Who To Call For Scheduling A Wedding Ceremony On Carolina Beach, Wrightsville Beach and All Other Nearby Beaches

Simple Carlina Beach Wedding

Carolina Beach and Wrightsville Beach plus all other beaches in the Wilmington area have policies and procedures in place to schedule romantic wedding ceremonies.

What’s not romantic is showing up for your wedding on the beach and finding another wedding party taking place on your spot, at your time - and they have a permit to be there and you don’t.

Some beaches have fees and some don’t. Some allow you to put up tents and some don’t. If your expected group size exceeds a certain number of guests, you are expected to provide port-a-potties on Wrightsville Beach. At the very least, you must apply for a “Special Event Permit” at Wrightsville Beach whatever size wedding you are planning.

Carolina Beach is less restrictive but if you want to use the gazebo for your simple beach wedding, there’s a $25 fee to book and reserve it.

Kure Beach will not allow you to set up chairs, tents or arbors but you do not have to have a permit to get married on that beach.

Fort Fisher has an ocean front gazebo available for weddings but it requires an application and $300 to reserve.

North Carolina Beach is a 'drive-on' beach. Only four wheel drive vehicles are allowed and you must have a pass whether it's for a day, weekend or annual access.

There are restrictions on all of the beaches for setting up and taking down chairs and or arbors.

Cape Fear Wedding Minister on Topsail Island

All the beaches have rules and requirements for using their beach which you must know BEFORE you show up for your wedding.

So, how do you do it and who do you call to set up your ceremony on the beach-of-your-choice?

Cape Fear Wedding has a list of all the New Hanover County, Brunswick County and Topsail Island beach authority contacts. Click on the link below to be taken to an article which has the list. Select the beach-of-your-choice under the heading, “Beach town rules, guidelines, and contacts” at the bottom of the page.

Learn what you need to know to be in compliance with local beach policies so your wedding day ceremony goes smoothly - and legally!

Here’s the link:  The Beach Of Your Choice

A Unique Rehearsal Meal Keepsake

Not all couples have a rehearsal the day before their wedding ceremony. And those who do, often miss an opportunity to capture the celebration on video or in pictures.

Photographers are mostly hired for the wedding day to shoot the bride and bridesmaids as they get their hair and makeup done; group shots before slipping on their dresses; the wedding gown hanging in the ready-to-wear position; bouquets placed in clear vases soaking up water; and shoes, shoes shoes.

Then the procession, ceremony and recession must be photographed. Next comes the pictures of the wedding party and the families. And lastly, the blow-it-all-out reception.

All good and proper, and a must for the scrapbook to document the momentous occasion! Even if it is hundreds of pictures.

But what I have noticed at rehearsals I attend, there’s no photographer.

Family and friends are using their phones to snap some candid. Those candids don’t always make their way back to the bride and groom. And if they do, it’s only a few.

The rehearsal is not THE event but it’s an important part of the overall celebration.

Family members who haven’t seen each other in a few months or even years are coming together. Friends of the bride are meeting friends of the groom for the very first time. Family of the groom are getting their first look in person at the family of the bride. It’s important stuff.

I know the bride and or the wedding planner doesn’t want one more detail to manage but WHY does the rehearsal meal get treated as a non-event when it comes to having someone designated to take pictures of the occasion?

It’s very easy to load pics into Movie Maker on a PC or iMovie on a Mac to create a lasting and stunning video. You can add music to it while your pictures and video play.

Using a high definition video camera which also takes photos is convenient; makes it real easy to download everything all at the same time.

Don’t be overwhelmed with this. But do consider it. If you don’t know how to do it and you don’t want to burden any of your guests, just ask around for a high school or college student.

I’ve been able to receive photos and video from couples by email or jump drive and create a short video for a nominal fee so they have something worthwhile from their rehearsal lunch or dinner.

You only need 12 to 15 pictures and a couples of minutes of video to make a nice three to five minute video. That's why you don't want to pay a professional photographer to shoot the meal. It would be way too expensive for so few pics.

Rehearsal meals have just as much planning and decoration to them as the wedding reception. Hardly anyone thinks about capturing all that fun and those beautiful decorations on camera. 

 

Having a video slideshow of the activity from your rehearsal meal would certainly make a unique keepsake.

Here’s one I put together on iMovie for a couple whose rehearsal luncheon I attended as their

Wedding Minister:

 Rehearsal Luncheon Video

Give the idea some thought and let me know what you think by leaving a comment below. Or contact me at revdale@capefearweddingminister.com.