The Road Less Traveled: Soundside Weddings

Normally when you think of a "beach wedding" you picture your closest friends and family gathered around you on the sand while the waves break along the shore in the background. In the beginning, when the Outer Banks was becoming a popular choice for this type of wedding, this is how most were performed. Recently, there has been a trend towards an alternative setting - weddings on the sound side of the Outer Banks.

What was originally thought of as "the road less traveled" is now becoming quite a popular choice for couples planning their weddings. In the few months I have been consulting with brides and their families, I have noticed a tendency for brides to choose a sound front home for their event.

Each location has its advantages and disadvantages and the bride and groom must decide which setting will make their wedding the most memorable. Oceanfront weddings provide all the stereotypical elements, wanted and unwanted, of a beach wedding: sand, waves, and wind. A wedding can be beautiful with the right combination of each; however, each of these also has its downfalls.

The sand provides the relaxed atmosphere a beach wedding entails but may be an issue if formal attire is involved and the wedding party is not keen on getting sand in their shoes. Breaking waves provide relaxing background sounds but may also interfere with the guests' ability to hear the vows. Gentle breezes are a quintessential element when it comes to a beach wedding. However, we all know that gentle breezes can sometimes turn into blustery wind gusts in no time.

Sound front weddings offer a different approach to the typical beach wedding. A sound front home offers one significant Outer Banks detail that an oceanfront home cannot - a sunset over the water. Many brides give up their idea of a typical beach wedding in return for the ability to exchange vows while the sun is setting.

There is no doubt that a beautiful sunset over the sound can be quite romantic. However, just as the oceanfront location has its disadvantages so does the sound front setting. Depending on the time of year, along with a beautiful sunset, you may also experience bugs (most often mosquitoes), a marshy terrain, and a distinctive odor that sometimes accompanies the sound. While these things may not interfere with your event, there is always the possibility.

A final thought on oceanfront versus sound front: when choosing between the two locations, make sure you research how near the ocean and sound actually are to the property. Just because a property is listed as "oceanfront" does not mean that the ocean is right at your back door. Oceanfront properties often require some sort of walk to the beach whether it is down a private beach walkway or over many dunes.

Sound front properties also may not be as close to the sound as you had imagined. Some areas on the sound side of this barrier island are, in large part, marshy wetlands with access to the sound quite far away. It is imperative that if you are looking for a property that has direct ocean or sound access, you visit the property yourself or speak with someone that knows the property well.

Ultimately the decision to choose between oceanfront and sound front rests in the hands of the couple getting married. Whether oceanfront or sound front, both settings will provide a beautiful backdrop to such a memorable time in your life.

For a listing of these oceanfront and sound front homes and to consult with someone who knows what each property each has to offer, you can visit us at www.resortquestouterbanks.com or email me at lrussell@resortquest.com.

Congratulations and we'll see you soon.

Contributed by:
ResortQuest Outer Banks
www.resortquestouterbanks.com