The Growing Popularity of
Non-Traditional Weddings

The Outer Banks of North Carolina is fast becoming a wedding destination, not only for the many who have grown up vacationing on the beaches but also for those adventurous souls who have recently discovered the ease with which putting together an Outer Banks wedding can be accomplished. Couples seeking an alternative from the traditional wedding ceremony and wishing to celebrate their love and union in a very special way are drawn to the undisturbed beauty of the Outer Banks. The narrow strip of barrier islands mix the past with the present in a well-kept balance of solitude and activity that is a perfect setting for the most memorable day of a couple’s life. Wedding guests find themselves in awe of this coastal hideaway, where spirits are renewed and minds refreshed.

Going hand-in hand with this tranquility is the opportunity to stage a less stressful wedding ceremony, tailored to the couple and one that can be created with minimum expense. Many couples choose to have a small beach wedding, which may also serve as a family vacation or honeymoon. They might also choose to include a few close friends and family, as well as the immediate bridal party. Wedding guests love that they have a perfect excuse to take a beach vacation, one in which both sides of the family can come together in an environment that is both appealing and neutral. Usually, the families of the bride and groom will rent separate homes, providing the space for planned wedding functions as well as for individual retreats.

A non-traditional wedding offers the couple the opportunity to be more involved in the planning and writing of their actual wedding ceremony. It is a form of the couple’s self-expression and a very personal declaration of their love to each other. They may decide to take from the traditional ceremony only those passages that are meaningful to them and to also draw inspiration from other cultures and traditions.

For the bride, the alternative approach may mean going barefoot in the sand, wearing something simple, light and airy, such as a white sundress, and a large tropical flower in her hair. The groom may choose a white sports jacket and white or beige pants, or even a lovely white linen shirt with khaki pants or shorts. For the bridal attendants, dresses can be street length, in an assortment of colors. Many choices are available and appropriate. The important factor is that the environment and the ceremony be a reflection of the couple and the statement they wish to make.

For the wedding ceremony, many couples are not comfortable with a “traditional” church affiliation but desire a meaningful spiritual alternative. They may choose to write their own vows, add special passages or letters to each other. Often special ceremonies or rituals are added such as Hand Fasting, The Sand Ceremony, or a Flower or Rose Ceremony. Guests may be asked to participate with a special reading, poem, blessing or musical selection, or to offer a remembrance to those who have departed this earth. With second marriages, children sometimes offer their own vows to the couple or they are incorporated in the ceremony with other words that address the merging of the two families as one.

This alternative approach can be rich with personality and culture, unique and wholly tailored to the couple! It is an authentic expression of love, commitment and the life they choose, from this day forward.

Photo credits: Geri with Photography by Geri; Tom Gartman of Manteo; Kinnakeet Shores Rresort.