Devils Fork State Park/Lake Jocassee in Salem, South Carolina

If you’ve read my post on how to elope in South Carolina, you already know that eloping doesn’t have to be at a courthouse or in Las Vegas, and you have multiple options for how to become legally married. A wedding without guests, or with only a few guests, still deserves to be the most beautiful day for you and your partner. Part of that involves setting the scene—where is the best place for YOU to elope in South Carolina?

However you choose to elope, you deserve the best photos from that day! Read more about the elopement experience, or send me a message to start the planning process!

If you’re looking for places to elope in upstate South Carolina, check out my post for where to elope near Greenville!

Skylight Chapel in Taylors, South Carolina

In this post, I’ll be talking about places to elope in South Carolina, including:

Wedding Venues in South Carolina
Hotels, Inns, and Rental Properties
Parks
Mountains
Beaches
Gardens
Lakes
Downtown
Waterfalls
Somewhere that’s special to you
And of course, the classic places: churches, courthouses, the post office, or your house!

Old Sheldon Church Ruins in Yemassee, South Carolina.

Elopement Venues in South Carolina

If there’s a wedding venue that you love, see if they offer an elopement package! Some venues only offer this package during certain days or times of the week, and some allow a small number of guests. Here are a few pretty venues in South Carolina for an elopement:

Pretty Place Chapel in Cleveland, South Carolina

Pretty Place (pictured above): Fred W. Symmes Chapel at YMCA Camp Greenville, or “Pretty Place,” is one of the most popular wedding venues in South Carolina, and one of the most popular places in South Carolina for an elopement. One of the most beautiful sunrises I’ve ever seen was at this open-air chapel in the mountains, right on the border between the Carolinas, and it gets some of the best fall foliage in the whole state. Explore other parts of Mountain Bridge Wilderness as you head back towards Greenville, then stop for a nice meal in Greenville or Travelers Rest to celebrate!

Cypress Gardens: If you’re looking for places to elope near Charleston, it doesn’t get more picturesque than Cypress Gardens. You can even ask the staff to take you to where some of your favorite movies were filmed, like where Allie and Noah take a rowboat through the cypress trees and Spanish moss in The Notebook.
Cliffs at Glassy Chapel: This chapel is in a private living community in Landrum, in northern Spartanburg County. The view from the top of the mountain is one thing, but the stone chapel is one of the prettiest I’ve seen in South Carolina.
Hewitt Oaks: When you picture a wedding in lowcountry South Carolina, this is basically as romantic-looking as you can imagine. These live oak trees in Beaufort are just dripping with Spanish moss!
View Point at Buckhorn Creek: A garden venue with Japanese vibes in Greenville where you can see the mountains in the distance. Honestly, I can’t get over how many colors are here in the spring and how big the fish in the pond are. There’s a getting ready area and plenty of space for you and any guests to have a catered dinner. Paris Mountain State Park is right down the road.
Old Sheldon Church or Chapel of Ease: Both of these historic chapel ruins in lowcountry South Carolina are hundreds of years old with no shortage of Spanish moss and southern mystique. They are both part of St. Helena Parish.
Bent Creek Farm: This venue in Anderson offers multiple ceremony spaces, a getting-ready area, and a covered indoor area as a rain plan or a space for a small reception.
River Road and Jasmine Houses and Gardens: These two houses in Columbia have plenty of beautiful garden space in between them, full of pretty flowers, bushes, and Palmetto trees. There’s plenty of space for getting ready and you can pivot to an indoor space if you need to.
Skylight Chapel: A small chapel in Taylors with both indoor and outdoor ceremony options. This is just a few minutes from Lake Robinson.
Palmetto Bluff: Want to get married in one of the places where Justin and Hailey Bieber got married? Well, here it is! This resort and spa offers white chapels and views of the South Carolina marshlands.
Heyward Manor: In the quiet of Iva, South Carolina; you can choose between getting married in or outside a white barn, among the flowers, or in a rowboat on the lake!

View Point at Buckhorn Creek in Greenville, South Carolina

Hotels, Inns, or Rental Properties

First things first: make sure the manager or the owner of the rental property knows you’re planning to get married here. Some AirBnBs specifically don’t allow weddings, so you’ll need to be on the same page with the owner about what’s happening, even if you’re not planning to have guests. Here are some hotels and inns that would be great places in South Carolina to elope:

This couple eloped in front of the mountains at the Red Horse Inn in Landrum, South Carolina. See more

Red Horse Inn (pictured above): Red Horse Inn is in northern Spartanburg County along Scenic Highway 11. Coming up the stairs and seeing this patio just about took my breath away! You can see some of the private cottages in the background, where you and your dogs can spend the night. Also, you could have a mini-pig as your witness. Campbell’s Covered Bridge is just a few minutes down the road, too. This couple had their elopement photos taken in both places!

Bleckley Inn: One of my favorite venues is right in the middle of downtown Anderson. There are multiple spaces here that can be used for an elopement or a small wedding, even if there’s another wedding happening in the main courtyard that day. You, and any guests you invite, can stay there the night before and after the wedding. This couple was married in one of the smaller dining rooms with a few family members and friends, then we took some photos outside.

