Amanda and Phil’s Romantic Boone Hall Wedding

Cushla Beasley July 27, 2018 3 Comments Wedding

……….A romantic Boone Hall wedding is always a treat to shoot – everywhere you turn is a beautiful scene, an ancient oak tree, or a bursting sunset. This is the second time I’ve shot a wedding at Boone hall that’s held the ceremony under the avenue of oak trees, and I think it’s my new favorite spot!

……….The day began with a private first look between the historic gates of the mansion at Boone Hall. Nestled quietly beneath the live oaks and Spanish moss, Amanda and Phil then tied the knot in an intimate ceremony surrounded by family and close friends. With thunder rumbling in the distance and the occasional lightning bolt illuminating the dark skies we headed off to take some portraits during golden hour. Everyone was constantly checking the radar and hoping we weren’t going to get rained out but luckily for all of us we were graced with no rain and an INSANE sunset. Coupled with a super high tide at the cotton dock, the reflections on the water were unlike anything I’ve shot before at this location.

……….The neutral color palette allowed the beauty of the location to shine through at Boone Hall – a pop of color from burgundy dahlias and blush roses was all that was needed to showcase the lush green surroundings while guests to nibbled, mingled, and enjoyed the sights, all while having a refreshing drink under the shade of the oaks.

……….Thanks to all of the vendors who helped make this Boone Hall wedding possible!

Remember to click the read more link at the bottom of the page for more photos!

Venue: Boone Hall Plantation

Planning: Peper Events

Florist: Frampton’s Flowers

Hair & Makeup: Wild Ivory Beauty

Officiant: Richard Burton

Rentals: Eventworks

Catering: Salthouse

Cake: Mirabelle Bakey

Music: Bob Williams String Duo

Sarah and Alex’s Elegant Wickliffe House Wedding in Charleston, SC

Cushla Beasley July 27, 2018 0 Comments Wedding

Sarah and Alex’s summertime Wickliffe House wedding was an elegant affair that oozed Southern style and charm.

The day started with the guys and girls getting ready at separate private homes down the road from one another – the guys sipped whiskey while the girls were in hair and makeup. After a private first look between the columns at Cannon Park while the sun was shining and a light breeze picked up Sarah’s veil – we took some (read: a lot) of portraits in the beautiful mottled light of the park.

The ceremony was held at St. Luke’s chapel in downtown Charleston, and after the ceremony the guests were able to make a short, shaded walk to the ceremony reception, which sits just across the street: The Wickliffe House. Arguably one of my favorite venues – a grand, historic mansion with a sprawling double-height porch and a manicured lawn out front (and a spiral staircase, to boot!) – the Wickliffe House made an ideal location to host this beautiful wedding. The reception was full of personal touches from Sarah and Alex – the desserts were handmade specially by them, and they sipped champagne from heirloom glasses passed down to them.

Thanks to everyone who helped make this special Wickliffe House Wedding happen!

Remember to click the read more link at the bottom of the page for more photos!

Reception Venue: The Wickliffe House

Ceremony Venue: St. Luke’s Chapel

Tissiana and John’s Sunrise Wedding at Pretty Place Chapel

Cushla Beasley July 18, 2018 0 Comments Wedding

………. Tissiana and John’s wedding at Pretty Place Chapel in Cleveland, SC was one of the most beautiful ceremonies I’ve ever had the privilege of shooting.

………. I’ll be honest, I’m not much of a morning person, so when Tissiana told me that we needed to arrive at 5:30am I wasn’t completely sold on the whole thing. That was until I saw the venue.

………. I’ve heard a lot about Pretty Place Chapel from friends and other photographers who live in the Greenville, SC area so I knew that it was going to be pretty, but I honestly didn’t think it was going to be as gorgeous as it was. With a perfect view out over the Upstate of South Carolina and into North Carolina, the sunrise was about as good as I’ve ever seen (although admittedly I haven’t seen THAT many given my aversion to the wee small hours of the morning).

………. Following the ceremony, I was extremely glad that my clients trust me to the extent that they do because despite John not being the biggest fan of heights, he stepped over the railing to the edge of the cliff and got some beautiful portraits! In my defense though, Tissiana had more to do with than than me so you can’t blame me entirely.

………. From there it was a short drive back to the Highland Lake Inn for breakfast, a quick cake cutting and then portraits with their family and friends before we had to hit the road back to Charleston.

………. Really looking forward to having the opportunity to shoot here again!

Remember to click the read more link at the bottom of the page for more photos!

Vendors

Ceremony: Pretty Place Chapel

Reception: Highland Lake Inn

Dress: Maggie Sottero

Baley and Elliott’s Alhambra Hall Wedding in Charleston, SC

Cushla Beasley July 13, 2018 0 Comments Uncategorized, Wedding

……….Baley and Elliott’s Alhambra Hall wedding was the perfect balance of fun and elegance.

