Everything that draws people to the Outer Banks for a beach vacation – thepeace and relative isolation offered by these barrier islands – also poses logistical challenges for couples planning a magical wedding day in Dare County.

There’s a juxtaposition between that dream of golden rays of sunlight streaming down as waves lap against the shore and a voice booms out, “You may kiss the bride!”… and the reality that big-city amenities for hosting a wedding ceremony and reception are nowhere to be found.

So yes, couples will love starting their new life together here. Your guests are going to love frolicking in the sand and surf while soaking up one beautiful panoramic scene after another in this ultimate memory-maker event. But before that wedded bliss comes to pass, plenty of planning must be done, and plenty of decisions must be made:
How many guests will be attending? Indoors or outdoors? What time of year? What’s the budget? Whittling away at those details can help determine your options: Will you rent out a great local landmark? One of the enormous event houses? Or go a more straightforward route on the beach?

OUTSIDE DOESN’T MEAN INFORMAL
Several rental companies on the Outer Banks offer a remarkable array of items to give guests that fancy banquet hall feel in a beautiful natural setting.
If planning for an outdoor event, it’s important to remember that one uninvited guest – Mother Nature – is worth planning for. Weather on the Outer Banks is impossible to predict, so you need to be covered. Literally.

Tents, canopies, and gazebos can be rented in various styles and sizes to ensure everyone’s comfort during the ceremony and/or reception. Clear-top tents let the sunlight stream through. Pole tents provide an elegant setting with decorations draped from the high ceilings. Frame and canopy tents are practical choices that provide shade for those fair-haired Northern relatives complaining about the sun. Enclosure options also help you plan for wind or rain.

With tents, a couple can have one ample gathering space or multiple smaller areas for the dance floor and food and drink spots. Tables and chairs can also be set up in various ways with a wide range of styles depending on the look you’re going for.

ACCESSORIZE IT
Rental companies offer virtually unlimited options when it comes time to accessorize. Lighting in the tents can range from string lights like something out of a romantic Christmas garden to full-size crystal chandeliers to luminaries, lanterns, and floating candles. And don’t forget the disco ball for the dance floor, of course!

Columns and lattice-work stand for flower decorations or the guest book add classy touches to your space. Got lots of fun photos from the dating years? Consider adding a projector and screen to entertain guests – bonus if you can get many of them somewhere in the slide show! Consider adding fans or heaters for maximum comfort if you’re worried about the temperature.

Greenery, garlands, draperies, and table linens come in various colors (well, not the greenery) to help accentuate the color palette you’ve chosen. After all, everything looks great with that aquamarine ocean and Carolina blue sky backdrop.

For a wedding ceremony that takes place on the beach amid crashing waves, it’s hard to compete with all that natural beauty. Still, you can roll out the red carpet for the bride to walk down to an arbor or arch, which come in traditional designs as well as breathtaking beach-specific pieces modeled out of driftwood. Altars can be critical religious symbols to have in the ceremony as well.

THE BIG PICTURE
When people look back on your Outer Banks wedding, they’re always going to remember how magical the moment was, how happy you were, and how that day set the stage for your new life together.

But with careful planning and great extra touches, you can make sure they remember those other spectacular details surrounding the sun and the surf. So have fun and roll with what the day gives you – some days at the beach there are great waves for the surfers and some days there’s “Lake Atlantic” for the families with small children. That’s the beauty of the Outer Banks: Each day is perfect in its way, and adding wedding vows makes it all the more perfect.

After all, there’s only one thing prettier than the OBX – a radiant bride on her wedding day.