Ideas for Elopement Receptions

If your wedding ceremony is just the two of you, that doesn’t mean you can’t have a reception. It’s your wedding day, and you still deserve to celebrate it!

Elopement Reception Ideas:

1. Have a meal catered for two at your ceremony site.

Some caterers will deliver and set it up, just like they would for a traditional reception. A local restaurant might offer this as well. Eat some good food, cut your cake, pop some champagne, and enjoy the rest of your wedding day!

2. Make a dinner reservation.

You can celebrate at one of your favorite places to eat together, or you can treat yourselves to a new restaurant that’s a higher-end dining experience than what you’d normally choose.

3. Bring your own food to have a picnic with a view.

Make your own food, order takeout, or use a picnic service! Yes, picnic services are a thing—check out one service based out of Greenville!

4. Have a big reception with your family and friends on a different day.

It might seem counter-intuitive, but there are three reasons that come to mind for why someone might want to do it this way:

1. You like the idea of celebrating with other people, but still want the privacy and intimacy of an elopement ceremony.

2. It’s hard to get both of your families together. For example, my cousin married someone whose family lived overseas, so they had one reception with her family and one reception with his.

3. I’ve seen some couples who have a smaller ceremony before their planned wedding date to accommodate extenuating circumstances, like military deployment or to include a relative who is terminally ill.

Ready for the best day ever?

Photo by Shehzad Ziaee

My name is Christine (Scott) Gow and I’m an elopement photographer based out of Greenville, South Carolina. I’m a wife and a beagle mom. The three of us have visited beautiful places in every corner of South Carolina, to include all 47 of our state parks. Sometimes we wear hiking boots, sometimes we wear dress shoes, and sometimes we’re barefoot in the surf.

One thing I love about South Carolina is that it’s not just the beaches and colorful houses that you imagine when you picture it. Whether you’re looking for mountains, beaches, or anything in between; I can help you find the perfect place for the two of you and make it as smooth of a day as possible. No matter how you two choose to spend your day, I’m happy you’re doing it the way that you want.

I can’t wait to meet you!

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How to Choose a Trail for Your Photos

I absolutely love going on hiking trails with couples! We can do this for an engagement session, or you could even have an intimate wedding ceremony out on a trail! I have some guidelines for trails so you can have a good time AND plenty of photos you love!

1. What is the scenery like along the trail?

Are there multiple spots along the trail that can look pretty in your photos, or is there only one tiny overlook? For example, this trail has plenty of variety before you get to the waterfall, like plant life, a pond, and a bridge over a stream.

2. How difficult is this trail?

I don’t want it to be too strenuous because I don’t want you to be red, sweaty, and exhausted in your photos. I also don’t want any of us to not feel well during/after the session. I know plenty of views here that overlook mountains and waterfalls, and won’t take a toll on your well-being or how you look in your photos.

3. How long is this trail?

It needs to be short enough for us to get good light on the trail and still get out before it gets dark or the parking lot closes. For example, getting to a scenic view for sunset on the Table Rock trail can take hours, and it could be completely dark and after the park’s operating hours by the time we get back to the trailhead.

4. Does it get crowded here?

The trail needs to not be too crowded so there aren’t a lot of people in the background. Also, your session is a lot more intimate if other people aren’t around. For example, any trail at Paris Mountain will probably have lots of hikers and mountain bikers on a Saturday. ⠀

5. Most importantly:

We need to be able to do this safely—I don’t want to risk anyone getting hurt to get good photos. A 3-mile scramble might not be worth the photos, and I need to be able to pose you safely. The Falls Creek Falls trail, for example, is mostly covered in rocks and tree roots, so it’s easy to trip or roll an ankle. There also aren’t a lot of places in front of the waterfall where I’m comfortable standing or telling someone else to stand.

Believe it or not, this photo was taken at a drive-up overlook along the Blue Ridge Parkway. No hiking with that baby!

If you and your partner still want to head out on a trail for your session or elopement, awesome! I know plenty of trails in the upstate that meet most, if not all, of these bullet points. Also feel free to check out my blog post to give you ideas of what places in the upstate might fit your vision—you can check it out here!

Ready to start planning? Click here to fill out my contact form and start the planning process!

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Pendleton, SC Proposal | Maggie and Spencer

Spencer and Maggie began dating when they were seniors in high school.  When Spencer went to Clemson, he had a pretty busy baseball schedule, so it was easier for Maggie to visit him. They loved getting brunch together at the Village Café in downtown Pendleton. 

Maggie and Spencer came to Clemson for baseball opening weekend. Spencer told Maggie that they would be meeting friends for brunch in Pendleton before they left on Sunday, so she would have to wear something nice. They parked their car and walked across the green in front of the 1826 Bistro, right across from the Village Café. Spencer got down on one knee, and of course Maggie said yes! Luckily, I didn’t look too suspicious sitting on the bench right in front of the green, and I got photos of the whole thing!

