

Sound Advice As you plan your budget-conscious wedding, Holly reminds brides to reflect and to target the part of their day that is most important to them. By realizing your priorities as you plan, you will be able to spend more where it is most important and economize in other areas.

As a floral expert, Holly would like brides to understand that in today s floral market there is no seasonal deal on flowers. With the accessible world economy, she is able to obtain most flowers at any time (of course, there are exceptions to this) and therefore, although some flowers may be in season locally, they are not less expensive because of it. Further, she reminds brides to not be afraid to spend money on their bouquet. Remember, your bouquet will be in almost every photograph taken on your day.

As you investigate your options for flowers at your wedding, remember by hiring a floral expert, you have provided insurance for the what-if on the day. This allows you and your family to remove some worry and stress. Holly will make sure the flowers are fresh, arranged beautifully and arrive on time, all while you enjoy your family, guests and wedding day.

All photography submitted by 11th Hour Events.

Join the Outer Banks Wedding Association for the only Wedding Show you need. January 7-8, 2012.

During an exclusive Cocktail Reception on Saturday, January 7^th the Outer Banks Wedding Association will welcome a special guest appearance from David Tutera of WE TV's My Fair Wedding with David Tutera.

David Tutera will share tips on planning an unforgettable, personalized wedding, give a behind-the-scenes look at the most popular wedding show on TV and offer insider advice on the wedding planning industry. He will also answer questions from the audience, take photos and mingle with the guests.

Take full advantage of all that is offered during the only Wedding Show you will need with your All-Inclusive Ticket which includes the Cocktail Reception, Saturday evening 7 pm-10 pm, the Self-Guided Wedding Tour of Reception Sites and Business Open Houses on Saturday afternoon and admission into the Sunday Wedding Expo featuring over 175 Outer Banks Wedding Vendors and the Dream Wedding Giveaway. Tickets are limited, visit OBXWA today for details.

Additional tickets are available for the Cocktail Reception Only on Saturday evening (limited tickets available) or purchase tickets for the Self-Guided Wedding Tour of Reception Sites and Business Open Houses on Saturday afternoon, including admission into the Sunday Wedding Expo featuring over 175 Outer Banks Wedding Vendors and the Dream Wedding Giveaway.

Spend the weekend with us on the Outer Banks for the 14th annual Wedding Weekend, showcasing over 175 vendors experienced in creating extraordinary wedding experiences in one of America's top wedding destinations, Outer Banks, NC. Purchase your Expo Ticket today.

When you have your wedding on the Outer Banks, there are tons of fun things to do with family, friends, and your Fiance! Being the Birthplace of Aviation, the Outer Banks offers many opportunities to experience flight. This year for the Dream Wedding package, Island Shore Productions teamed up with Mary Basnight Photography and Kitty Hawk Kites to show you something unique that you can do as a pre-wedding activity that's exhilarating and an experience that will help make your wedding unforgettable!

Visit Outer Banks Wedding Association to find more about these vendors and other wedding professionals that work on the Outer Banks.

We are excited to welcome you to our new re-designed OBX Wedding Blog. Content will be posted weekly, featuring highlights of Outer Banks weddings in Real Weddings, conversations with local wedding professionals in Spotlight, informative wedding topics and advice in Outside the BoX, fun and endearing wedding tales of the unexpected in Made by You, and further informative information concerning events and happenings in the Sandbox. We have archived our previous blog posts, so if you are visiting us for the first time, be sure to explore our site.

We welcome submissions to highlight your Real Wedding. Please download and submit the 2012 OBWA Real Wedding Blog Submission by Brides to obxweddingblog@bellagurl.com, rules and submission instructions can be found on the form.

Join us on Facebook to discuss your wedding concerns, questions and ideas, we welcome your input. Be sure to bookmark our blog, because as you plan your wedding on the Outer Banks, you will be sure to find some golden nugget that will make your day that much brighter.

The Outer Banks Wedding Association is happy to announce that our 14th annual Wedding Weekend and Expo will take place on the weekend of January 6th-8th, 2012. Come meet and see hundreds of local wedding vendors at the Expo on Sunday, enjoy the self guided Wedding Tour of event homes and reception sites on Saturday, and relax during our Reception on Saturday evening. We'll be announcing further exciting details in the coming weeks and tickets will be on sale in mid-August.

View their interview.