By Bob Decker, RD Decker Photography

Don’t wait too long before booking your favorite vendors. In the past, January and February were the big booking months for Crystal Coast wedding vendors. But lately couples are booking their vendors far in advance of their wedding date…sometimes as much as 12 to 18 months early! If you put off meeting and booking venues, photographers, entertainment and other “one wedding per day” vendors you may have to settle for you second, third or even fourth choice.

Getting the vendor of your dreams isn’t the only advantage to booking early. Like all businesses, wedding vendors need to adjust prices to match increased costs and as demand for their unique services grow. Most vendors will raise prices at least once a year, some adjusting prices semi-annually or even quarterly. By booking sooner you could enjoy a significant cost savings.

Here’s an interesting article from the San Francisco Gatedetailing one California bride’s journey to make her wedding eco-friendly–and save a bit of money. While some of the details apply to Northern California, we think her experience is applicable to any wedding. Help save the environment and wear and tear on your budget.

E.H.

By Eric Hause, Producer of the Crystal Coast Wedding Salon

Today’s bride knows that it is impossible to put a price tag on love. And believe it or not, many brides are looking at drive-to destination weddings as a way to economize and yet still have the wedding of their dreams.

Many brides think of a destination wedding as cost prohibitive, but the truth of the matter is that they can cost less than traditional weddings. This may be advantageous to brides and grooms who are feeling the effects of today’s economic crunch. For example, in 2008, the average traditional wedding cost $27,000, while the average destination wedding cost $16,500.
 
While exotic destinations abroad continue to be popular wedding sites, many brides today are looking for that same ambiance closer to home for less.  Each year, hundreds of brides find that North Carolina’s Crystal Coast is the ideal location for a spectacular destination wedding, especially during the current economic squeeze.

“We’ve seen destination weddings on the Crystal Coast holding steady in most cases, and actually growing in others,” said Eric Hause, producer of the Crystal Coast Wedding Salon, a destination wedding showcase in January, 2010.  “The rough times have not really affected brides who want a magical wedding at an exotic beach location like the Crystal Coast.”

Hause reports that most brides planning a Crystal Coast destination wedding live within a four-hour drive of the Crystal Coast. “They are enamored by the idea of packing up their car, inviting their closest friends and family, and coming to the beach for their wedding,” he said.  “They not only love the area, but know they can have their dream wedding at a fraction of the cost of a traditional event at home or nuptials in much more distant locale.”

Here’s why:

Destination weddings automatically mean a smaller guest list. While brides planning traditional weddings often feel obligated to invite everyone in town, destination brides often limit their guests list to family and only closest friends. The size of the average traditional wedding is 165 guests, while Crystal Coast destination weddings average 75 to 100 guests.

Destination weddings are often combined with the honeymoon.The wonderful advantage of having a Crystal Coast wedding is that the wedding and honeymoon can often be combined into one vacation (often called a weddingmoon). For example, by renting a Crystal Coast vacation home for one week, brides can hold their wedding and reception on Saturday, then enjoy a quiet week at the beach through the following Saturday.  Often, some of the wedding guests and family will stay the week as well, enjoying an extended vacation with the newlyweds.

Destination weddings are not bound by traditional wedding conventions.A Crystal Coast beach wedding can be an informal affair, offering flexibility with the wedding gown and some of the other traditional wedding accoutrements that add up. For that reason, a Crystal Coast destination wedding is a popular alternative for second weddings, vow renewals, or those who prefer less tradition.

Travel costs need not be prohibitive. Crystal Coast destination brides and their wedding parties who live within driving distance of the beach save on flight and other exorbitant travel costs. In addition, by planning a weekday or off–season wedding, brides and their wedding guests can take advantage of lower lodging rates.

North Carolina’s Crystal Coast is an exotic wedding destination in its own right.Miles of unspoiled beaches, luxurious vacation homes and resorts, talented wedding professionals, and a wealth of natural beauty have captured the hearts of hundreds of couples who come here to be married each year. “Plus, there’s plenty to do for your wedding party from museums and charter fishing to golf or just enjoying the beach,” said Hause.

To explore all the Crystal Coast has to offer brides, makes plans to attend the Crystal Coast Wedding Salon, January 8-10, 2010, in Atlantic Beach.

