Your wedding day should be like cake; beautiful, unique, and deliciously indulgent. The easiest way to obtain that? Hire a wedding coordinator! At Ocean Atlantic Event Rentals, we view wedding coordinators as a fundamental element of a successful event. Coordinators alleviate unimaginable stress for you and your family on one of the most important days of your life! Are you unsure of what vendors you should book? Wedding planners know all of the caterers, venues, photographers, rental shops, officiants, etc. of the Outer Banks upside and down, inside and out. They are the matchmakers of vendors + happy couples.
We wanted to ask a few of the many wedding coordinators on the Outer Banks some basic questions to help you decide whether to hire a coordinator or not!
From a rentals perspective, what is the primary reason you would recommend a wedding coordinator?
Over 90% of our clients are destination weddings, and we feel that wedding coordinator or planner is beneficial if not pertinent to pull together all of the details that they have worked on so diligently over the months on the wedding day itself. A local coordinator is especially helpful as they are familiar with the vendors in the area.
-Samantha Blackwell- Events Office Supervisor, Ocean Atlantic Event Rentals
Brenda Zeigler- To Have and To Hold
1) The obvious question- What is the number one reason you recommend hiring a wedding coordinator?
The number one reason I give my brides is- do you want to have a wonderful, peaceful, fun-filled day, or do you want to be stressed out the entire day. Hiring a day of coordination takes all your worries away and you get to relax and enjoy one of the most wonderful days of your life.
2) If you could give one piece of advice to a bride, what would it be?
Hire your planner/day of coordinator in plenty of time, so that person can work with you throughout the entire process. Having someone to answer your questions, help you with difficult situations, etc. will be the best thing you can do for yourself, as a bride.
If you would like to hear more about our services, for full planning or day of coordination, please contact me at tohaveandtoholdobx.com or bhzig@hotmail.com
Kerri Catino- Nason – The Proper Setting
1)If you could give only one piece of advice to a bride, what would it be?
Try to filter out all of the advice, the noise and the “have tos” and focus on what’s really important to you. Hold on to that throughout the process.
2) What is the biggest or most commonly made mistakes by couples planning a wedding on the Outer Banks?
Not having a contingency plan for the day and extra money saved just in case.
Heather Trentzsch- Heather Events
1) What is the biggest mistake couples make when planning an Outer Banks wedding?
The biggest mistake couples make when planning their Outer Banks wedding is not considering a rain plan when choosing venues such as event homes. I encourage all of my clients to be open to having a thorough plan in case of poor weather. I also believe choosing event homes that lack parking is a big mistake. If your venue does not have parking for guests and vendors, be sure to clear the driveway for your vendors and provide a transportation service to your guests!
2) What is a must do/ must see for couples getting married on the Outer Banks?
For most destination Outer Banks weddings, either the Bride or Groom or both, grew up coming here for family vacation. I would encourage each couple to do their favorite family pastime together the week of the wedding, whether that be Lighthouse Climbing, Putt Putt Golf, a favorite restaurant, or taking a ferry ride to Ocracoke! Do something together, and make memories that last a lifetime!
Ashley Earnhardt- Southern Hospitality Weddings
1)When planning a wedding, what is the most important thing to keep in mind when booking rentals?
Cover all your bases! Double check with all of your vendors and make sure you know what they are providing & what they’re expecting you to have for them. For example, double check that your DJ brings his own table or if he expects you to rent him one. All caterers are different – make sure you know if you’re required to rent the tables & linens for food service or if your caterer is bringing! Also, make sure you’re thinking about all the little things! Do you have a table or a place for your guestbook? Gifts & cards? If you’re not getting married at a venue, chances are you’ll need a rented table for these type of items and that can often get overlooked! Finally, play it safe! If you’re having 150 guests, don’t rent exactly 150 chairs but get a few extras. Mistakes happen, and if there’s a miscount then you’re going to breathe easy and know you’re covered if you’ve rented a few extras of everything “just in case”!
2) What is a must do or must see for couples getting married on the Outer Banks?
Catch a soundfront sunset! One of my favorite things is watching the sunset and the Outer Banks boasts some of the best you’ll ever see! Make a point of planning just a few minutes to watch the sunset on the sound or even take a sunset sailboat or pontoon cruise – you won’t regret it!
Taylor & Samantha- Coastyle Events
1) What is something that wedding coordinators take care of that is important, but something brides would not normally think of?
A huge aspect of weddings that we as wedding planners take care of is the flow of the entire event. Yes, a bride to be will create a wedding day timeline and hope all goes as planned. However, that is very seldom the case. We live by the wedding timeline on the day of the event. We wrangle the troops to begin the ceremony, transition guests from ceremony to cocktail hour and do the same from cocktail hour to reception. During the reception, we ensure all important formalities to the couple are done, from special dances to cutting the cake. This truly allows for the couple as well as each and every guest to enjoy every aspect of the wedding day. Therefore a bride will usually always think of creating a wedding day timeline however, they will not always think of how exactly that timeline will be implemented on the day.
2) We talk with a lot of couples that are planning to have a family member as their coordinator due to a relatively smaller event. At what point is a wedding too large to NOT have a coordinator?
In our opinion, a wedding is never too small to have a professional wedding coordinator! We do full-service planning for weddings of 10-15 people. It alleviates putting any unwanted stress or pressure on any family member. Consider this, if you’re asking them to attend your wedding, they must be extremely special to you, so why not let them be fully present in enjoying every moment alongside you instead of working for you? With the majority of couples getting married here being from afar, it is always a good idea to have someone locally who knows the area, vendors, and rules and regulations of each county.
From Taylor and Samantha about Coastyle Events: “We are an exclusive event planning and coordination company. We specialize in providing an elite planning experience for the elegant, edgy, authentic, destination bride. Innovation, personality, vision and strong vendor relationships are what will bring your ideal event to life. Rest assured we will work collectively to provide you with an elevated level of service, all while making your dreams a reality.”
Erica-The Embellishers
1)If you could give one piece of advice to a bride, what would it be?
Hire a day of coordinator for your wedding! And I”m not just saying this because The Embellishers offers this service. You and your bridal party, family members, and wedding guests should be able to enjoy this special day you have a planned and dreamed of for months (maybe even years?). A day of coordinator has heard and seen it all- they know what to watch out for and how to keep your day running smoothly, squashing any hiccups that arise, while you enjoy the process of getting ready to walk down the aisle. A good coordinator will also ensure you have nailed down every detail BEFORE your special day arrives. She is the go-to person for your wedding day vendors and guests, so you aren’t faced with making tough decisions or answering questions constantly throughout the day. And, if you hire a really good coordinator, they’ll even follow you on the beach and hold that bridal bouquet for you as it gets heavier during your hour-long photo session on the beach.
2)What is the biggest mistake couples make when planning an Outer Banks weddings?
Couples who are planning a destination wedding on the Outer Banks should consider renting all decor items from a local company. Many couples purchase items that have to be transported from their hometown to the Outer Banks and back again. The only things you should be concerned with packing is your suitcase!
If any of these words inspired you to hire an Outer Banks coordinator, you can find more of their contact information here!
Feature photo by Coastal Shots Photography! Learn more about them here!
