outdoor weddings | Carolina Destination Wedding Blog

Tips for Hosting an Outdoor Wedding

Posted by Tabitha on Mar 8, 2010 in outdoor weddings | 5 comments

Last year, I wrote a six part blog series about “Outdoor Wedding Essentials.” Considering that spring starts this month and some of you will be hosting an outdoor wedding and/or are planning an outdoor wedding for this summer, I thought it would be a good idea to highlight those outdoor wedding essentials.

In that series, I discussed the following:

the importance of checking city ordinances, especially if you are hosting a beach wedding or your wedding in a public garden or park, or a tent wedding

the importance of having a backup plan and what that plan should include

tips to combat the heat and ways to make sure your guests are comfortable

a handy gadget for combating mosquitoes and other insects

luxury portable restrooms for special events

and the lastly, the importance of hiring a wedding day coordinator to manage the logistics and setup of the day-of the wedding

Do you have a plan in place for your outdoor wedding? Who’s going to handle the logistics?

Wedding Destinations – Roanoke Island, NC

Posted by Tabitha on Dec 6, 2009 in destination weddings, nc wedding venues | 0 comments

The lovely husband and wife team, Honey and Briar of Silvas Photo, a photography and videography studio based in Charleston, submitted the following wedding video to be featured in our Carolina destination wedding series. Silvas Photo serves clients throughout the Southeast, including both North and South Carolina. Featured below is a wedding they filmed here in our coastal region in Manteo, NC.

Debra and Chad’s Wedding Highlights Video in Adrianna’s, Outer Banks North Carolina (7D) from Silvas Photo Video on Vimeo.

I first introduced you to Manteo, NC located on Roanoke Island over the summer, when I featured the Elizabethan Gardens. Hailed as one of the popular wedding destinations in the Outer Banks, Roanoke Island is a beautiful place to host a romantic and intimate destination wedding.

The island offers options to host your wedding reception waterfront at a restaurant like Adrianna’s, at quaint bed and breakfast inns, and of course, you can exchange vows beach side or at the island’s lighthouse.

Are you planning a destination wedding in the Carolinas?

Event Décor Ideas – Mason Jars Used for Lighting

Posted by Tabitha on Jul 26, 2009 in event design, outdoor weddings | 0 comments

I love mason jars and they remind me so much of my grandmother. She used them to make jams and preserves, to pickle, can or store various foods. Heck I even remember drinking lemonade and sweet ice tea out of mason jars when we were children.

So, naturally I am inspired that many brides are wanting to incorporate them into their wedding design. One of the most awe-inspiring ways I have send them used is as lighting–candle holders and lanterns.

Here are a few inspiring ideas I found on the Internet and wanted to share with you of how you can use mason jars as lighting for your event.

In the photo to the left, the designer used a manzanita branch as the base and then adorned it with rose pomanders and hanging mason jar candles.

What I love about this is that the designer combined both the flowers and the mason jar candles. Truth be told the design would have looked very nice with either the mason jar candles or the rose pomanders alone, but the designer took it a step further by using both. Don’t you just love it?

This is a simple, elegant and inexpensive way to decorate your wedding ceremony using mason jars. I really like the idea of using mason jars as aisle decoration whether it’s to hold flowers or candles, though I really like the candles a lot because of the warm and romantic ambiance it creates. On that note, candles for an outdoor wedding ceremony work best if your ceremony will take place in the late evening.

This is another great way to use mason jars to add lighting to an outdoor wedding. Now, just imagine if you setup a lounge area under a tree like this that has been decorated with mason jar laterns and kissing balls. Here’s a visual for you.

What I like about this last photo is that it peaks one’s interest or curiosity. It’s like what’s that over there and as you can see the mason jars serve the same function as your typical candle holders, providing the perfect lighting to attract guests to this focal point. In case you are wondering, those are glass ornament favors, which have been displayed on grapevine trellises. Lovely idea!!

