Emotional Wedding at Jockey’s Ridge State Park

If you want to get married in the Outer Banks, take a look at Jockey’s Ridge State Park. Jharnell and Stephan’s intimate celebration kept the focus on what mattered most to them. The breathtaking setting gave these creative wedding photos a sense of windswept enchantment.

A bride and groom walk over a dune at Jockey's Ridge State Park after their Outer Banks wedding ceremony.

Getting Married at Jockey’s Ridge State Park

Jockey’s Ridge State Park is located in Nags Head, North Carolina. The sprawling coastal park includes a huge series of sand dunes. The dramatic dunes with the ocean stretching out behind them make this one of the most popular state parks in North Carolina. It’s a stunning place to get married in the Outer Banks.

A bride's mother helps her fasten her white wedding shoes.

A family member helps a bride fasten a customized handkerchief around a bouquet of dried flowers.

A bride and groom share a first touch around a corner of an Outer Banks wedding venue.

To get married at Jockey’s Ridge State Park, start by filing for a permit. The park staff will work with you to coordinate your ceremony and reception spots. Jharnell and Stephan were able to use a scenic dock for their ceremony. It was conveniently attached to a building where they were able to host an intimate reception for their guests.

A bride smiles at a groom as she walks up the aisle at an outdoor wedding in North Carolina.

Wedding guests watch an Outer Banks wedding ceremony from a balcony as the wind blows the bride's veil.

A bride and groom hold hands and listen to an officiant talk with Jockey Ridge State Park in the background.

The town of Nags Head itself is an amazing wedding destination. It’s full of historic beach homes and breezy board walks. Since it’s such a popular part of the Outer Banks, you can avoid some of the crowds by having a fall or winter wedding. Jharnell’s bridal cape looked stunning on the dunes.

A bride and groom exchange vows on a deck overlooking a North Carolina beach.

A bride and groom share the first kiss at the end of a winter wedding in the Outer Banks.

Wedding guests raise wine glasses for a toast around a long reception table.

Jharnell and Stephan’s Emotional Wedding

Stephan and Jharnell’s wedding at Jockey’s Ridge State Park was full of tender moments. These two were so excited to marry each other, and you could see it in their expressions when they first spotted each other at their ceremony. They had their ceremony at the end of a dock with most of their guests on the balcony above. This gave their guests a phenomenal view and preserved the intimacy of the ceremony.

In the late afternoon, a bride and groom walk down wooden steps towards the beach at Jockey's Ridge State Park.

Stephan pulls Jharnell close for a kiss on a North Carolina beach after their wedding ceremony.

A bride and groom climb a dune at their winter wedding at Jockey's Ridge State Park.

After the ceremony, we walked out on the dunes along the ocean. Jharnell put on her bridal cape and cozied up to Stephan in the dunes. It really felt like they were the only two people in the world at that moment. It was the perfect setting for artistic, emotional portraits.

A couple in winter wedding attire kisses at a North Carolina beach wedding.

A bride in a bridal cape leans against a groom on a North Carolina beach dune.

A bride and groom cut a slice of cake at their Outer Banks wedding.

Would you like me to photograph your wedding at Jockey’s Ridge State Park? I’m a North Carolina wedding photographer who specializes in editorial wedding photography. Inquire with me here!