Valerie + Stephen

September 22, 2020

Valerie and Stephen were planning a 250+ person event in Texas, when on a whim, they decided to just get married in the Outer Banks where they vacationed the year before. They found a house and all of their vendors soon after. Valerie and Stephen were able to spend their entire wedding week with those closest to them. Their church ceremony was followed by an editorial-esque photoshoot at Jockey’s Ridge, and then a sunset beach reception at their rental home.

FEATURED VENDORS

Photographer | Kasey Powell Weddings

Floral & Decor | I Do OBX Weddings & Events

Beauty & Spa | Glimmer Hair & Makeup

Lighting | I Do OBX Weddings & Events

Musician | Outer Banks Wedding Entertainment

Equipment Rentals | I Do OBX Weddings & Events

From the couple:

We chose the Outer Banks because of COVID. It was the best decision we could have made and it ended up being the dream wedding we didn’t realize we needed. We had a small church ceremony on a Tuesday and then dinner on the beach underneath cafe lighting with a dance party after. The entire rest of the time we spent laughing, playing on the beach, and making memories with our parents and best friends. It honestly was the most perfect week and unlike anything we thought we would do but the most magical wedding experience I could have imagined.

From the Photographer:

Valerie and Stephen were planning a HUGE event wedding in Arizona. With Covid and an upcoming move to New York, they decided to throw it all to the wind and get married on the Outer Banks! She found almost every vendor through Instagram, which I find super cool for our local community. This was massively scaled down from their original wedding vision but, they were so in love with their day and, as with most 2020 couples, felt even more connected to the emotion and love they shared with their closest family and friends. They spent their whole wedding week on the Outer Banks, and it was that CRAZY week in September when we had ridiculous nor-eastern winds and large tidal fluctuations. The day of their wedding was beautiful and sunny, but it was raining most of the morning with very heavy winds, which didn’t look good for their planned evening beach reception. When we finished the ceremony and headed to Jockey’s Ridge for family formals, the sky literally opened up, the wind completely died, and I DO OBX called and said the tide and waves completed pulled back. It was insane. They really wanted to have their dinner, toasts, and first dances on the beach and had it all rented to do so, so we were all thrilled it worked out so perfectly for the two of them, especially with the punches 2020 had already thrown.

Valerie and Stephen’s wedding is featured in the 2021 issue of Outer Banks Weddings! To request a free copy of the magazine, click here.