Ceremony/Reception: The First Colony Inn | Coordinator: Milly Ward
Photographer: Lori Douglas Photography
Accommodations: The First Colony Inn | Catering: Tom Thumb Cookouts
Cake: Zen Pops | Flowers: Bells & Whistles
Rentals: Metro Rentals | Tent Decorator: Indehouse Designs
Officiant: Liberty Christian | Hair & Makeup: Salty Hair Salon
Entertainment: Outer Banks Music Masters
When Luke met Keaten
“Luke and I met our freshman year at UNC Chapel Hill. The first time I saw Luke was in the Dean E. Smith Center. He was on the UNC basketball team, and I was in the nosebleed seats. That same weekend a mutual friend introduced us, and we immediately hit it off. As Luke would put it, I just wanted better seats for the basketball games. Good seats aside, we quickly became inseparable, and dated all four years of college.”
A Soundside Proposal
“I was living at home on the Outer Banks and Luke came to visit for my birthday. On this particular evening, we had plans to take our dog Betty to the sound and watch the sunset. We were just about to leave when it started raining. Of course at the time, I had no idea that he was planning to propose, so I shrugged and suggested we go another time. He insisted that we wait out the rain and continue on to the sound. Just as the sun was about to set, he got down on one knee and asked if I would marry him. I was so excited that I threw my arms around him and of course I said YES! A few moments later, my family came down to the sound, champagne in hand and ready to celebrate. I think it’s safe to say that was the best birthday present I could ever ask for.”
Choosing an Outer Banks Wedding
“There were really only two options for us- Chapel Hill where we met and enjoyed four of the best years of our life together or the Outer Banks, the beautiful place where I was born and raised. Being a beach girl, it didn’t take much thought to come to the conclusion that the Outer Banks was the place for us. I knew that I wanted a September or October wedding, so we started planning for fall of 2017. We finally chose our wedding day, and went with First Colony Inn. We fell in love with the quaintness of it all there. I loved that it was such an old building and it reminded me of the old Nags Head style beach cottages that I grew up around. The First Colony Inn was unique because we were able to have everyone together in the same place, and no one had to worry about driving from ceremony to the reception, and back to the hotel. On top of that, when you book your wedding at The First Colony Inn, you are able to use the grounds for the entire weekend.
Destination DIY
“We loved the idea of being crafty and incorporating a lot of DIY things into the wedding. Fortunately for us, my Mom had some very creative and talented friends that agreed to help us on our venture. We fell in love with the idea of using mismatched vintage plates and vases, so we set out collecting china from thrift stores and borrowing some from friends. In my opinion, that’s what made the tables so elegant and unique.
Some Future Foresight
“While social media platforms like Instagram and Pinterest are very useful to help you decide what you do and don’t want for your wedding, don’t let them consume you. Try to remember to focus on the most important aspect of the wedding- you get to marry the love of your life! Your guests don’t care about the small details that will keep you up at night; they are there to celebrate the two of you, and to have a good time.” ♥
