Ocean & Mike | October 27, 2012

What happens when hurricane Sandy strikes on your wedding day?  Well, if you had the foresight to reserve an ocean front ballroom for your reception then you can still have an ocean front ceremony (and as a bonus you get to keep the pavilion for the reception)

It may not have been the seaside ceremony this bride had been dreaming of, but it actually turned out to be a beautiful ceremony and certainly makes for a great story.

Location: Shell Island Resort, Wrightsville Beach

Wrightsville Beach Wedding Locations, Shell Island Resort Weddings

Jen & Adam | October 20, 2012

We actually met Jen and her mom at Hannah and Devin’s wedding a few weeks ago.  Jen had come down to finish a few last minute wedding details and check out the location for her ceremony and just happened to find us at Access #43 in the middle of a wedding.  After the ceremony was over Jen asked for a card and a few days later she booked us for her big day.

We ended up doing a similar set-up, but with a twist.  Jen opted for our new double-base platform, which added an additional 7 inches of height to our small pavilion and created a landing for the best man and maid of honor.    It was a really big hit!

Favorite moments included watching Jen walk down the aisle in her stunning 15 foot veil and sharing in the excitement of the first dance.  Immediately following the ceremony guests encircled the bride and groom and began blowing bubbles as Chris Johns (Wilmington’s best wedding cellist) serenaded them with A Thousand Years by Christina Perri.

Location: Wrightsville Beach, Access #43

Music: Chris Johns http://www.chrisjohnscello.com

Wrightsville Beach Weddings Access 43

Jessica & Zack | October 14, 2012

I love October weddings; great weather, quite beaches and excellent deals on oceanfront accommodations.  In addition to picking the perfect day for her beach wedding Jessica did a great job incorporating two little but important guests into her ceremony.

The flower girl and ring bearer (both under two) road down the aisle in a satin covered wagon with a “here comes the bride” sign on the back.

Instead of tying wedding bands to the  bearer’s pillow Jessica opted to fasten a small toddler toy which keep the two teething tikes happy and entertained throughout the ceremony.  What a great idea!

Location: Courtyard Marriott, Carolina Beach

Carolina Beach Weddings

Melanie & Paul | October 6, 2012

Four words to describe this wedding: well worth the wait.  The bride and groom actually dated for eight years and even attended graduate school together before making it official.

This bride did most of the wedding planning from her home in Michigan, but actually introduced me to two local vendors that I would certainly recommend to future beach brides.

The first was Will Daube an up and coming musician who serenaded guests as the bride walked down the aisle.  In addition to playing the guitar Will also plays the ukulele, piano and hand drum.

The second was the ceremony location, Atlantic Towers.  The property offers affordable ocean front condos, which are perfect for out of town guests and offer great amenities such as a large front lawn, pavilion and barbeque area ideal for group gatherings in the days leading up to a wedding.

I really enjoyed getting to know this couple and watching the sweet interactions they shared.

Location: Atlantic Towers, Carolina Beach-  http://www.atlantic-towers.com/default.asp

Musician: Will Daube – william.daube@yahoo.com

Carolina Beach Weddings

Tameron & Matt | September 29, 2012

Tameron and Matt was our second largest wedding of the year with 175 seated guests.  The location was a public access near the parents of the bride’s vacation home.  To help guests navigate their way to the ceremony the mother of the bride made the cutest signs which led guests all the way from the Holden Beach bridge to the ceremony (my favorite is posted above).

This was one of the first weddings I’ve done where the bride and groom opted for  “first look” and photos with their wedding party prior to the ceremony.  I have to admit I was a bit skeptical at first thinking it would lessen the “big moment” when the bride walked down the aisle but it actually worked really well.  The bride and groom were able to share an intimate moment together and attend cocktail hour with their guests.  Best of all Tameron actually got the opportunity to take Matt’s breath away twice on her wedding day!

Location: Holden Beach

Holden Beach Wedding Locations

Leslie & Andy | September 23, 2012

The site for Leslie and Andy nuptials was in front of one of the most amazing beach houses I’ve ever seen.  The wedding was followed by  a poolside reception courtesy of Kickstand Events and included an illuminated dance floor constructed over the pool.  Everything about this wedding was incredible but what made it extra special was the history that the couple shared.

 

Shortly after being diagnosed with a critical illness Andy proposed to his bride and told Reverend Lowe that when he recovered he wanted Lowe to officiate the wedding.  Two years later, a healthy Andy got his wish.

This wedding was a beautiful celebration for so many reasons.

Location: Topsail Beach