Sanderling Resort Reviews

Beautiful resort! Kyle managed our event perfectly and made sure everything was to our complete satisfaction. The food was excellent, the service was top notch. Highly recommend!

We had our late October wedding at the Sanderling resort. We wanted to be at a nature-forward beach with all of our needs on one site. We rented four vacation homes as well as a couple of suites. We held our rehearsal dinner at Kimball’s Kitchen, our ceremony on the Observation Deck, reception at the event house, and after-partied every night at the Caffey House. Every onsite service was wonderful, from the cleaning to the salon to the catering. Despite changes in management while we were planning and some inevitable changes in staff that followed, there was not a single hiccup in their coordination. Every aspect of our weeklong event was perfect, thanks largely to the Sanderling staff and the incredible vendors on their “preferred list” of third party vendors. It’s hard to stop raving about the perfect food, location, and company that Sanderling provides. It is obvious that the staff there is passionate about what they do. Everyone’s efforts and the results of that are beyond what we hoped for. We are excited to go back to enjoy the facilities again as well as to see the new friends we made there during the wedding process.

This resort encompasses all of the beauty of the outer banks. Kristen is a wonderful wedding planner, and makes every step along the way easy and fun!

We got married 2/15/20 at the Sanderling (their first Feb wedding ever). Neither my husband nor I had ever been to the Sanderling or to OBX for that matter. We wanted a destination wedding and fell in love with an off-season wedding with amazing sunsets overlooking the water and the wild horses.

I found the Sanderling online and was hooked. I called Kristen their wedding coordinator, grabbed our date (only 5 months prior), and start to finish it was more than either of us could have ever expected. Kristen and her team are amazing. She has everything you will need covered from on-site Sanderling options to working with the dream team of vendors. We had only 2 phone calls with her before the wedding weekend and she was able to take in all our wishes and execute.

The wedding was perfect- "pure magic" is what our friends and families have said. Our guests stayed onsite, we booked one of the vacation homes on property for some of the bridal party, the bridesmaids and I got ready at the spa, we had the ceremony in Keeper's Loft and reception at the Pavilion. Having everything and everyone in one space made it more fun and relaxing. The entire entire Sanderling staff and the OBX community made us feel incredibly welcomed and loved. Thank you! I highly recommend the Sanderling!

The Sanderling Resort made my dream wedding come true! I couldn't have asked for a more perfect wedding day. Debbie Norris' attention to detail is amazing and she is wonderful. She definitely keeps everything on target, on schedule and has great suggestions that made my day even better than I could have imagined. My guests even said what a great place and beautiful wedding - they best they had attended! THANKS SANDERLING AND SPECIAL THANKS TO DEBBIE NORRIS FOR MAKING OUR DREAM WEDDING A REALITY.

I cannot recommend the Sanderling Resort enough. We fell in love with the property as soon as we pulled up, I think my husbands words were "now, this is what I'm talking about". We met with Debbie and instantly clicked with her and loved everything she was sharing about the property. It was clear that there were many options to meet all kinds of budgets and sizes and Debbie was going to be there every step of the way. Planning a wedding from afar can be really challenging so I LOVED the fact that Debbie was onsite and able to help coordinate vendors and that the Sanderling was a number of the largest vendors all in one: caterer, linens, tables/chairs & bar. Which meant that I didn't need to find *too* many more vendors to complete my day. Having a day of coordinator included in the package price was also a HUGE selling factor to me.

The Sanderling has a great preferred vendor list, they had a million linen colors to choose from, many of the 'extras' that you may want but again can all coordinate through them. We wanted a few special options at the bar, (beer & wine that were not on their list) & Debbie worked with the Bar Manager to ensure that we could have what we wanted on our day. She did a fantastic job walking me through the budget & helping me make decisions to stay within the budget, I never felt pressured to increase what we wanted to spend. Debbie was EXTREMELY responsive, again something you really want when you are planning your wedding from far away, she was always easy to get ahold of via email and willing to pop on the phone for a more in depth phone call.

I've seen so many brides STRESS about the day of schedule and the coordination of all of the vendors and I did not have one ounce of stress about this process. Debbie handled all of it, asked for my opinions but created our timeline based on her experiences and had everything ready to go. My bridal party was a little rowdy, to say the least, & Debbie handled them like a pro, keeping everyone on task & on schedule.