……….The day began at a relaxed pace with the girls getting ready while sipping mimosas. After loading into the car and heading to the ceremony venue around the corner – St. Andrews Historic Church – we headed straight into the couple’s first look. In the lush, shaded courtyard on the parish grounds, Baley and Elliott saw each other for the first time and exchanged meaningful letters afterwards (one of my favorite wedding day traditions.)

……….After the ceremony, cocktail hour began at Alhambra Hall for the guests while we headed out to take some portraits! Baley and Elliott were down for anything – they even climbed into a bush of weeds for one shot! We began at the Pitt St. Bridge, a place that holds special meaning to the Bride. The sky was beautiful and the weather was perfect for casual, romantic shots by the water. Sunset came and we kept on shooting – I even shot a couple rolls of film on my old Mamiya RZ67 film camera for a couple of poses (getting that film processed will be a whole other story!). Their adorable French bull dog made an appearance for some photos during cocktail hour – she’s a natural on camera.

……….Their reception included an (aggressive) tambourine solo to Journey’s ‘Don’t Stop Believing’, a choreographed performance of the dance from Napoleon Dynamite, and a late-night delivery of 300 tacos from Taco Bell and a stack of Papa John’s pizzas. That last one in particular made me think that these two are the type of people I could definitely be friends with!

……….Thanks to all of the vendors who helped make this Alhambra Hall wedding day so much fun!

Remember to click the read more link at the bottom of the page for more photos!

Ceremony Venue: St. Andrews Historic Church Mount Pleasant

Reception Venue: Alhambra Hall

Planning: Yoj Events

Florist: Frampton’s Flowers

Hair & Makeup: Paper Dolls

Rentals: Eventworks

Transportation: Charleston Style Limo

Catering + Bar: Sandlapper

Cake: ABCD

Entertainment: Midnight City

Tuxedo Rental: Charleston Tuxedo

10 Reasons Why You Should Have A Charleston, SC Wedding

Nick July 12, 2018 0 Comments Fun Stuff

…………Charleston, SC is the number one city in America AGAIN! For the 6th time in a row, Travel & Leisure has ranked Charleston the number one city in America which, let’s be honest, is pretty fantastic. Charleston is not only a great place to live and work, but we think it’s also the number one place in America to get married! Here’s a list of 10 reasons why a Charleston, SC wedding is the best in the country!

Paige and John’s Springtime Wedding at William Aiken House in Charleston, South Carolina

Cushla Beasley July 8, 2018 2 Comments Wedding

………..A William Aiken House wedding is one of my favorite things: a grand historic home surrounded by the hustle and bustle of King St that is host to many great locations to shoot (and party!). Even though this wedding was nearly 3 years ago, I’m still completely in love with it! It’s always incredible to have clients that trust me to make them look amazing and who are up for anything!

…………Travelling in classic Charleston style by vintage trolley (and leaving in a rickshaw), Paige and John oozed elegance from start to finish (even with a broken dress strap on the dance floor!) – the guys got ready and relaxed with some drinks beforehand at The Thoroughbred Club bar at the Charleston Place Hotel and the girls prepared for the day in the stately red-toned ready-room at the William Aiken House.

…………Paige and John’s elegant wedding was ideally suited to this venue – rich tones of red, yellow, and gold paired wonderfully with the couple’s neutral palette – black tuxedos, a hint of blush pink, and cream roses. The ceremony, held at St. Mary of the Annunciation (i.e. that Church with the best frescoes in town), was followed by plenty of portraiture and a glamorous reception.

…………Thanks to all of the vendors that helped make this William Aiken House wedding as amazing as it was! This really was a dream team wedding. From the fantastic planning by Janet from JVM Events to the videography, flowers and hair and makeup, I’d work with this team again any day of the week!

Remember to click the read more link at the bottom of the page for more photos!

Vendors

Reception Venue: William Aiken House

Ceremony Venue: St. Mary of the Annunciation

Planning: JVM Events

Florist: Charleston Blooms

Hair & Makeup: Lashes and Lace

Lighting: Charleston Uplighting

Rentals: Snyder Events and Snyder Lounge

Transportation: Absolutely Charleston

Catering + Bar + Cake: Patrick Properties Hospitality Group

Entertainment: Paul Matthews Entertainment

Getaway Transportation: Charleston Rickshaw

Videographer: Chap Films

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Carolyn and Mario’s Elegant Wedding at the Parsonage in Charleston, South Carolina

Cushla Beasley July 7, 2018 0 Comments Wedding

……….On a brisk November morning while the sun was shining, Carolyn and Mario tied the knot in the historic courtyard of the Parsonage at St. Johannes in Charleston, South Carolina. I don’t shoot many morning weddings, but after working with these two, I definitely want to shoot more. In addition to the fun challenge of finding color in the middle of the day (hello color block walls!), we had so much more time to shoot since we weren’t chasing fading light. If you only have a small group for your wedding, I’d definitely recommend considering a morning wedding!

