Katie & Paul’s Wedding with Dr. Dave Keller

How did you meet?

We actually met in high school during Spanish class and didn’t pay much attention to each other other than a few exchanging glances. We connected a few years later in college after he made a trip to visit some of our mutual friends at the university I was attending. We both felt a spark that night and the rest is history!

How did you get engaged?

At the time, I was working for a company that sent me around the country for training. In April before the big day, my company sent me to Houston for training. Paul said he wanted to come along because he had never seen Texas. So, we made a vacation out of it. Little did I know he secretly planned an entire night around the city in Houston. We had an amazing dinner, watched the sunset, and suddenly, he popped the question!

Why OBX for your wedding day?

We had actually started planning a wedding in our hometown for about 3 months. After some time, we realized it did not match what we wanted in a wedding. We took a long weekend to the OBX and realized that it was the PERFECT spot for our wedding and started the planning soon after. We absolutely love traveling to the OBX every chance we get and we have the best feeling every time we cross the bridge onto the island!

How did you decide on the ceremony and reception location?

For the ceremony, we chose the Currituck Beach Lighthouse because of parking and weather. Parking was easier for all of our guests, especially since the Northern Outer Banks does not have many public beach accesses. Also, we figured it may be chilly in the late afternoon on the beach in April, so we opted against tying the knot in the sand. The lighthouse was a beautiful setting and provided us with gorgeous pictures. We also headed over to the beach for pictures after the ceremony so we still got amazing shots on the beach by the water!

For the reception, we chose the Currituck Club because of the staff and location. You can tell that the staff absolutely loves their jobs and will do anything to make your wedding perfect. The location was perfect because the site provided ample parking and was convenient for all of our guests.

How many guests did you have?

About 95.

How long did you allow for the wedding planning process?

9 months.

Looking back, what was your favorite moment of your wedding day?

My absolute favorite moment of the wedding day was right after our vows when we were presented as Mr & Mrs. for the first time. That moment felt so right because I knew that I had just married my best friend and the love of my life. Also, that moment was special because it was the first time I had looked out in the crowd and taken in how many family and friends made the trip to Corolla to celebrate our special day. We knew we were really loved!

If you could do one thing different (either in the planning or actual day) what would it be?

This is a tough question! Our vendors were incredible! We had such a good time and enjoyed everything. If I had to name something though, I would have given myself longer to plan the wedding. This may have been less stressful and would have given us a wider range of wedding dates to pick choose from.

What advice would you give to another bride planning their wedding on the Outer Banks?

Hire a wedding coordinator! I had a “day-of plus” planner and I could not have done it without her. I also asked one of my really good friends from home to be my mistress of ceremonies and they worked so well together. Their combined effort made us feel so calm and relaxed so we could enjoy our wedding day. Secondly, it is very important to have a back-up plan. Weather in the Outer Banks can be so unpredictable. Thirdly, take a long weekend and visit your most important wedding vendors. They will get to know your personality, likes, and dislikes and tailor your wedding to make it special and unique. Lastly, hire wedding photographers that LOVE what they do and ensure you get two photographers out of the deal. Having two photographers produces amazing shots and provides different perspectives. Also, if the photographers love what they do, it really shows in the final product!