South Carolina
Wedding photography · Charleston
In short
Wedding photography in Charleston starts at $3,500: 8 hours on location with a photographer who works in Charleston, and 600 edited photos delivered to a private gallery within 6 weeks.
Why choose Wedding photography in Charleston?
Charleston has been a top-five American wedding destination for over a decade, and the whole peninsula is walkable — which is the practical advantage nobody mentions. A ceremony South of Broad, portraits at the Battery and a reception on East Bay can happen without anybody getting into a car, which removes the single largest source of timeline risk at a wedding. What replaces it here is the tide and the heat.
Worth knowing about Charleston
A spring high tide at the Battery puts spray over the seawall and standing water on the promenade, which is a real problem for a wedding party in formal clothes and is entirely predictable from a tide table months in advance. The portrait block is scheduled against the tide as well as against the light, and where the two disagree the White Point Garden side of the Battery works at any water level.
What does the session in Charleston look like?
- The Battery and White Point Garden
- Seawall, live oaks and antebellum houses. Ten minutes on foot from most South of Broad venues.
- A hidden alley or courtyard
- The French Quarter has a dozen, and they are the frames that could only be here.
- Boone Hall’s Avenue of Oaks
- Three-quarters of a mile of 1743 live oaks. Booked well ahead and closed on event days.
What does wedding photography in Charleston include?
- 600+ retouched photographs
- Eight hours of continuous coverage
- Pre-wedding venue walk-through and timeline planning
- Second photographer for ceremony and reception
- Private online gallery within 6 weeks
- Print release for personal use
Permits at these locations: The Battery and White Point Garden: City of Charleston film and photography permit ($25 a day, 10 business days ahead) plus a park reservation. Weddings in White Point Garden are capped at 25 people.
FAQ — Wedding photography in Charleston
When is wedding season in Charleston?
March through May and late September through November — two peaks either side of a summer that is genuinely hot and very humid, with daily afternoon storms and a hurricane season running to November. Spring dates at the best venues go eighteen months out. Winter is mild, quiet and much better than its reputation for the pastel architecture.
Does the tide affect wedding photos here?
At the Battery, yes. A spring high tide puts spray over the seawall and water on the promenade, which is a problem in formal clothes and is predictable from a tide table months ahead. The portrait block is scheduled against it, and White Point Garden just inland works at any water level as the alternative.