Interview By Emily Moliken. Submitted by Sarah D’Ambra Photographer
Venue/Reception: The Atlantis (Event Home, KDH)
Caterer: Black Pelican Catering | Cake: Confections by Lorelai
Florals/Décor: Bloom Box Queen City
Photographer: Sarah D’Ambra Photographer
Rentals: Ocean Atlantic Rentals
Longtime Lovers
When it comes to booking a wedding on the Outer Banks, one of the most popular wedding destinations in the country aside from the stray locale sporting Elvis ministers and test tube shot toasts, timing is everything. Taking care of all the details in advance is critical when vendors and venues are must be stretched to handle the influx of warm weather weddings and blushing (read sunburned) brides. For Madison Pfaff and Jake Kessel, they’ve had their love on lock for years. The lovely couple planted seeds in seventh grade. It kept their love boat afloat through high school and time spent at separate colleges to moor it here in the Outer Banks and tie the knot this past summer.
Declaring Home Base
Like so many couples who choose to wed here, Jake and Madison decided to keep their circle of friends and family close by renting The Atlantis, a shining gem of an event home in the heart of Kill Devil Hills. The 24 bedroom abode housed the lovely couple, their families, bridal and grooms parties, as well as many guests. By stretching their wedding weekend into a weeklong vacation, guests and loved ones were able to mingle and bond for several days, relaxing on the beach and taking their time to prepare for the big day (read applying aloe). Following in the footsteps of Madison’s brother Logan who married here in an event house just a few years earlier, the bride threw a slightly larger 60 guest soiree officiated by none other than Logan himself. Keeping in line with the compound-style wedding, hair and makeup and all other wedding-day prep was done at the house, fueled by all-day mimosas and take-out from a few local restaurants.
An Oceanfront Affair
Intimacy, it would seem, was the overall theme of Madison and Jake’s wedding. By boarding guests together in the space where the marriage was to take place, not only did they get a chance to spend quality time with one another, but the venue itself was comfortable and familiar by the time the big day rolled around. On a windy summer afternoon, Madison and Jake descended onto the sand, met by the eager and wet-cheeked faces of the people dearest to them. Madison carried a bouquet from Bloom Box Queen City. Guests sat in chairs and dined at tables provided by Ocean Atlantic Rentals.
Ravin’ About the Pelican
When asked to recall what her guests were most enthralled with at their wedding, aside from their eternal bond, of course, Madison says nearly all rave reviews centered around their delicious wedding meal. The Black Pelican is one of the most popular large event catering companies on the beach. The restaurant is a longtime favorite of returning vacationers year after year. Guests munched on tangy bruschetta and lump crab stuffed shrimp while sipping on cocktails carefully crafted by a couple’s close friend. For the main course, the Pelican whipped up quite the spread: a crisp Caesar salad, bacon-wrapped local jumbo scallops, tender and juicy filet medallions, an entire mashed potato bar complete with every topping known to man, and a roasted veggie medley. For those couples who have roots in the Outer Banks, whether they or locals or feel pretty close to it after coming on vacation here annually, checking out if your favorite restaurants cater as well is an easy and excellent way to bring a bit of that vacation feel and nostalgic touch to your wedding fare. Many popular restaurants on the beach have catering departments for this very reason and taking a meal that the family has every year on their summer vacation but dressing it up for your big day is a lovely and personal touch.
Country Roads, Take Me Home
Madison and Jake hail from West Virginia, so getting their friends and family all together a long way from home is not only incredibly special but something that must be documented forever. Heart Homes Film, the videographers Madison and Jake hired to memorialize this momentous occasion, went above and beyond to capture every last detail of the day. “We had them booked until nine,” Madison explains, but when the party started kicking into gear and the family pulled out their charming West Virginia tradition of a drunken chorus of John Denver’s “Country Roads, Take Me Home,” the cameras were all on them. The crew stayed beyond their allotted time to capture this hilarious nightcap, complete with guests hurtling themselves into the pool fully clothed. “We felt taken care of,” she shares, and who could ask for more?
