3 "Must-Do" Tips for Outer Banks Wedding Weekend + Expo

 

January 9th and 10th the Outer Banks Wedding Association will be hosting their annual Wedding Weekend + Expo!  Tickets and information are available online. To those attending the show, here are three things you should plan on doing in order to avoid information overload.

 

 

 

 

1.  Purchase your tickets early to avoid standing in line when the doors open on Sunday, January 10th.

 

2.  Pre-print your name and address information on small stickers to avoid writing it repeatedly at the show.  Placing your sticker in the "would like more information" sign-up sheets at the various booths of vendors you find interesting is a timesaver.

 

3.  Bring your camera!  Everybody has one these days and it's a great tool to use at the show.  If you find a booth you are interested in learning more from but don't have time to stop and talk,take a photo to use as a reference point just in case the show closes before you've had a chance to meet with that professional.  Later, back at your hotel room, you'll have the images you can refer too.

 

Tips you would like to share?  Leave a suggestion here ...

 

 

Many of today's couples are facing the same question. Do we need or should we have an engagement photo session? If you are facing this same thought and are still unsure, then consider the following information before you make your final decision. For anyone who is married, you can still consider having this style of photo shoot as part of your anniversary celebration too. The couple below did just that...they requested an engagement session "with a twist" as part of their fifth wedding anniversary. Congrats to Linsey + Chad!

 

An engagement session is a great way to get to know your photographer, develop and build trust/rapport with your photographer and to become familiar with your photographer's style of shooting. The engagement shoot is designed for you to experience your time together in a fun, light hearted way and, at the same time, it will include some romantic moments that can show the intensity of love shared between you two. How many professional images of you with your loved one do you have in your apartment, home or office that show all the facets of your relationship in high quality imagery? I'm not talking about the snap shots your friends took of you two at the latest outing or the couple's shot with you holding the camera at arms-length away, high overhead. Those are great, fun candid images to be treasured, no argument from me. But what I'm talking about is something more.

 

 

The engagement session is all about YOU! Be creative about what you wear, where you decide to shoot, time of day and what it really is about you two as a couple that makes you two click. Bring your dog to the shoot or maybe some wine while walking under the pier? Also, look to other websites for inspiration. Remember, the engagement shoot is a time for your photographer to learn about you and for you to build trust and rapport with your photographer...all before the big day. But who said you couldn't have fun too? Once you've invested your time and have seen the final results, you'll be glad you had your engagement photos taken.

 

 

 

 

 

 

More to come on what to do with the engagement images now that you've had the photo session.

 

--Mary Basnight

outer banks wedding photographer
www.marybasnight.com
mary@marybasnight.com
www.marybasnightKIDS.com
http://OuterBanks.Weddings.com featured blogger for The Knot

 

 

Planning your bridal portrait session with your photographer is the secret to getting the style of bridal portrait you want.

 

 

 

First, have your hair and make-up trial runs scheduled for the same day as your bridal portrait. This will give you an idea of how the whole ensemble will look prior to the big day and, if there's something you want to tweak, you now have time to do some tweaking to get the look you really want.

 

Second, go into the bridal portrait session with a purpose. If having the 24x36 wall portrait of yourself gazing down at your bouquet isn't your style, that's ok. Many of the brides I've worked with in the past are not interested in the bridal portrait for themselves but their mother's have been the one's who wanted that image for their home. As your photographer, I listen and want to take care of both needs....the mothers and the bride's. If you are more interested in a fashion style shoot, we can do that too. Communication is key so ask questions, brings ideas with you and share what it is you want to receive from the session or, if it's easier, what it is you do not want to receive.

 

Lastly, be BOLD! If there's ever a time in your life where vanity is a "good thing" it's during your bridal portrait session. Your photographer will love you for it!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The bridal portrait session is steeped in tradition but doesn't have to be stuffy, all posed and the like. Depending upon the desired results that have been discovered and shared from the planning session, there can be a fashion twist added into the session that meets the tastes of both the bride and her mother. The traditional portrait can highlight the bride in her gown while the fashion twist can highlight the bride's personality while wearing her gown. Both go well together!

