Pulling a wedding together comes down to two things: having a great plan and having patience. You need the plan in order to pull everything together.

© Shelley Chamberlin Photography

You need the patience so that, while every formerly reasonable person that you know has suddenly lost their minds, you don’t join in the lunacy and screw up your plans. So take a deep breath and get ready to plan. And the great news is: like everything else in today’s world, there are internet sites out there to help you make this dream become a reality. So keep reading and I will lead you to them.

© Shelley Chamberlin Photography

So let’s talk about some of the formalities first. The State of North Carolina does not have Justice of the Peace. Rather, the people who can perform a wedding service in North Carolina are either a priest, minister or a magistrate. So, depending where along the 130 miles of beaches you choose for your Outer Banks beach wedding, you will need to contact the Register of Deeds for that particular county. The phone numbers for each of the counties are as follows:

© Shelley Chamberlin Photography

• Currituck County (Corolla) 252-232-3297
  
  
• Dare County (Duck to Hatteras Village) 252-473-2010
  
  
• Hyde County (Ocracoke) 252-926-3011

In order to get a wedding license, both parties must be present at the Register of Deeds office and must present the following information:

• Picture ID
  
  
• Social Security Card or another document that has your social security number such as a pay stub or W-2
  
  
• Birth Certificate if under the age of 21
  
  
• If Divorced, your divorce papers
  
  
• Fee: $50

The license is good for 60 days.

Now that the basics are out of the way, let’s get to the planning stage. There are some basic steps in planning any wedding, let alone an Outer Banks beach wedding, so let’s address the basic steps first. The basic steps for a successful wedding are:

• Appoint a planner
  
  
• Prepare "The List"
  
  
• Be Realistic
  
  
• Delegate
  
  
• Investigate
  
  
• Recognize who’s important

Ok, now that you have the general rules, we have to modify it, because this is no "traditional" wedding, this is an Outer Banks beach wedding. So what are the things you need to consider that never comes into play in a traditional church wedding? So, here are some considerations you must account for unique to a beach wedding:

© Shelley Chamberlin Photography

• Are wedding permitted on the beach you’ve selected?
  
  
• What time of day have you planned your wedding?
  
  
• What is the tide schedule (follow to a chart) ?
  
  
• Is it a time of year when the smell may be unpleasant?
  
  
• Will onlookers other the direct guest be permitted?
  
  
• How is the bug situation (mosquitoes, green flies, etc.)?

And for a more complete list and possible solutions, to those things that need to be considered for a beach wedding, you may want to check out Memorable Beach Weddings orBeach Wedding Ideas.com. Both of these sites are specifically tailored to the beach wedding, and have everything from wedding attire specific to beach weddings, to ideas for the ceremony and reception to beach wedding favors. Everything you need to consider to make you dream wedding come true.

Outer Banks Wedding Professionals

Now, as you begin planning that Outer Banks destination wedding, you may need some help in finding people to help make that dream come true. Below is a list of several wedding professions. Click on the link to find an alphabetical list with addresses and phone numbers for each of the following suppliers.

• Wedding Planners
• Wedding Officiants
• Outer Banks Spas and Salons
• Wedding Reception Halls
• Outer Banks Photographers

Still not quite everything you are looking for to create your Outer Banks Beach Wedding? Relieve some of that wedding planning stress! For a complete guide on all aspects of planning a wedding, visit the wedding etiquette section on Practical Etiquette. Whether you are the lucky couple or someone attending the wedding, Practical Etiquette will supply you with the proper guidance to ensure a wonderful time.

Finally, as you work through your plans for your Outer Banks beach wedding, you may want to consult with the Outer Banks Wedding Association where you can find specific service providers, such as caterers, disc jockeys, locations to have your wedding and reception, and all of the other people who will be needed to bring this altogether.

But remember, as overwhelming as it may feel at times, always go back to your plan and lean on your patience, and, oh yeah, make sure the groom-to-be has that honeymoon lined up!

Congratulations and best of luck for a great future together.

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