Having a beach wedding although beautiful comes with many unpredictable variables such as temperature, precipitation, wind, and wildlife.  Luckily, there are some variables you can control such as sunrise and set, and the tide tables. These variables are very helpful in determining what time of day to have your wedding.

It is important to keep you and your guests as comfortable as possible, and since Ocean Isle Beach can be very warm during wedding season April-October you should plan the wedding around a time of day that is as cool as possible. This time is around sunrise and sunset, which also happens to be the most beautiful part of the day. I believe the best decision is to have your ceremony about an hour before sunset.  Not only is this time of day cooler, but also if you are facing the ocean the sun will be behind both you and your guests so no one will have to squint through the ceremony.  In addition having photos taken after the ceremony right at sunset will be breathtaking and unforgettable!

Depending on what part of Ocean Isle Beach you have the wedding the beach width may be large or small.  This is why the tide table is such an important factor in determining what time of day to have your wedding.  If you have a chance visit your ceremony site at both high and low tide to better determine how large the beach is, and if it is even possible to hold a ceremony at high tide. I would suggest using the tide tables and having your wedding as close to low tide as possible to give you more space and therefore more options for your ceremony location.  You can find tide tables for your wedding date on our recommended vendor list.  The tables are provided about 1 year out.

As you can tell there are very few factors you can control when having a beach wedding therefore those you can control should be taken advantage of! I hope these suggestions help you choose the perfect time for your ceremony!  And as always, happy planning!