When I talked to Spencer beforehand, he said that he and Maggie knew they wanted to get married, but that she didn’t know anything about his plan to propose, so she was totally surprised when he did. He said Maggie hadn’t told him what she wanted in an engagement ring, but he knew what she would like. He was right because Maggie said the ring was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen! 

I asked them if they wanted to take a few other photos somewhere else in the area and suggested the South Carolina Botanical Gardens. We get some blooming trees in late February, so I figured something had to be in bloom in the gardens. Maggie said they used to take walks through there when she would come visit. The first bit of color we found was a tree with pink buds on it. I suggested taking a photo of Maggie’s ring on one of the buds, and she liked the idea because pink is her favorite color. We walked a little further and found a tree with some white blossoms too. 

Check out a few of my favorites from Maggie and Spencer’s engagement! 

Looking for someone to help you pull off a proposal as beautiful as this one? Click here to get started, or check out the posts below for some inspiration.

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Clemson Bridal Portraits in South Carolina Botanical Gardens | Brittany

Brittany and I met at a wedding expo in February of 2020.  It was only a few weeks after she got engaged, and a few weeks before the world turned upside-down, which made it hard to set dates for anything in stone. We eventually scheduled her bridal portraits a week after her Clemson graduation portraits.  She totally lucked out on the weather—about 70 degrees and partly cloudy both days!

We started Brittany’s bridal portraits at the South Carolina Botanical Gardens, which is technically part of Clemson’s campus.  I love doing sessions here because it’s such a rabbit hole—there are obvious places that are pretty, but there are little pockets of hidden gems everywhere.  Since Clemson has so many different majors involving plants and wildlife, it’s no surprise that there’s so much diversity in the garden and it changes so much throughout the year.  On this beautiful day in May, the gardens didn’t have the pink and white blooms that it had when I did a session here in March, but there were some colorful flowers that weren’t there before, and a lot more green overall.  The garden was so quiet and peaceful, with the occasional splash in the pond or rustle through the bushes.  We caught the scents of different blossoms as we walked down the trail, including something that smelled like bubblegum! 

I loved that Brittany’s veil complemented her ruffly dress so well, and bridal headbands are some of my favorite accessories!  She found her dress at The Castle in Spartanburg.  She said she loved having another opportunity to wear everything—she loved feeling like a bride and she could know a few weeks before the wedding day how her whole ensemble felt. She was so smiley the whole session!

Brittany also wanted to have some of her bridal portraits at Clemson’s main campus, since it’s become such a special place to her and held a significant role in her relationship with her now-husband.  She wanted some pictures with Tillman Hall/Old Main, since she’s an education major and that’s where most of her classes are.  We spent a good amount of time at Sikes Hall, which both of us love.  I thought she looked like Cinderella in some of the photos we took on the steps at Sikes!

I’m so happy to have met Brittany and I’ve loved getting to know her at both her graduation session and her bridal portraits.  Check out a few of my favorites that I’ve been dying to share!

Are you thinking about having photos done at Clemson? Click here to check out some of my favorite galleries from Clemson, including wedding, engagement, graduation, and pageant photos! To schedule a session, fill out my contact form to tell me all about it!

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Eloping in South Carolina

Overall, the word “elopement” still carries a negative connotation for lots of people. It’s become associated with tackiness, secrecy, haste, and being cheap.  Now, the meaning of the word is evolving, and so is our perception of what a wedding day should be.

However you choose to elope, you deserve the best photos from that day. Read more about what I do and to get in touch!

What is an elopement?

“Elopement” technically means “escaping,” so it became used as the word for running away together to get married.  I recently came across an episode of Fresh Prince where Will and Lisa secretly go to Vegas to elope instead of having a big wedding like they planned.  Even though they didn’t go through with the ceremony in Vegas, Lisa said that she felt she and Will had more of a choice in what their own wedding day looked like.  This still rings true today, even if eloping means something different.

Nowadays, an elopement is just a wedding without guests, and that looks different for everyone.  The thought became more popular in 2020 when large gatherings had to be postponed indefinitely, and people didn’t want to postpone actually being married.

Let’s address some of what you may have heard about elopements.

Elopements are cheap.

Yes and no.  If you have no guests, then you don’t have to pay for a big venue, tables, chairs, place settings, invitations, thank-you notes, favors, centerpieces, or whatever else you might provide for each person in attendance.  Lots of couples who elope still invest in quality wedding vendors, or they might budget for something else, like the dress they’ve always dreamed of, or airfare to get married somewhere scenic.  It’s all about paying for what you value, and that’s different for everyone.

Elopements are secretive.

It’s up to you whether to tell people about your wedding before or afterward.

Elopements are hasty.

Some people start planning elopements years in advance, just like they may for a more traditional wedding.  Others “make it official” after years of being together. Both are valid.

