01/18/13

Calling All Brides!

As a new year gets underway, many newly engaged couples travel to the Outer Banks to participate in the OBX Wedding Expo, an annual event drawing a sizeable crowd of eager brides. Throughout the weekend, couples will have an opportunity to explore venues, speak with wedding vendors, and sample delicious cuisine! After attending the Expo, brides will have a better understanding of the many options that are available for a dream destination wedding along the shores of the Outer Banks!

Having options as to the way your special day will unfold is great! Once you start fine tuning the details of your wedding day, there are a few things to consider. …Where will the wedding ceremony take place? What time of day would you like to get married? Who will serve as your officiant? Will you have attendants?

In order to assist in the planning of that magical moment, Rev. Tanya Young, an experienced officiant on the Outer Banks, has this bit of advice for any bride planning a wedding at the beach during the warm summer months:

Your Outer Banks ceremony should be no longer than 30 minutes which would include the processional and recessional. Guests will start gathering on the oceanfront 15- 30 minutes prior to the ceremony and may want to linger afterwards. However, they should not be held on the beach any more than one hour due to the heat of the summer months. I would suggest between 6 and 7 p.m. for ceremonies June- August and 6 to 5 p.m. at all other times. Spring and fall are beautiful times and often ceremonies are held from 11 a.m. onward. A sunrise ceremony is also possible but should include a small amount of guests.

Be sure to check out Rev. Tanya Young’s website for many helpful resources for Outer Banks’ brides!

Congratulations and we’ll see you at the beach!


01/11/13

Fan Photo Friday

It’s the perfect time of year to start planning your dream destination wedding at the beach! Attend the OBX Wedding Expo in Kill Devil Hills on January 19th & 20th and have a chance to explore venues, chat with vendors, and sample delicious eats! Check out the Expo program for details and a full schedule…

Photo submitted by Aubrey Kovolenko to our Facebook page.


12/26/11

Tips For Having Your Wedding At A Vacation Rental Home

Bramasole Wedding

A Surf or Sound Realty vacation rental home can be a fabulous locale for a Hatteras Island wedding, rehearsal dinner, or reception. With all the amenities you’ll need for an exceptional event right at home, many couples find that rental home weddings are simpler and more laid back than the average wedding. Perhaps best of all, you can enjoy your home, and your vacation, long after the reception is over.

Before you book your dream home, however, there are a few key questions and tips to bear in mind as you browse through our portfolio of vacation homes that allow weddings and special events.

Think about the amenities you’ll need: Would it be convenient to have multiple wet bars or an elevator? Do you need easy access to the beach for an oceanfront ceremony? Jot down a list of the amenities that would be the most beneficial, and use it as a guideline as you narrow your search.

Think about benefits and restrictions: The joy of using a rental home for a wedding event is that it’s perfect for intimate wedding parties of a couple dozen family member and friends. Wedding homes are not conducive, however, for large affairs with several hundred guests. If your island wedding is a grand scale celebration, look into local island sites that cater to large events, and simply book a vacation home to enjoy before and after the celebration.

Think about accommodations for your guests: A benefit of having a wedding or reception at a vacation home is that many Surf or Sound Realty homes are grouped together in small communities and neighborhoods, making it easy for your guests to find accommodations for their visit. While booking your home, send an email or card to your guests letting them know where your vacation home is located, and allowing them to find appropriate lodgings nearby. Your guests can also call us at (800) 237-1138, and our vacation specialists will be happy to help them find the right rental home, near the ceremony or reception site, for their island stay.

Think about a second week: Because the majority of vacation rental homes are Saturday to Saturday or Sunday to Sunday rentals, it might be a good idea to book two weeks, giving the wedding party plenty of time to prepare before the ceremony, and plenty of time to relax and enjoy their vacation afterwards.

Above all else, consider what your dream wedding entails, and use that information to decide if a rental home is a good fit. If you’re planning an intimate island ceremony and reception that’s simple but tasteful, then a vacation rental home might just be the perfect fit.


01/7/09

Visit Surf or Sound Realty at the Outer Banks Wedding Expo and Wedding Tour

The Outer Banks Wedding Expo is being held January 10-11, and Surf or Sound Realty is delighted to be a part of the region’s largest wedding expo of 2009.

On Saturday, January 10th, we invite brides-to-be and their families to stop by our spotlight wedding tour home #553 Seas the Day, located in Salvo in the upscale Hattie Creef subdivision. (Click here to view the floor plans of the home.) This stunning 8 bedroom oceanfront home will be open for the public to tour from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday. Appetizers, courtesy of the Inn at Pamlico Sound, will be available at the home. Information about our wedding homes and maps will be available at the home and also at our two offices located in Avon and Salvo. We encourage everyone to stop by and check out this impressive representative of our portfolio of premier vacation homes. Continue reading


10/8/08

Picture of the Week

Surf or Sound Realty’s own Vanessa Gagliano, now Vanessa Paxton, makes a beautiful beach bride as she says her vows in the sand.