Beach Wedding Tip #9

Young Ringbearers
It's true that little boys all dressed up as ringbearers in your wedding are irrestistably cute, but if they're very young, we suggest you give them mock rings to carry up the aisle. A wedding ring lost in the sand is a wedding disaster! You or your attendants should hold the real rings while still including your young family members in your ceremony.

Beach Wedding Tip #8

Keep the kids occupied!
Children are a wonderful part of a wedding, and love to be included! But let's face it, they can't sit still through the ceremony. They lose interest and they get ansy. To keep them occupied during your beach wedding, pass out shovels and pails to the little ones. You can have them passed out ahead of time, or leave them at the end of the walkway to be picked up on their way out to the beach. They'll stay entertained and quiet while they're playing in the sand. Trust me! It works! And shovels and buckets are very inexpensive!

Beach Wedding Tip #7

Make your guests feel welcomed!
Meet your guests at the airport or hotel. If you can't, have a family member meet them. Put together a welcome basket or bag for each family with a personal note or letter from the couple and a small gift (maybe a souvenir that says Ocean Isle Beach, NC). Include the agenda (times and places of get-togethers, rehearsal, wedding, reception), cookies or crackers, bottled water, local maps, Visitor's Guide, etc. This small touch will make your guests feel welcomed from the moment they arrive here. Beach Bliss Weddings makes welcome bags!

Beach Wedding Tip #6

Sunset Weddings
In Ocean Isle Beach we can proudly say we have some of the most beautiful sunsets. Many people dream of a wedding portrait with numerous hues of pinks and oranges behind them. While a few photos with the sun setting are wonderful, it is important to keep in mind the sky is darker a whole half hour before the sun actually sets. This is also the length of a typical wedding ceremony. Hmmm...what to do? For the best ceremony photos, I recommend setting the ceremony starting time at least an hour and a half prior to the time the sun will set. This way your ceremony pictures have good lighting without the long shadows cast in the setting sun. If you've got your heart set on that gorgeous sunset portrait, plan to keep your photographer on-site after the ceremony for photos. For sun rising/setting times for any date, visit the Old Farmer's Almanac Astromony Center online at http://www.almanac.com/rise/index.php. Select your date and enter our zip code - 28469.

Beach Wedding Tip #5

Use seashells in your decorations, cake, and accessories, to bring out that beach theme!
Classic, timeless, the seashell is an unmistakable symbol of the seaside. There are as many different ways to use seashells in your wedding and reception as there are different kinds of seashells. View just a few here.

Beach Wedding Tip #4

Host a more intimate family wedding at a private beach house!
If privacy and togetherness is the experience you're looking for, take advantage of the many Ocean Isle Beach rental houses and townhouses. You can even get a great deal renting directly from the owner! Ask me about houses and townhouses for rent in whatever location you're looking for. View large rental homes

Beach Wedding Tip #3

Get your skin looking its best at least a month before your wedding with Mary Kay products!
They say brides have a glow. Making sure your skin is healthy, moisturized, and blemish-free will not hurt! Don't ignore your skin when making preparations for your wedding. Make sure it looks its best in those wedding photos you'll treasure forever. Buy Mary Kay skincare products and makeup online to get your skin gorgeous for your wedding. Independent Beauty Consultant Samantha Collins will be happy to answer any questions you may have and help you select the right products!

Beach Wedding Tip #2

"Save The Dates"
If you are inviting guests that live far away, consider a unique "Save The Date" card or magnet. While wedding invitations are traditionally mailed four to six weeks in advance, more lead time is helpful when asking your guests to travel. They may even want to take an extended beach vacation that coincides with your wedding. Depending on the season, Ocean Isle Beach accommodations can book far in advance. A "Save The Date" sent with accommodation information about eight to twelve months prior to your wedding will allow for plenty of travel planning time for your guests. Save The Date Magnets are available from Beach Bliss Weddings!

Beach Wedding Tip #1

The most important one!

Obtaining your Marriage License
If you live in North Carolina, you can get your marriage license in your own county. A North Carolina issued marriage license is valid in any county for 60 days from issue date. If you live outside North Carolina, you can wait to get your marriage license from the Brunswick County Register of Deeds office in Bolivia, NC, after you arrive here for your wedding. There is no waiting period. Plan to arrive in time so that you can get to the office by Friday before 4:30 pm, and you can get married that weekend. Visit the Brunswick County Register of Deeds website for complete information and regulations. You can even submit the application online for expedited service at the office. A Brunswick County Marriage License is $50.00 cash. After the ceremony, your officiant and witnesses will sign the license and then it needs to be mailed to the Brunswick County Register of Deeds. The office will provide you with an envelope and a form to request additional certified copies. It is helpful to order additional copies to have, especially if you'll be sending in your documents to change your name.http://rod.brunsco.net/marriagelicenses.html

Angela & Brian, 5/9/2009

Angela called me and expressed her desire for a very simple, private wedding on the beach in Ocean Isle Beach on May 9th, in the morning. It was to be just her and her groom and they needed a minister. I set everything up for them and took photographs for them of their beach wedding. Just goes to show, a very simple, small wedding is still beautiful on the beach!

