A friend of mine became an ordained minister last year and is busy officiating beach weddings here at Holden Beach and our neighboring islands of Ocean Isle Beach and Sunset Beach. She apprenticed under her mother, Reverend Penelope Morningstar, who has been a wedding minister for over 12 years. I have to say the talent or calling for this type of work, must run in the genes, because I have been to a couple of Reverend LeeAnn’s weddings on the beach, and one of her baby naming ceremonies, and she does a fantastic job.

Wedding Ministers Reverend Penelope Morningstar and Reverend LeeAnn Politis with the Bride and Groom

You might be surprised at how many people choose to get married on our area beaches each weekend. I had the opportunity to talk to the events coordinator at The Isles Restaurant at Ocean Isle Beach. He has between 50 and 60 weddings scheduled in May and June. Throughout the summer they do one wedding a day. That’s one every day of the week, not just on the weekend. A mid week wedding makes a lot of sense for a destination wedding. The wedding guest can arrive at the location, spend a couple of days relaxing with wedding couple, family and friends before the big event. Some bridal couples choose to spend part of their honeymoon celebrating with family gathered at the wedding destination, while others leave for second destination, leaving the wedding party and guest to relax or recover, whatever the case may be, after the wedding.

Why are people choosing our area beaches over the more popular  wedding destinations such as Hawaii or Jamaica. Well, one answer seems obvious. It is much more affordable to have a wedding at Holden Beach, Ocean Isle Beach or Sunset Beach than any of the out-of-the-country traditional spots. If you plan a destination wedding where a airline tickets cost $500 – $900 for each person, not to mention the cost of accommodations, you cut a lot of people out of your potential guest list. The beaches of southern Brunswick county are only a half-day drive from most of the eastern states. Accommodations at our beaches are a value by any standard and downright cheap compared to the more exotic resorts. Cost is a big factor for Daddy of the bride, all the cousins and friends from college. Equally important, you can’t find a more beautiful backdrop for a wedding than the white sand and blue skies of the Carolina’s beaches.

The Bride, escorted by her father, makes a dramatic entrance.

I attended a wedding at The Isles Restaurant (Ocean Isle Beach, NC) last week and I understand why it is such a popular venue for weddings. They give the bridal party access to the reception room all day, so they are free to decorate the room as they please. The room has an oceanfront room and opens out to a covered deck, making it perfect for a beach wedding reception. The long boardwalk to the beach is a great “aisle” for the bride, making a grand entrance down the stairs to the beach. The Isles has a set of speakers on a beach side deck. They played music as the bride entered and as the bride and groom left the beach. And you just can’t beat the ambiance of ocean waves, blue sky and warm breezes.

The Isles Restaurant is by no means the only spot for a beach wedding at Ocean Isle Beach. There are several homes that have become popular for beach weddings. I officiated at one such home last weekend. Just beyond The Isles and before the private west end, there is a house at 1 Coggleshall. The home is beautiful and spacious, with a nice pool area that is a great place for a reception. The wide covered porch on the living level is plenty big to set up additional tables for the reception and gives the much needed alternate location should it rain.