I received endless compliments about our food, the service, Debbie, the venue etc. and having our big day at the Sanderling was everything we could have dreamed of. 10 out of 10 experience and I will always recommend them & Debbie, to anyone looking to get married in the Outer Banks!

Having our wedding at the Sanderling was an absolute dream. If you're looking for a venue that is professional and fun and is a 'one-stop-shop' for all of your wedding needs, this is it.

We are from Baltimore, MD but knew we wanted to get married in the OBX, NC as it holds a lot of amazing memories for us and our families. When we were searching and comparing venues - the Sanderling Resort struck us as being very equipped for out of town planners like ourselves. It had all the amenities we would need for hosting our guests for the long weekend and the vibe of the resort is unmatched. It was very clear from start to finish that they knew what they were doing and that everything would be taken care of. And it absolutely was!

Our coordinators, Davis and Kristen, were very enthusiastic, timely and professional with all of their responses from the beginning stages of planning, all the way through the day of and beyond. It was a perfect fit for my husband and I whose only real request was that we be told where to stand and that everyone have fun! The day flowed so effortlessly - thanks to Kristen and the amazing staff - which is what I believe all couples are in search of!

On top of the amazing service, the beautiful venue and the amazing staff, the food was absolutely PHENOMENAL! Our guests are still raving about it.

One of my favorite things about planning our wedding at the Sanderling was the friends and family feel of it all. All of the preferred vendors know each other pretty well and work together all of the time, which makes the experience that much easier and more magical. We feel as if we were welcomed into this exclusive family and it's a one-of-a-kind experience we would not have gotten anywhere else!

We cannot thank Kristen and the amazing Sanderling team enough for putting together a wedding that far exceeded our expectations.

I have always wanted a beach wedding and when my now-husband recommended the Outer Banks, I found the Sanderling Resort. We visited the resort and felt so welcomed by the wedding team. We went with the Event House elopement package, which included a beer canoe and s'mores by the firepit! Over the course of planning, our original Sanderling wedding planner left and Kristen Allen took over. Kristen was able to take over seamlessly and made sure that we had everything we wanted for the big day. We never had to worry because she made sure every detail was perfect! Even when we had to make some last minute changes to the reception due to the unusual amount of bugs outside, she kept us informed and relaxed for our special day. Surprisingly, the bugs stayed away that night and we could enjoy the outdoors and firepit! I couldn't imagine having our wedding anywhere else or with any other planner!

My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed our experience with the Sanderling. Debbie was our wedding coordinator and made everything about our special day perfect. One of the best parts about using them as your venue is that it is a one-stop shop, so you never have to worry about running out of anything. Not to mention being able to get married on the beach and have a reception on the sound makes everything so beautiful and photogenic. Amazing food and wonderful staff made our special day perfect. Highly recommend.

My husband and I got married at the Sanderling Resort in the Outer Banks in May, and we could not be happier with our venue. From the moment that we met Debbie, she was nothing short of amazing. She was there every step of the wedding planning journey to help us with all of our questions, and was wonderful to work with. The Sanderling is a stunning venue, and their entire staff was phenomenal throughout our wedding day and our entire stay. Our wedding day was seamless; Debbie made sure that everyone was where they needed to be, when they needed to be there, so that I could focus on our day and enjoy every moment! The Sanderling will always hold a special place in our hearts; without Debbie and her team, our dream wedding would not have been possible! Our family and friends still talk about how beautiful our ceremony and reception was, and how incredible all of the food was during the cocktail hour and dinner. Needless to say, we would highly recommend the Sanderling for your wedding day, or special event!

The Sanderling Resort was the BEST and dreamiest place to get married! We absolutely loved the staff and especially loved working with Debbie Norris as our wedding coordinator!! Debbie was always easy to reach, confident and organized in our planning, and focused on bringing the vision we had for our wedding day come to life. We could tell that Debbie and the Sanderling Resort have much experience serving couples and their our experience with them could not have been better. We highly recommend Sanderling Resort for your East Coast wedding!

I can't thanks enough the Sanderling Resort staff to make our most important day a great one. But most of all, Kristen Allen, our wedding planner.
Kristen you were an absolutely amazing wedding planner! You were professional, poised and gracious at all times. Thank you so much for being there for me from start to finish, being so patient with me, and putting up with my worries phone calls, questions and last-minute changes. Our wedding was beautiful and perfect. It was the day we had always dreamed of. The flowers, decorations, the cake, and the reception were stunningly gorgeous. Thanks to you, Kris and I were able to fully enjoy our wedding day without a worry in the world! Please do not hesitate to use us as a reference for other brides and grooms looking for a wonderful wedding planner for their special day.