Photo Sources: Manzanita branch with mason jars – DC Nearly Weds; Photos of the ceremony and lounge area by MQ Photography; Photos of mason lanterns in the tree and with the glass ornament favors (last photo) – Beautiful Days Event’s blog

Destination Weddings – Elizabethan Gardens

Posted by Tabitha on Jul 14, 2009 in destination weddings, nc wedding venues, outdoor weddings | 0 comments

As mentioned a couple of days ago here, I have decided to launch a new blog series where I will highlight places to host a destination wedding in North Carolina each week. Naturally, I have decided to start with destination wedding locations in Eastern North Carolina primarily because I am based here in the eastern region.

First up on my list is a treasure located in Manteo, NC which is a town located on Roanoke Island in the Outer Banks. The reason I have decided to start with Manteo is that I recently had a bride email to ask if I knew of a place on the coast where she could host a garden wedding. The first place I thought of was Elizabethan Garden.

Elizabethan Garden was founded by the Garden Club of North Carolina, Inc. and is located on the same site where the first colonist settled, hence the name “Elizabethan”. The garden is open seven days a week all year long. The place is truly a “jewel.”

The setting is so beautiful and is a great location to host a garden wedding on our coast. Whether you are looking to have a small and intimate wedding of 20 guests or a large outdoor wedding of up to 400 guests, Elizabethan Garden features several locations on-site to host both your wedding ceremony and reception, including a “16th century-style gazebo that overlooks Roanoke Sound,” a perfect backdrop for your wedding. In addition, they do have an indoor reception facility that will accommodate up to 100 guests. To learn more about the “jewel” of Roanoke Island, please click here.

Photo Source: Elizabethan Garden

NC Barn Weddings – The Barn at Valhalla

Posted by Tabitha on Jun 18, 2009 in green weddings, nc wedding venues, outdoor weddings | 0 comments

As mentioned here, this week I wanted to feature a couple venues where you can host a barn wedding here in North Carolina.

Next on my list of North Carolina wedding barns is The Barn at Valhalla located in Chapel Hill, NC. This barn is truly a treasure and is set in a very natural and serene setting.

Featured below is a fall wedding that took at the Barn at Valhalla shot by Silvas Photo, an awesome photography and videography studio owned by husband and wife team, Honey and Briar. They are based out of Charleston, SC and serve bridal couples worldwide. Please be sure to check out their blog!

How beautiful is that walkway!

What I love most about this venue is this gorgeous outdoor fireplace. It is the perfect focal point for an outdoor wedding and it’s very warm and inviting. Wouldn’t you agree?

Finally, this is a photo of the inside of the barn. The Barn at Valhalla is a great wedding venue to host a green wedding, outdoor wedding, fall wedding, or a combination of them all.

NC Barn Weddings – The Fearrington Barn

Posted by Tabitha on Jun 15, 2009 in green weddings, nc wedding venues | 1 comment

Rustic barn wedding are becoming an increasingly popular wedding venue option for many bridal couples. Especially for couples who are planning a green wedding and for those that desire to have a classic southern style wedding or an authentic fall inspired wedding. So, this week I thought it would great to feature a few places where you can host a barn wedding here in North Carolina.

My first featured barn wedding venue is located on a histroric diary farm in Pittsboro, NC (just outside of Chapel Hill, NC). This historic barn at the Fearrington is ideal for bridal couples hosting a wedding for 150 to 300 guests. It is a great place to host both a formal and an informal southern wedding. So, if you are planning to have southern destination wedding here in the Tarheel state, then you must check out the many venue options that are available at The Fearrington Place. Stay tuned for more!

Photo Source: The Fearrington Place

Outdoor Wedding Essentials: Wedding Day Coordinator

Posted by Tabitha on Apr 6, 2009 in outdoor weddings | 0 comments

This post will conclude my series on outdoor wedding essentials. The last, but certainly not the least, outdoor wedding essential is that you need to hire a wedding day specialist to manage the logistics and setup the day-of your wedding.

By hiring a wedding day specialist, he or she will be able to assist you with pointing out logistical problems beforehand as well as be equipped to troubleshoot issues that may arise the day-of your wedding.

I am intentionally keeping this post short because I will talk more about the importance of hiring a wedding day coordinator in this week’s new blog series, DIY Wedding Planning, where I will address a couple concerns and offer you more practical advice. Stay tuned!

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