Event Home or Venue?? How to choose the right fit for your Event
by Deborah Sawyer
The Outer Banks of North Carolina has been one of the top wedding destination locations for decades. Couples from all over the world come to exchange their vows on the pristine beaches, stay in the beautiful rental homes, tour historic locations, and experience nature at its finest.
Outer Banks destination weddings aren’t just spending a few hours with guests, it is experiencing days with new friends and forever uniting two families with amazing memories. These OBX weddings can take place at a venue, or at one of the many event homes with lodging for all or part of your guests.
Most couples contact 11th Hour Weddings and Events, without a clue of what direction to go in. Most grew up visiting the Outer Banks during their summer vacations and want to extend those wonderful childhood memories to their upcoming union. Others have heard of the Outer Banks and know it is a great destination option within the United States. But, they don’t know if their wedding should be a week-long vacation or a weekend getaway for their family and guests. We love when we get to spend time with the couple first by phone, Zoom, or in person. We want to counsel them and present the options while taking in consideration their budget, needs and vision. Because we offer Event Homes and Venues, we aren’t biased to one or the other and we can help them choose what is best for the entire guest list.
The Outer Banks offers a wide variety of Venues for all size receptions. From open air to climate controlled, to garden to over the ocean, to those with views to rooms with character, there is something for everyone. Most venues range from $1,000 to under $10,000. Venues usually work out best for couples who the majority, or all of their guests, plan on coming for just the weekend. Or, couples who want to relax in a rental home and not have to worry about keeping it clean for the event. These couples like showing up at the Event Venue, exchanging vows, enjoying their party, and leaving the “mess” for others to deal with.
Venues can be chosen by the distance from hotels, motels, resorts and rental houses in your favorite Outer Banks beach town. If it fits within your budget, it is great to offer your guests some type of transportation to return to their Rental, Inn or Hotel. OBX Trolley is a popular choice and there are several shuttle companies. This takes away the worry of your guests enjoying your signature drinks then driving to where they are staying overnight.
Most Venues have space to hold your ceremony as well. The locations that are walking distance to the beach are great for couples wanting to exchange their vows beside the crashing waves. The pier locations allow you to get married over top of the waves! Other area Venues offer ponds, the sound, gardens, giant oaks, interior staircases, golf courses, historic grounds, and lighthouses, for ceremony backdrops. Most of the Venue ceremony options require you to rent an arch and chairs from an outside source. 11th Hour Weddings and Events has everything you need plus ceremony decor, officiants, musicians, DJs, floral, and photography. 11th Hour can also turn your reception vision into reality with linens, decor and floral, as well as set up tastings for Venues that don’t offer inhouse dining. Most Venues have reception tables and chairs in place but not all.
If you feel all of your guests, or most, want to make your wedding their extended vacation, an Event Home is the perfect option. If you are planning on having guests not staying at the home attend your event, a sanctioned “Event” Home is a must. Management companies and homeowners that do not allow weddings to take place on their property, have the right to shut down your wedding even while it is taking place. No one wants that embarrassment. This can lead to pricey penalties as well. The majority of rental homes on the Outer Banks do not allow receptions.
Event Homes may offer full or partial week stays. Most of these three to four night options only take place during the shoulder months and not Memorial Day through Labor Day, when the home owners know vacationers will fill the entire week.
Event Homes offer a location for your Ceremony and Reception plus a private bedroom and bath for some or all of your guests to stay, in lue of a hotel. Most couples or parents, can’t afford to take on the cost of the entire home and their family and friends pay for their own bedroom and bath, just as they would a hotel. In most cases splitting the cost of an event home is less expensive than a hotel or motel. Atlantic Realty has a program in place that your guests can pay for their own bedroom and bath in the home, directly to the management company. This way the couple doesn’t have the duty of collecting money from family members or friends, especially if they prefer to use a credit card. This cuts down on the stress of the event. Most event homes do not offer this program.
Some other advantages of event homes are the people staying on site do not have to worry about transportation at the end of the evening. Atlantic Realty event homes are all within walking distance of an oceanfront motel for your guests not staying in the event home. Also, the bride and groom can provide their own alcohol and only have the expense of bartender staff. Since most receptions are set up around the pool, plastic cups are suggested and save on renting glassware.
Although smaller events have the option of dining inside and using the tables in place, the majority of couples want to rent tables and chairs with decor and/or floral in the backyard pool area. Most homes have room to dance on cement or tiled areas without having to rent a dance floor.
Whether you choose a venue or event home for your Outer Banks wedding, 11th Hour Weddings and Events can handle your planning/directing, rentals with setup and takedown, vendor, baker and catering choices, and tie it all together with the Timeline. 11th Hour does it all for you so you can enjoy your day! Contact us to take your vision from a dream and make it an event that you and your guests will look back on with awesome memories forever!
252-305-7444 11thhourweddingsandevents.com