 

 

♥ LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION ♥ Imagine your wedding day and reception with the ocean as the backdrop. Wide expansive beaches, sea gulls floating on the wind, the warmth of the sun and a beautiful house by the sea are the perfect combination for the wedding of your dreams. Village Realty can make that dream wedding a reality in one of their many exquisite rental homes. With the beach just steps away, it's not hard to picture yourself taking your vows as a gentle sea breeze lifts your veil and cools your guests. Your wedding photos will include the unspoiled natural beauty of the Outer Banks - rolling waves, sand dunes topped with graceful sea oats, and wide, pristine beaches. The Carolina blue skies are cloudless more often than not, and the purposeful limitation of bright night time lighting makes the stars in the evening sky sparkle like celestial fireworks. No wonder the Outer Banks is the number two wedding destination in the country

 

 

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A 175 mile long barrier island, the Outer Banks is a natural wonder. In an oceanfront beach house, the sound of the surf will gently wake you in the morning and lullaby you to sleep at night. Conch shells and beach glass decorate the landscape and wild horses freely roam the northernmost beaches. It just doesn't get more romantic than this.

 

♥ LUXURY ♥ Village Realty offers the best of beach. Choose from an array of elite properties with as many as 12 bedrooms and 11 bathrooms. Lush landscaping sets the stage for what awaits you inside. Luxury homes include amenities such as elevators, wet bars, heated pools, saunas, gourmet kitchens, designer furnishings, state-of-the-art theater rooms and game rooms, hot tubs, Jacuzzis, custom tile, marble foyers, and soaring ceilings. Celebrate the most important day of your life in a home fully equipped and designed to meet your every need.

 

 

If you aren't planning on being married on the beach, visualize your wedding and reception poolside as guests toast to your happiness in the warmth of the sun or under a canopy of stars. If the weather isn't cooperating, you can easily move the festivities inside your spacious and beautifully decorated home.   

 

♥ VALUE ♥ Renting a beach home is a great value. House your wedding party and family under one roof for one price. Compared to other options, the per person, per night cost can be significantly lower by staying in a rental home. Our large kitchens plus additional kitchenettes allow you and your guests to purchase and prepare anything you want, anytime you want. Kitchens are fully equipped with everything you need to dine in, entertain, or just make a snack. Your guests, especially those with children, will also appreciate the opportunity to wash and dry their bathing suits, beach towels and clothing.

 

 

 

Take a break and relax with a movie and popcorn in your home theater, or lounge by the pool. Stretch out in your master suite and soak your cares away in your Jacuzzi tub. Large rooms and multiple floors and decks allow for plenty of elbow room for everyone to gather.

 

♥ CONVENIENCE ♥ Make it easy on yourself and your guests. Renting a beach home for your wedding is the ultimate in convenience. Linens and towels (even for the kitchen) are provided for all rental homes and beds are made. We even include a starter supply of kitchen and toiletry items. The kitchen facilities can accommodate your caterer; there are multiple rest rooms; free parking; instant access to your personal belongings; plenty of options to keep children occupied and supervised (theater and game room); the beach and pool are in your backyard; and if you want the party to last longer - it's your house - party on - you're already home!

 

 

 

 

 

 

♥ PRIVACY ♥ You and your guests will enjoy the privacy of your own pool, your own hot tub, and your own private walkway to the beach. Swim whenever you wish because the pool is always open. So is the kitchen, the game room and the bar!  Have your rehearsal dinner catered in your beautiful home and enjoy it in your own elegant dining room.

 

 

 

On the big day, you and your wedding party can dress in the privacy of your home. No rushing and no wrinkled dresses from riding in a car to the venue. Not having to share your wedding location with another bride or event is another big plus - your wedding is the only event taking place at your location. 

