We’ve been asked the question before: “If I have a wedding in the town I grew up in, but no longer live there, is it considered a destination wedding?” To us, the answer is a resounding “heck yeah!” The core planning challenge remains the same: you are organizing a celebration in a location you can’t get to at the drop of a hat. This was the exact hurdle Robyn and Madison faced when they opted to marry in Robyn’s home state of North Carolina…specifically, the famous Outer Banks. Ultimately, having so many family members and friends there to witness them tie the knot, combined with the overwhelming sense of comfort Robyn felt on her wedding day, made the extra logistics more than worth it.

“For us, we always knew it would somehow end up on the Outer Banks,” Robyn says, “We just weren’t sure of the town.”

The couple explored venue options across several towns in the Outer Banks before eventually landing in Corolla, North Carolina. Robyn and Madison knew they wanted to rent a large oceanfront vacation home and bring in outside vendors. The strategy behind this venue choice was simple: they could stay for a full week, enjoying quality time with family and friends for the same cost as renting a traditional venue for a single day.

With the perfect short-term rental home secured, Madison and Robyn began planning the details. Because Robyn is a corporate event planner, the couple initially intended to spearhead the logistics themselves and simply lean on a coordinator for day-of support. However, they quickly realized they were a bit in over their heads.

“It was about three to four months before we realized how wrong we were, and thankfully, Ashley was able to step up and help,” Robyn says, “Looking back, our biggest regret was not having hired her as our full-time planner from Day One.”

Moving forward with the assistance from Ashley, Robyn and Madison worked to incorporate thoughtful tributes to their life together throughout the celebration. Their invitations foreshadowed this theme, featuring a custom map of the Outer Banks and a “key” indicating special milestones in the couple’s relationship. On the wedding day itself, guests enjoyed cocktail hour signature drinks named after the couple’s pets, alongside a custom slushie stand—a nod to their favorite dessert, Italian ice.

Perhaps the best customization Madison and Robyn made took place on the morning of the wedding. “We wanted to share personal vows, but wanted them to be intimate and just promised in front of/to each other,” Madison says. “We woke up at sunrise and exchanged our vows on the beach before parting for the day until the ceremony.”

During the ceremony, their officiant beautifully wove in a line about committing to the promises the couple had made to each other earlier that morning. And that officiant wasn’t just a hired vendor. “Our church pastor (the pastor Robyn grew up with) was able to officiate our wedding,” Madison tells us. “We didn’t know if she could until about six to eight months before the wedding, as our denomination hadn’t yet allowed its pastors to officiate same sex marriages. Once we found out she could officiate, we knew it was the perfect blessing from above, and we couldn’t have imagined anyone else joining us together in marriage.”

When all the pieces fell into place, Robyn and Madison’s wedding beautifully reflected their unique character and story, all set against a location of profound personal significance.

Vendors: Photographer: Sarah D’Ambra Photography; Planner: Southern Hospitality Weddings & Events; Florals: Clever Girl Florals; Catering: Red Sky Catering; Bakery: Holly’s Creative Confections; Equipment Rentals: I Do OBX Weddings & Events and Amaranth & Artifact; Musician: Kim Kalman; DJ: DJ Raymond Burnell; Hair Stylist: Glimmer Hair and Makeup; Accommodations: Atlantic Realty