My wife had always dreamed of having a perfect beach wedding and The Sanderling Resort was the best venue to make this a reality. We looked at numerous spots along the Outer Banks and nothing came close to the beauty of The Sanderling. As the only venue on the Outer Banks with both Sound and Ocean views this offered the perfect combination for every event involved in our wedding. From the rehearsal dinner in the new event center, wedding on the beach, reception at the pavilion, numerous meals at the Lifesaving Station, and dinner at Kimball’s Kitchen, The Sanderling offered enough variety to keep us experiencing something new each night. Our title says Chefs in Love because both my wife and I are chefs. We were really nervous about finding a location that would impress us with the food, as well as impress our wedding guests, whom we knew had high expectations. Our Coordinator Kristen Allen and the food and beverage team at the Sanderling went above and beyond to curb all our fears and make sure we had enough time to taste and adjust the menu as we desired, however, the food we selected needed no adjusting. They helped create our signature drinks and gave us a wedding our families still talk about! We were so happy to be married at the Sanderling and are already planning our one year anniversary there! This place is one of a kind.

We met in Nags Head back in 1974 and knew we wanted to get married there but did not know where to find the perfect place for our wedding. We decided to pick an elopement package at the Sanderling Resort in Duck NC and what a beautiful wedding we had! I would do it all over again if I could! Our guests are still talking about it. The Sanderling did not miss a beat! Our event planner Kristin Allen was so amazing and so professional. She helped us with every step of the planning, the vendor selections, the food, the beverages, the music, even down to bustling my dress before the reception. As the bride, she was my right hand and everything went as planned that day...on time...she did not miss a beat! We could not have been more pleased. The meal was absolutely delicious and every detail was in place. The staff was so professional and made all our guests feel welcomed. From the time all our guests checked in to the time they left it was a great experience. We cannot say enough wonderful things about the Sanderling. If you are wondering if this would be a good venue for your wedding then look no further. The Sanderling made our day one we will never forget!

The Sanderling Resort was the perfect place. We planned our wedding from out of town and it was basically site unseen. Debbie was so helpful throughout the process that the event was absolutely seamless. We could not have picked a better place or had a better time! All of our guests fell in love with it too! Thank you for making our day so special!

Where to begin with The Sanderling?! When we got engaged, my husband and I knew two things for sure: he wanted to get married on the Outer Banks and I wanted small and simple. We booked The Sanderling sight unseen (gasp, I know) from Detroit 6 months out. We based our decision entirely on online reviews and customer service over phone/email. It was the best decision. They connected us with the best vendors and made everything so, so easy. The only thing I worried about was the weather, and our coordinator (Kristen) was so sweet, she'd start our planning calls with "sunshine thoughts." It was a beautiful day in every way - the staff made us and our guests feel like VIPs the duration of our trip. The resort itself is gorgeous, the food was AMAZING. 100/10 stars all the way.

Words can't express how absolutely pleased I was with my wedding at the Sanderling. I had begun planning a wedding in my area, but was feeling very overwhelmed by the cost, options, logistics, and general craziness that every bride and groom experiences. One late night, on a whim while feeling this overwhelm, I googled "Outer Banks elopement packages," and the Sanderling's weekday elopement packages was the first link. I immediately could see that I liked it. My then fiance and I visited the Sanderling a few weeks later while visiting the Outer Banks and I was hooked. We met with Davis, who is the sweetest and best wedding coordinator EVER! My husband said "I could see the stress melt away as she talked." The planning process was easy and stress free. I loved how organized and detailed Davis was. It really gave me confidence that everything would turn out well. In the week leading up to leaving for the wedding, I was a stress case. But, when I got to the Sanderling, all of that melted away. We met with Davis to go over plans, including alternate wedding set up since the forecast called for rain, and she stayed in touch to answer questions, even with other weddings to take care of. People talk about the wedding day being hectic and stressful. Mine was carefree and truly the best day ever. We woke up and had breakfast, and then my husband went to have his groom pampering at the spa while I had a coffee on the deck overlooking the ocean. I went back to the room to have my hair and makeup done, along with snacks I ordered for me and the ladies. We decided to set up the decor inside, because of the forecast, but ended up able to have our beach ceremony. Everything was gorgeous, and the food was terrific! Everyone said it was the best wedding they'd ever been to. We had one hiccup with the anniversary tier of our cake going missing, but that was a minor thing. Thanks to Davis and the Sanderling for giving me a wedding to remember!

