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DIY/Beach House Wedding--am I crazy?

vmdizzlevmdizzle member
Second Anniversary 10 Comments
in North Carolina-Outer Banks
So, I am just starting the planning for my wedding. Being that it isn't until 2015...I'm pretty sure I am psychotic haha. I just know how easy the outer banks fills up and want to get all of my ducks in a row and start putting things in order before I start the actual booking of things. I am very limited on funds and want to use the next year or so buying things a little at a time so I can have a DIY wedding.

I am looking at renting a house for my family and entire wedding party (minus a few that can only come up for a day). Will I need an event home or pay event prices if the wedding only consists of the peope staying in the house?

I plan on having the wedding on the beach and then the reception by the pool. I have been on VRBO and Homeaway and found a lot of houses I like. I need them to be as close to the beach as possible or oceanfront with a pool. Pet friendly if possible for my two lil pups.
 
The reception I kind of just want party platters or finger foods. This is going to be an extremely casual wedding with just my immediate family and a few friends so I am not looking to be in brides magazine. How tacky is it to buy party platters? Does anyone know budget friendly caterers that could do a low budget wedding for around 25-30 people?

Any advice you can give me to help me get going would be great. I thought I had stuff figured out until I started reading posts on here and flipped out. I don't have a budget into the 10s of thousands here.
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Re: DIY/Beach House Wedding--am I crazy?

  • ksj10032782ksj10032782 member
    Fifth Anniversary 100 Comments Name Dropper 5 Love Its
    The trick with event fees, if the number of guests doesn't exceed the number of people the house can sleep, you are set. So if the house is able to sleep 20 people, and that's the number of guests, then you are fine. One thing to keep in mind would be rentals. OBX is a very small tight-knit community and if someone sees Metro Rentals drop off tables and chairs, it might go through the pipeline.

    Not sure what your budget is, but I would look into the bbq places, we got bbq for our rehearsal dinner at I think around $300 for 25 guests. Coastal Provisions also has some to-go meals which might be an option. I also suggest having your wedding off-season to save money.
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  • vmdizzlevmdizzle member
    Second Anniversary 10 Comments
    My family would all be paying their own way at the house. I am splitting the cost per person then you pay for your size family. So the house isn't really an issue. We can't really do off season because of my nieces and cousins who are still in grade school. We are combining my wedding with the family vacation. So it will probably be the first or second week in June.

    I don't think we would be renting tables and chairs, maybe just chairs for down at the beach. That is why I had just finger foods so people could stand around or go inside if need be. I recently had a huge grad school graduation party where I served NC BBQ, so trying to stay away from that this time.

    You think a few extra people, like 5, would be cause for the home owners to get upset? Maybe I should just bring it up when inquiring about the property. I don't want to do anything shady.
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  • ksj10032782ksj10032782 member
    Fifth Anniversary 100 Comments Name Dropper 5 Love Its
    I don't think anyone would really notice 5 extra people. If it was me, I wouldn't mention it to the rental company, becuase you don't want them to become suspicious.
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  • vmdizzlevmdizzle member
    Second Anniversary 10 Comments
    I am reading a lot of message boards and also seeing that September is a great time at OBX to have a wedding. I've never been that time of year, is the water still warm? Can you be out in the ocean and have a poolside reception?
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  • ksj10032782ksj10032782 member
    Fifth Anniversary 100 Comments Name Dropper 5 Love Its
    I personally got married on Sept. 7, 2013. It is very nice, still warm out. Only thing to worry about is the dreaded "H" word.
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  • vmdizzlevmdizzle member
    Second Anniversary 10 Comments
    ehhhh yeah and the way the weather has been lately that makes me SERIOUSLY nervous!
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  • ksj10032782ksj10032782 member
    Fifth Anniversary 100 Comments Name Dropper 5 Love Its
    Yes, it's always a concern, you would have to check what the venue has in terms of hurricane policy, and you can also purchase insurance, but, if everyone is already down there for the week, and you have to move your wedding up a couple of days, most of your vendors will accommodate you.
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  • vmdizzlevmdizzle member
    Second Anniversary 10 Comments
    I have checked with a few rental companies and private owners and found out that as long as this is a DIY wedding, no live music or huge catering operations, and the people attending the wedding doesn't out number the amount of people in the home I won't have to pay all the event fees! That is a plus. I have a few houses I've picked out and conversed with the owners and they said September is the best time for a wedding, but I am still having the issue of people being in college or having small children that can't take a week off of school. hmph. I sent out an email blast to my immediate family so we will see.
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  • hibiscus118hibiscus118 member
    Sixth Anniversary 500 Comments Combo Breaker
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_north-carolina-outer-banks_diybeach-house-wedding-am-i-crazy?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:598Discussion:acf1f490-10ff-4abd-bd4e-5c7ef6b62156Post:00b9e466-1e26-410a-aabe-2da450e1e2d5">Re: DIY/Beach House Wedding--am I crazy?</a>:
    [QUOTE]I am reading a lot of message boards and also seeing that September is a great time at OBX to have a wedding. I've never been that time of year, is the water still warm? Can you be out in the ocean and have a poolside reception?
    Posted by vmdizzle[/QUOTE]

    I also got married in September, the 7th to be exact.  We originally wanted May/early June but because of the reason above(water temps) we chose September instead because we wanted to be able to swim in the ocean.  The water has been warming up all summer so it's still warm then.  It was 80ish the whole week we were there and absolutely gorgeous.  I had a bit of a scare the week beforehand with the "h" word but all was fine the week of the wedding.  I would choose to have a September wedding down there again even with that..
    Laura & Dusty - September 7th, 2010!
    Hatteras, North Carolina
    Image and video hosting by TinyPic
    UPDATED 11/05/10 Lots of Wedding PICS!
    UPDATED 07/28/10 My Planning Bio Anniversary
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  • karistizkaristiz member
    Fifth Anniversary 10 Comments Name Dropper
    If it wasn't for my job (school psychologist)  - i would so get married in sept! but i needed to have a july or august wedding bc that's when i'm free! the first week of july was fourth of july weekend so that wouldn't work - then the next date would have been 7/11 and it sounds stupid but i didn't like that date lol - so i ended up w 7/18
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