By Eric Hause, Publisher of Crystal Coast Bride Magazine

Oceanfront weddings are beautiful and romantic. They also require a bit of extra planning. Here are a few tips from Crystal Coast Bride Magazine.

• ALWAYS HAVE A BACKUP PLAN. Please do not plan the most memorable day of your life without considering Plan B! Set a specific time for the final weather call and have your plan ready for action if necessary. Make sure you know specifically how you will inform your guests should you have to go to Plan B.

• CONSIDER YOUR GUESTS. Take a close look at your guest list and know how far they will have to walk to your beach ceremony. Include maps in your wedding invitations. If some of your guests are elderly or handicapped, make sure you provide assistance. Also, think about restrooms, water, and other comfort needs for your guests.

• KNOW WIND SPEEDS AND DIRECTIONS ON YOUR WEDDING DAY Check a weather web site or local forecast and be prepared as wind is notoriously fickle on the Crystal Coast. Fall north winds could carry insects from the sound and marsh, so prepare with insect repellent. Summer southerly winds could make for a blustery beach wedding.

• KNOW TIMES OF TIDES AND SUNSET ON YOUR WEDDING DAY. Avoid ceremonies at high tide if possible as you will have very little dry beach in certain areas on the Crystal Coast. Chairs should be set up about one hour before your ceremony if the tide is coming in, so you can gauge where the tide line will be during your ceremony. Plan your ceremony 1-2 hours prior to sunset for the best photography light. Discuss natural lighting with your photographer to establish the best time for you.

• CONSIDER THE ELEMENTS WHEN PLANNING YOUR FLORALS so that they will hold up during your ceremony. Your florist should be able to assist you with selections that work well on the beach at any given time of year. Potted tropical foliage lends an exotic air to any beach wedding and can be reused following the ceremony.

• BUY INSURANCE if your wedding is during hurricane season. While rare, nothing will ruin your wedding day more quickly than a mandatory hurricane evacuation with no financial recourse.

• CRYSTAL COAST BEACHES ARE PUBLIC PLACES and you may have to contend with beachgoers near your ceremony site. While most people are respectful and excited to be a part of such a special occasion, you can schedule your ceremony late in the day to minimize the impact.

The Crystal Coast is not only known for the natural green hue of the water and the warm beige tone of the sand but also for the relaxed refreshed feeling that comes over you with your first breath of salt air.  To incorporate that feeling into your reception here are some tips on creating a comfortable lounge space.

What will I need?

One of the hottest party rental trends is lounge furniture.  It brings a modern yet casual feeling to any wedding reception.  It can be a pricey rental piece but one you and you’re your guests will surely remember and worth every penny!  Most rental companies will deliver, set-up and break down lounge furniture so you don’t have to do the heavy lifting.

Where?

Indoor or outdoors.  It can be a place guest’s gather for a cocktail or for a quieter conversation after dinner.  There is no bad place for a lounge area.  Visit your reception site with your wedding planner or with a representative from the rental company to determine the best place for your lounge.  If you’re planning an outdoor lounge area you might want to think about patio heaters for a cool night or a small tent to create a more intimate space.   

Lounge furniture is usually available in a natural color (tan or ivory) with the option of renting custom pillows to compliment your event decor.  Keep in mind that rental companies may have certain safety rules for placing lounge furniture around pools or on top floor decks.  So pay close attention to your rental agreement.

Use it!

Your big day will be a long one and you’ll be tired by the time the last piece of cake is served.  So stroll over to the lounge area with a cocktail and share a moment with your sweetie, shoes optional.

Submitted by Jamie Wax,
Island Essentials
Emerald Isle, NC

You’ve put a lot of work into your wedding, not to mention having spent a lot of hard earned money to make it perfect.  You carefully selected the perfect photographer; one that’s professional, reliable, experienced and creative.  But if you’re like most couples you don’t know the secrets to insuring your wedding photographs will be all they can.  So here’s a simple list of things to help you get great wedding photos from your very special day.

I’m sure there are a lot of things that could be added to this list, but I think these are the most important.  As a wedding photographer I’m there to make you look your best and to create a nice documentary of your wedding day.  While I may be an artist and/or craftsman, I’m certainly not a magician.  Great photos are a product of teamwork between the photographer and the subjects.  Following a few simple guidelines can help insure your wedding day photos are the best they can be.

Submitted by:

Bob Decker
R. D. Decker Photography
Newport, North Carolina