Member Feature: Coastyle Weddings & Events - Outer Banks Wedding Association

Coastyle Weddings & Events

Member Feature

May on the Outer Banks signals a few things:

1. Warmer water and weather

2. Tourist season is finally upon us (not that it ever ended!)

3. Weddings are in full swing!

However hectic it may be, this is honestly one of our most favorite times of the year! We love seeing all of the vacationers come and go and of course all of the beautiful weddings that come with them. We thought that now would be the perfect time to catch up with two of our ‘boss babe’ planners! Samantha and Taylor of Coastyle Weddings & Events took some time out of their schedule to answer a few questions about how they got started on the Outer Banks and what they offer to engaged couples planning a destination wedding.

So, tell us, how long have you all known each other? At what point did you decide to go into business together and form Coastyle Weddings?

We have known each other for just about 10 years! We decided to go into business together in 2016 after working in corporate event planning and event homes.

How long has Coastyle been operating on the Outer Banks? Are you both from here?

Coastyle has been operating on the Outer Banks for 5 years. Neither one of us are actually originally from the Outer Banks (although our children are as ‘local as it gets’). Samantha grew up in Mechanicsville, Virginia and moved to the Outer Banks for a Summer before graduating from James Madison University, coming back as a full time resident in 2012. Taylor grew up in Boxford, Massachusetts and moved to the Outer Banks in 2011 after graduating from Radford University.

At what point did Coastyle join the Outer Banks Wedding Association? How do you feel being a part of the wedding association has helped?

Coastyle has been an OBXWA member since 2016. OBXWA is a great resource for couples planning a destination wedding, having all OBX wedding vendors listed on a centralized website has been extremely helpful for our business as well as a great resource to direct our couples to.

What do you think sets the Outer Banks apart from other destination wedding locations? Why should engaged couples choose to get married here?

The Outer Banks beaches are in our opinion, one-of-a-kind. Not only are the beaches wide and beautiful, there are also a variety of venue options to choose from, one being special event homes which take couple’s events to the next level for sure and are extremely unique to the area. You really can have a vacation and a beautiful wedding all in one!

What makes Coastyle different from other planners & coordinators here?

We are a duo, meaning we own our company 50/50 and we are collectively invested in all aspects of planning your wedding. This means two brains working for you, faster response times, etc. We are professional wedding planners, with extensive experience in corporate event planning & event homes first, and then we opened Coastyle after gaining experience and developing local vendor relationships.

What is your favorite part of the wedding day?

Seeing it all come to life is definitely the best part. Since we are a part of the entire planning process, we get to see it as a blank slate transformed into a beautiful wedding and we get to see the hard work our clients put in, and watch them actually enjoy all those little moments.

What trends are you excited to see in upcoming weddings? Which are you ready to see go?

We love the newer trends of smaller bridal parties, and incorporating lounges/mix matched seating/heavy hors d’oeuvres and station style dinners instead of traditional sit down dinner buffets. We love the mingle vibes, especially at the beach! We also love watching both parents walk the bride down the aisle! There’s a lot of formalities we love, but we would like couple’s to stop feeling like they “have to” do all the formalities (introductions, bouquet toss, garter, special dances, cake cutting, etc.). You should only do what you really want to, and not feel like you have to! These things can take up a lot of time, and sometimes take away from couple’s getting to just enjoy the day!

Do you have any advice for a couple booking your services?

We specialize in full service wedding planning, which is always preferable if you are a destination client! Sometimes it can be confusing what a wedding planner will do for you, so we always offer complimentary consultations to discuss your wants for your wedding, and how we can assist. We also offer in-depth brochures and links to our reviews explaining our services, so you can feel confident in your investment with us.

How do you feel being a part of a duo has helped Coastyle thrive?

It’s definitely been crucial in our business’ success and overall just meeting our clients needs and creating a 5-star experience for them. There is so much that goes into planning a wedding and managing all the vendors, contracts, payments, timelines, budgets, layouts, design boards, etc. and having two people allows us to essentially tag team everything and make sure we’re getting back to our clients in a timely manner even during our busy season. On wedding days we are pulled in multiple different directions, so with two of us we’re able to make sure we’re meeting the needs of the couple, the bridal party and their guests with ease.

What’s next for Coastyle? Is there anything in the works that you want people to be on the lookout for?

We sell merchandise (check it out on our website – it’s not just for brides! We’re currently selling tee shirts and sweatshirts!) We also now travel (we do a lot of weddings in Virginia and will be in New York in August for a wedding!) and plan to expand the business and add to our team in the future!