Jeff and Julie
Engagement Story
Julie and I met exactly 5 years ago and our journey started immediately with moves around the Philadelphia area to as far as Des Moines, IA! We got engaged in July 2015 in Dewey Beach, DE. Julie’s best friend Lindsay came down for the weekend and she was part of the plan and Julie and I walked out our first morning there for a family vacation week to see the sunrise over the Atlantic and I popped the question! Her friend Lindsay was hanging back and capturing every piece of it, and it couldn’t have been more perfect as we both love the beach and love sharing moments like this with friends and family members.
Why Did You Choose the Outer Banks and The Black Stallion?
I can’t tell you how many times I was asked this the week leading up to our wedding. Believe it or not, Julie or I had never been to the Outer Banks prior to making the decision that it was the place 24 hours after being engaged. We had done the city weddings, and we had been to the beach weddings in the Delaware area, but this was totally different. Somewhat “destination” as most families had a 5-hour drive to get there, and we loved the idea of something different.
Now, as far as the Black Stallion goes, I may have been somewhat “planning” this for a long time. One summer many years prior to meeting Julie, I had just wrapped up a week at the Delaware beaches with friends, and when leaving, we all said how cool it would be to do something similar, but in the OBX. So, me being the planner that I am, I immediately started looking up houses. Well at that time, I think the Black Stallion was brand new and first house that would pop up on Twiddy’s website when you searched. We clearly couldn’t afford that as a group of friends in the middle of peak season, but I couldn’t help but flip through the photos. I sent the link to the house to my father and said, “How cool would it be to get married here….” And his response was, of course, “Gotta find the right girl first, bud….”. And the rest is history…..
Description of Wedding
Many times in conversation with Kerri and Dorothy, we would reference the theme “simple, yet elegant”. This was evident in how they reflected our taste in the wonderful design and flow of the wedding, which was absolutely breathtaking. Black Stallion is such a perfect “blank canvas,” if you will, and although there have been many weddings there that were stunning, there is always the opportunity to do something different. One was having the ceremony in the driveway, facing the great greenery the property offers. Aside from that, we were very much focused on lighting and flow, so it was an intimate evening where people just had a great time. That plan didn’t fail, and I think the picture speaks to it!
Any Advice to Couples Currently Planning a Wedding?
Yes, only one. I know budgets are very tough with weddings as it’s such a large expense and easy to get carried away, but you need to make room for a wedding planner. Kerri from the Proper Setting was a life savior, and there is no way we would have pulled off what we did without her. And what’s great is you gain the friendship of an amazing person in the process :)
List of Vendors
Photographer: Genevieve Stewart Photography
Decor: Bells & Whistles
Coordinator: The Proper Setting, Kerri Catino-Nason
Caterer: Ocean Boulevard
Dessert: Just Desserts
Ceremony Music: Club Violin
Reception Music: DJ Bruce
Rentals: Ocean Atlantic Rentals
Hair & Makeup: Bombshells Studio
