“We know it’s our wedding, so it’s inherently about us, but we’re trying to make our wedding as little about us as possible.”
Kate and Tom designed their Outer Banks beach wedding to be a relaxed and unforgettable party, focused on enjoying the company of their friends and family. Their guests joined them at the Crawford Cottage in Nags Head for a beach vacation the week prior to the wedding, giving everyone lots of time to sit back and enjoy the oceanfront setting.
“We specifically said, some of us will wear dresses or suits, but you should wear whatever you would like.”
The wedding day began with a morning adventure to Jockey’s Ridge State Park with their closest friends. Kate and Tom set off on their own to enjoy some quiet time together and an engagement portrait session before rejoining the group for a frisbee session in the dunes.
“Right after Tom and I got engaged, I told him I wanted three things at our wedding: a dress, a cake, and a photographer. I’m very excited about how all three of those things are falling into place.”
Kate’s wedding dress was a combo of old and new. She incorporated a new top with spaghetti straps and a simple neck line with the skirt taken from her great aunt’s wedding dress from the 1950s, creating a dress that was essentially tulle with inlayed ribbon giving it a flowing geometric pattern.
Their artistic wedding cake, created by Patty Bakes, was one of the highlights of the reception. Featuring an artistic theme of mountains and waves, their cake represented Kate’s background in the mountains and Tom’s time living by the beach. The cake cutting took place in an exciting moment at the center of a crowded dance floor as Kate and Tom used an old family sword to slice the creation.
“When Tom and I were choosing our photographer, we spent a lot of time looking at candid photos. We wanted to have a photographer who could capture moments, not just formal shots and we really liked your photography. We also enjoyed meeting you in person, you were really easy to talk to. We’re really excited about getting to take photos at Jockey’s Ridge the morning of the wedding. We take photos there every time we go to Nags Head and I’m excited to have some really cool photos to mark this special day and place.”
Thank you to the Crawford Cottage and these great Outer Banks wedding vendors:
Day of Coordinator – Heart of Harlow. Ceremony and Reception Venue – The Crawford Cottage. Catering – Cosmos Pizza OBX. Photographer – Neil GT Photography. Wedding Cake – Patty Bakes. Hair and Makeup – Glimmer Hair and Makeup. DIY Items – Flowers and Event Design. Officiant – Family Friend.