 

 

If you are looking for an unforgettable wedding or reception location that is loaded with amenities, is cost effective, convenient and private, let the professionals at Village Realty help you find the perfect beach house. We are known for our extraordinary customer service and attention to detail. Call either our Nags Head or Corolla office and we promise to help you make your dreams come true.

 

 

--by Karen McCalpin

Images (c) 2009 Village Realty

All Rights Reserved.

 

Images (c) Mary Basnight Photography

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you are looking for a wedding venue that offers the perfect combination of a romantic, historic inn complete with the plush amenities of a modern hotel, your first choice should be the First Colony Inn. For more than 75 years, this one-of-a-kind historic treasure has welcomed guests to Nags Head with traditional southern hospitality. Opened in 1932, the First Colony Inn was "the place to be" when vacationing members of Albemarle society came to the Outer Banks. By 1988, the property had changed hands and was in imminent danger of being washed away by the Atlantic Ocean. The Lawrence family saved the historic building by having it moved to a safer location in three separate sections, and lovingly restored it to its former glory. Today, the First Colony Inn is a masterpiece of Outer Banks history, filled with personality and character.

 

 

 

 

Two stories of wrap-around verandas and rocking chairs invite you and your guests to relax and rock to the rhythm of the nearby ocean. Sun, salt air and ocean breezes will warm your heart and stir your senses. Although the First Colony is on the National Register of Historic places, and great care has been taken to maintain its Old Nags Head charm, the Inn is also chic and comfortably sophisticated. A complementary hot breakfast is provided, served in the beautifully appointed John White room. Each standard guest room is stylishly decorated with antique furniture, and includes a refrigerator, television, phone, and tiled bath with heated towel bars. Upgrades are available that include Jacuzzi tubs, wet bars, and private porches. Whether you need just a few rooms or the entire twenty-six room Inn for your wedding party, family, and guests - the First Colony Inn will surround your guests with Southern charm and warmth.

 

 

 

 

 

The perfectly manicured lawns can accommodate even the largest tent for your reception. Lush, colorful, and fragrant flowers spring from pots, flower beds, and covered doorways. Over the years, the First Colony Inn has been the site of many weddings and receptions. Our experienced staff provides world class service as well as expert advice on the selection of wedding professionals. The result is a unique destination wedding that your guests will be talking about for years to come.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the First Colony Inn, your family and wedding guests can be as busy or as laid back as they choose. Whether they are staying for a few nights or a week, there is something available for every age and interest. Play games, access the Internet, relax in the Inn's library, swim in the crystal blue private pool or walk to the beach on the Inn's private boardwalk. Fitness minded guests can work out for free at the nearby, state-of-the art YMCA. The adventurers in your group can scale Jockey's Ridge, explore Pea Island Wildlife Refuge or climb the Bodie Island, Hatteras or Currituck Beach Lighthouses. Taking a tour to see the magnificent wild horses of Corolla is guaranteed to be an unforgettable experience and the golfers in your group can challenge their best game at any of the eight area championship golf courses. There are endless choices for dining, offering everything from fresh locally caught seafood to exotic ethnic cuisine. Shop 'til you drop at the Tanger Outlets, historic Manteo and hundreds of specialty shops. Thirsty? There is plenty of nightlife at a wide variety of taverns, clubs, and bars where talented local musicians can play everything from beach to alternative music.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gracious southern style and tradition, attention to detail, and superior service are what you will find at the First Colony Inn. We know that your wedding day is the most important day of your life and our expert staff will always go above and beyond to be sure that your experience exceeds your expectations. When you choose our Inn for your special day, we will provide you and your guests with unparalleled memories.

 

Immerse yourself in the charm of Old Nags Head at the First Colony Inn. Visit our website at www.FirstColonyInn.com for a glimpse of how the richness of the past can combine with the amenities of the present.

 

 

We've spent years preparing for your special day.

 

 

--by Karen McCalpin

Images (c) 2009 First Colony Inn.  All Rights Reserved.