There are not enough words to describe how perfect our wedding day was thanks to Davis Walker (our coordinator) and the team at Sanderling! We started our planning process over a year prior to our wedding day and Davis was so patient, honest and professional throughout. Once we were finally able to meet in person, we knew that we were able to trust her with everything! She infused so much fun into our planning process and made it stress-free. On our actual day, we didn't worry about a thing; she seamlessly worked with each of our vendors to ensure our day flowed well and our guests (and the two of us) were taken care of! We could not have chosen better. Thank you so much to Davis and the Sanderling! We will be back for our anniversaries!

Everything was perfect! The day does fly by so fast and this place has it down to a science and will guide you every step of the way. The site is beautiful, coordinators are wonderful, and food is delicious! Many compliments from guests.

When starting to plan my wedding, I knew finding the perfect venue for my groom and I, was going to be tough. We knew that no matter where we had it, some of our guests would have to travel. After months of searching, we found the Sanderling. It was a perfect distance for our Maryland and Virginia Beach guests to travel and be able to enjoy their time not only for our wedding day, but for the weekend as well. OBX is such a relaxing and enjoyable place to stay. If you're looking for the perfect scenery and a fairy tale wedding that your guests will be talking about for months, book your wedding at the Sanderling. Not only was it so beautiful, but the staff at the resort are so delightful. They truly care about your experience while staying with them and want your wedding day to be nothing shy of perfect. Now, don't get my started on the wedding coordinating staff. They are AMAZING. We were blessed to have Taylor as our coordinator and I can't imagine the experience being what it was without her. Planning a wedding by yourself can be tough, but knowing I didn't have to worry about anything on the venue side of things really made the entire experience flawless. Taylor saved the day in so many ways and she always knew exactly what to do. She was born with such a special gift and I can not thank her enough. If you want a wedding that is a mixture of happiness, emotion, and pure love, the Sanderling will help make your dreams come true.

Having grown up coming to the Outer Banks my whole life (family is from MD) and my parents and grandparents owning houses about 5 minutes from the Sanderling, I knew that OBX was where I wanted to get married, and the Sanderling was basically the only place we looked!! We just knew it was perfect location wise and they have stellar reviews and a reputation of excellence in OBX. We'd eaten there before at their restaurant but I was still amazed at how awesome the food was at our wedding!! Everyone commented on it!
We had the pleasure of having Taylor as our event coordinator and she was awesome! She always answered all my emails quickly and put up with all my questions (especially planning a NC wedding from MO). She was a Godsend. And she really made the day run SO smoothly once we got there. She and the whole Sanderling staff are super accommodating and helpful.
It can seem a little pricey but you really get what you pay for. The venue is top notch and all of our guests commented on how beautiful the ceremony, reception space, and the whole place in general was. And like I said before...the food is seriously AMAZING!!! (Way better than any other wedding food I've had.)

The Sanderling delivered above and beyond my expectations. The food was excellent, the service was friendly and everybody was so professional. Jessica Chapman was so helpful in making everything run smoothly and accommodating all our last minute requests. Even when the weather did not hold up she had a back up plan and I did not have to worry about a thing. The Elopement package was just perfect for us.

We had the most beautiful and amazing beach wedding!! Wendy and everyone at The Sanderling were wonderful! Didn't have to worry about a single thing on our wedding day! It was perfect!!

Perfect! Absolutely wonderful! There are not enough words to describe the amazing experience we had hosting our wedding and reception at The Sanderling! All of our wedding guests have raved about the beautiful venue, the terrific food and the attentive and friendly staff. We have been told repeatedly, by all of our guests our wedding was the nicest wedding that they have ever attended. Everyone raved about the food, the beautiful setting and how much fun they had at our wedding.

Wendy was a dream to work with and made planning our destination wedding as easy as could be. Wendy's professionalism, responsiveness and attention to detail was exceptional. She genuinely cared about our vision for the wedding and her execution was flawless. She even took the time to listen to my father practice his speech during the week prior to the wedding.

My husband and I had the greatest night of our lives at our wedding and we cannot thank Wendy and the rest of the staff at the Sanderling enough!!