……….This intimate affair was flawlessly Charleston, with traditional touches from Mario’s native Spain – including a coin ceremony using the same coins (known as Las Arras) that Mario’s parents had used for their wedding! They were even able to incorporate their adorable dog Sammy that had his own spa day at The Dog Wash!

…………This was actually one of the first weddings performed at The Parsonage. At the time it was brand new, and my team and I couldn’t have been more impressed! It is extremely close to everything, but once you step off the quiet Hassell St. sidewalk and into the secluded courtyard at the rear of The Parsonage you feel like you’re in your own private world. The ability to stay on site in one of their large, well appointed rooms, is also a huge plus and cuts out the hassle of getting around in downtown Charleston.

Remember to click the read more link at the bottom of the page for more photos!

Venue: The Parsonage

Planning: Mac & B Events

Florist: Charleston Flower Market

Hair & Makeup: Willow Salon

Rings: Dominion Jewelers

Dress: Pronivias

Dog Grooming: The Dog Wash

Bridal Shop: Ellie’s Bridal

Rentals: Eventworks & Simply Elegant Rentals

Transportation: Palmetto Carriage Works

Catering + Bar: Crave

Cake: Wildflour Pastry

Entertainment: Nikolai Svishev

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Amber and Stehle’s Last-Minute Downtown Charleston Wedding Portraits

Cushla Beasley July 7, 2018 0 Comments Wedding

……….This is definitely the latest anyone has ever gotten in touch with me: I received a slightly-panicked phone call around 2 PM (three hours before we had a scheduled shoot with another couple) from Amber and Stehle – there had been a scheduling mix-up with their photographer and they were left with no one to shoot their wedding portraits! Luckily, I was free at the time and live downtown so was already nearby when they rang. After filing their paperwork at the courthouse we headed out to the streets to take some downtown Charleston wedding portraits – and they couldn’t have turned out better!

……….I’m a total sucker for day-after shoots. They give you as a couple the freedom to enjoy your wedding day without feeling like you have to be torn away from your friends and family to go out and take portraits. That means we can take a few hours a day (or several depending on your schedule) after the ceremony to wander through the streets of downtown, or explore Magnolia Plantation and take some amazing photos! Amber and Stehle were relaxed and poised throughout the shoot (despite having an unbelievably stressful morning). They and their families were gracious and even cheered us on later when they saw us later on while were were out shooting with our second couple of the day! Amber’s family came all the way over from France for their special day, and I’m so glad that we were able to be there to capture these memories for them.

……….Amber and Stehle actually just welcomed their first child into the world a few days ago so a huge congratulations are definitely in order! Best of luck!

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Brad and Elizabeth’s Beach Wedding on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Cushla Beasley July 7, 2018 0 Comments Wedding

An intimate beach front ceremony, a crisp April afternoon, and a private home reception on Hilton Head Island – what could be better?

Hilton Head is a place special to Brad. His family has been travelling here since he was young. He and Elizabeth vacationed here, too, and upon deciding to marry here have created yet another special memory to cherish on the Island. Elizabeth’s elegant dress was paired perfectly with a blush sash and pearl jewelry. The soft blush accent color was picked in the roses in her bouquet and complimented by the darker shades from the anemones.

Having clients with an interest in photography means that I have more time and freedom for portraiture on wedding days, which is always inspiring. Lucky for us as well, the weather and sunset were in full cooperation (the gnats are another story, though!). From beachfront to woodland to a crumbling mill, we had ample time pre-and-post-ceremony to cover all of the bases and then some. Brad and Elizabeth were a gracious couple that knew how to celebrate in style – thanks to all of the vendors for coming together to make this special Hilton Head wedding possible!

Remember to click the read more link at the bottom of the page for more photos!

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Anna and Cole – Downtown Charleston Engagement Session

Nick July 4, 2018 0 Comments Engagement Session

Anna and Cole nailed it. I can give all the direction in the world, but there’s nothing I can do to fake the simplicity of two people being in love with with one another.

Let’s be honest, engagement sessions certainly aren’t natural things. Most people don’t get photographed being cuddly with their significant other on a regular basis. The best piece of advice I can give anyone, more than clothing choices or anything else, is just this. Relax with your partner and be present in the moment. That’s probably great life advice too, eh?

If you have any questions at all Contact Us today or follow us on Instagram for stay up to date with our work!