Elopements aren’t as special as bigger weddings.

The biggest pushback for elopements is probably the idea of not having your family and friends there to see you get married.  For a lot of couples, it’s not about excluding people, it’s just about having an intimate experience.  One couple said, “We loved the idea of just the two of us coming together before God in nature.” 

How beautiful is that? 

Some people prefer to exchange their vows without other people watching and listening.  It’s your decision whether or not to be surrounded by the people who are closest to you as you say your vows, and only you know who those people are. 

Logistics of Eloping

There’s a lot that’s possible when you’re not accounting for a large group of people. You may not need to reserve a space, depending on where you choose to have your ceremony and pictures.  Some couples have their ceremony on a mountain or in front of a waterfall, something that’s not easily accessible for other people.  Some choose to do it in a more public space, which is harder to organize with a group of people.  This elopement involved cutting their wedding cake right in front of Clemson’s Death Valley. It was on a whim and that would never work if there were more people than just the three of us.

No matter how you choose to get married, you will still need to sign a marriage license.  This process varies by state.  In South Carolina, you can either sign the papers at the courthouse or have a certified officiant come with you to where you want to have your ceremony.  South Carolina also does not require any witnesses to sign the forms.  North Carolina, however, requires two witnesses.  I can always serve as one.  The other could be your videographer if you have one, or even just someone who happens to be passing by.

For ideas on where to elope in South Carolina, check out this blog post!

What if I like the idea of both?

Maybe you love the idea of hiking to an overlook to say your vows, but you also love the idea of celebrating with your family and friends.  You have a few options:

1.  Split it into two days.  One day can be an intimate ceremony with just the two of you, and the other can be a celebration with your family and friends.

2. Take elopement-style pictures on a different day. Maybe you could get dressed up for an engagement session in a scenic place, or you could have an adventure session on your honeymoon in your wedding attire.

3. Invite a small group of people.  Covid popularized the term “microwedding,” which is pretty much the same thing as an intimate wedding, or a wedding with a small number of guests.  For some people, it’s just their parents, and for others, it’s around 25 people.

For more ideas for having a reception for your elopement, click here.

Just like any wedding, there aren’t really any rules for what you do and don’t need to have.  You can still have professional hair and makeup, a white dress, a catered meal, or a small cake, just like how you don’t necessarily have to include the typical wedding traditions in a bigger wedding.  In the end, your wedding day is up to you and your future spouse.  Maybe it’s a big party with a DJ and all your family and friends.  Maybe it’s a handful of people who are close to you in a pretty place.  Maybe it’s just the two of you at your house.  What does the perfect day look like to the two of you?  Start there.

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My name is Christine (Scott) Gow and I’m an elopement photographer based out of Greenville, South Carolina. I’m a wife and a beagle mom. The three of us have visited beautiful places in every corner of South Carolina, to include all of our state parks. Sometimes we wear hiking boots, sometimes we wear dress shoes, and sometimes we’re barefoot in the surf.

One thing I love about South Carolina is that it’s not just the beaches and colorful houses that you imagine when you picture it. Whether you’re looking for mountains, beaches, or anything in between; I can help you find the perfect place for the two of you and make it as smooth of a day as possible. No matter how you two choose to spend your day, I’m happy you’re doing it the way that you want.

I can’t wait to meet you!

Elopement Planning Resources

Clemson Elopement | Katie and Matt

Katie and Matt knew they wanted their wedding day to be unique and intimate. A year and a half after I did Katie’s Clemson graduation portraits, she told me they were planning to elope and asked if I could do their wedding photos. Since so much of Matt and Katie’s story takes place around Clemson, it felt like a perfect fit for them. They said they shared a lot of memories at the amphitheater, so we made a plan for them to get married there on New Year’s Eve.

Katie, Matt, and I met up at the amphitheater with my friend Rebecca of A Different Officiant. Since it was New Year’s Eve, there weren’t hardly any people around, and only the bells of the clock tower broke the silence around them. Even though there was a high chance of rain for the whole day, none came down while we were together! We went through so much of campus that day, even through some of the botanical gardens. Since there were no guests, Katie and Matt could spend their wedding day wherever. They popped a bottle of champagne together on Bowman Field, which made for plenty of laughs as it sprayed everywhere. They even cut their wedding cake right in front of Death Valley!

Katie and Matt spent years walking this campus with no idea that they were passing by the place where they would someday get married. This was such a fun day that was totally centered around them and their story. Check out some of my favorite photos from Katie and Matt’s wedding!

Special thanks to Rebecca Inman of A Different Officiant for making it possible for Katie and Matt to get married in a place that was so special to them. Their cake came from Sugar Mama’s Cakes and Desserts in Seneca.

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Ready to have a wedding ceremony that’s super intimate and totally unique to you? I’d love to help you make that happen!

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