Gina & Jon, 5/2/2009

Gina and Jon, of Charlotte, NC, had finished most of their wedding planning, but needed someone to coordinate their wedding and reception. They began searching online and found my site and booked me right away. With my assistance in pointing them to a chair rental company and transportation options, Gina and Jon finished up the last bit of their planning without headaches. I met with the couple and their caterer at the reception site on April 10 to discuss the food and bar set ups. They are a bright couple, and knew all the right questions to ask. I liked them right away.
On May 2, 2009 at five in the evening, Gina and Jon exchanged wedding vows and rings on the waterfront lawn of the Ocean Isle Beach Chapel in Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina. I had met with the couple and the wedding party at the chapel for a rehearsal the day before, so everything went perfectly according to plan on the big day. A string trio played as Gina and her father walked down the grassy aisle and when Gina walked back upthe aisle with her new husband.

Friends of the family welcomed the wedding party and guests to their oceanfront home for the reception. A band played classics by Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra while everyone ate a delicious dinner, enjoyed drinks from the bars, and danced the night away. There’s no way every single person at that wedding didn’t have a fabulous time! The couple’s exit was delayed by half an hour because they didn’t want to leave! The guests begged the band to keep playing, but eventually the evening came to its end. There’s no better feeling, as a coordinator, than knowing you did a wonderful job and that the guests will be talking about it for a long, long time!

Big thanks go to all the vendors who helped with this event, and to all the family and friends who were there to help celebrate the marriage of Gina and Jon!

Lindsey & Jay-Cee, 3/2/2009

Lindsey called me 13 days before her wedding date, knowing she wanted to get married on Ocean Isle Beach, but not knowing what else to do. We got started planning right away, and I referred her to the realty offices and she booked a house. Immediately, she felt better, knowing some progress was being made toward her goal. Next we communicated about the wedding and the vendors she would need. After her costs were set, and she sent me payment, her vendors were booked. She also wanted to have me there that day to help. Her schedule didn't allow a rehearsal the night before, so I met Lindsey, her groom Jay-Cee, and their families on the morning of the wedding. It was a cold day on the beach that day, temps only reaching about 35, but Lindsey was really cool about being flexible enough to change her wedding from the beach to the back deck of the house she booked, looking out onto the beach. It turned out wonderful, and I don't know about anyone else, but as soon as the ceremony started, I didn't notice the cold anymore. The beautiful ceremony was short (on purpose) and everyone came back into the beautiful house for photos, dinner, and dancing. The bride and groom even went down to the beach with the videographer for some beach footage! Brave!

New Guest Favors for Beach Weddings Available

I now have two new guest favor options for your guests who attend your wedding at the beach!

Sand and Shells Bottles: Give your guests a bit of the beach in these 3 inch glass bottles with cork top that contain sand and miniature sea shells! Seashell sizes and colors will vary.

Colored Sand Bottles: It would be perfect if using the Blending of the Sands Ceremony in your ceremony to give your guests of bit of the same colored sand to remember your wedding! Your choice of 12 colors of sand in these 3 inch glass bottles with cork top. Mix and max, you don't have to order all of the same color.

Price: $1.00 each

Free delivery to your wedding in the Ocean Isle Beach, NC area. To order, go to my WebStore and select style and quantity.

5 Save The Date Magnet designs available!

If you are inviting guests that live far away, consider a unique "Save The Date" card or magnet. While wedding invitations are traditionally mailed four to six weeks in advance, more lead time is helpful when asking your guests to travel. They may even want to take an extended beach vacation that coincides with your wedding. Depending on the season, Ocean Isle Beach accommodations can book far in advance. A "Save The Date" sent with accommodation information about eight to twelve months prior to your wedding will allow for plenty of travel planning time for your guests.And now more beach-themed magnet designs are available from Beach Bliss Weddings! These are fully customizable, so you tell me what you want them to say! Price includes shipping to you to mail to your guests. So even if you're not getting married in Ocean Isle Beach, order Save The Date Magnets for your guests no matter where your wedding will be held!
Designs available are "Beach Hearts", "Seashell", "Surf", "Starfish", and "Two Hearts".
To order Save The Date Magnets, go to my WebStore and select your design. The WebStore offers quantities of 100. If you would like less than 100 magnets, email me for details.

Professional Bridal Consultant™ level achieved

The Association of Bridal Consultants implements a point system for member designation. The purpose is to have ABC titles reflect a member’s education and professional development as well as his or her real world experience and industry contributions. ABC feels both are important, and should be reflected in an ABC member’s designation level. In December of 2008, I achieved the designation level of Professional Bridal Consultant™. This tells my clients that I have both the formal education and real wedding experience to help them achieve their wedding dreams! Click here for more info on the Association of Bridal Consultants.