Hotel Domestique: a small European-style inn north of Travelers Rest that overlooks the mountains. The inn is small enough that you and a handful of guests can have it all to yourselves. Treat yourselves to dinner afterwards at their restaurant, Restaurant 17

Westin Poinsett: Another one of my favorite venues is the Westin Poinsett, or the Poinsett Hotel, right in the heart of downtown Greenville! This 1920s hotel has multiple ballrooms and some beautiful staircases, windows, and floor tiles. If you think the word “Poinsett” looks like “poinsettia,” they’re both named for the same person, and there are plenty of poinsettias in there near Christmastime! The Westin Poinsett is almost right across the street from Falls Park.

Grand Bohemian Lodge: This gorgeous hotel is right at the end of Liberty Bridge and has one of the best views of Falls Park. If the hotel itself didn’t already have enough scenery, you’re close enough to walk all around downtown Greenville.

Intimate wedding at Bleckley Inn in Anderson, South Carolina.

South Carolnia State Parks

While a few state parks have actual wedding venues (like the Table Rock Lodge, Atalaya Castle at Huntington Beach, and the Legare-Waring House at Charles Towne Landing), you can also call the office at your favorite park to get information about eloping there! For more popular parks, you can avoid crowds by getting married on a weekday or during the winter. If you have a small number of guests, you can ask about renting a picnic shelter with a view.

I’ve been to all 47 state parks in South Carolina and can help you choose the perfect spot to get married. Waterfalls, beaches, mountains, marshes, a castle, a lighthouse - the state parks have it all! While I think all of them have the potential to be an amazing place to elope, here are some of the ones that stand out to me:

Table Rock (pictured above): This park in Pickens County has something for everyone, whether you want to hike for days or just drive to a pretty view. For an elopement, I’d recommend a short waterfall hike and watching the sunset over the mountains from the pier.

Caesars Head: One of my favorite views in the state is sunset over the mountains from the Caesars Head overlook in northern Greenville County. The overlook can be reserved during non-peak times so that you can have some privacy.
Devils Fork: This park in Oconee County is the only public access point to Lake Jocassee, one of my favorite places in the state. Say your vows on the shore or take a boat to some of the islands and waterfalls!
Hunting Island: There’s a driftwood beach here that’s perfect for a sunrise ceremony. Walk back to the rest of the park through a trail that feels like a jungle. You’ll be able to see for miles from the inside of the lighthouse!
Myrtle Beach: Myrtle Beach State Park is a relief from the crowds and litter that you’d find in other parts of Myrtle Beach. If you spend the night in the park, you can easily get to the beach for sunrise, when not as many people are awake.
Huntington Beach: Just south of Myrtle is Huntington Beach, which is also beautiful. There are lots of overlooks over marshes and if you like birds, you’ll probably see some cool ones. Atalaya Castle, a Spanish moor-style mansion, is also available to rent as a wedding venue.
Charles Towne Landing: One of the prettiest tree tunnels I’ve seen is the one in front of the Legare-Waring house, which is available to rent as a venue. There’s also a small zoo here if you want to see some animals afterwards.
Edisto Beach: This island is basically the epitome of lowcountry South Carolina scenery. Not only can you have a sunrise ceremony at the beach here, our randomly chosen campsite had a gorgeous view of the marsh at sunset.
Santee: Stay in a cabin that “floats” over Lake Marion and get married on the porch, overlooking the lake.
Jones Gap: Most of the scenery here involves a little hiking, which can vary from an easy trail to some of the hardest in the state. I’d choose Jones Gap Falls because the trail isn’t too hard, so you won’t be exhausted by the time you say your vows. The fall colors here are so beautiful!
Keowee-Toxaway: There’s a beautiful little overlook here that requires a little bit of hiking. Stay a while to have a picnic and watch the sunset!

Elopement at Devils Fork State Park on Lake Jocassee (Salem, South Carolina).

Gardens

One great thing about gardens is that they’re made to look beautiful at any time of year. In the “pretty” times of year, you’ll have a wider window for when you’ll get spring or fall scenery. Here are some gardens in South Carolina where you can elope:

South Carolina Botanical Gardens (pictured above in the winter): This is part of Clemson University, which has strong roots in agriculture and tons of people who are passionate about plants. There’s endless scenery from around the whole state of South Carolina. There are also venues and ceremony spaces to rent if you’re planning to have guests.

Riverbanks Zoo and Botanical Gardens: Get married, then walk around the zoo! There multiple venues and ceremony spaces here that can be rented, with scenery inspired from all over the world.
Brookgreen Gardens: Just south of Myrtle Beach, Brookgreen Gardens has some beautiful garden scenery, sculptures, and Spanish moss. You will have to become a member of Brookgreen Gardens to get married here.

Downtown

If you don’t mind a crowd, or if urban scenery is your vibe, you can elope downtown in your city! I’m partial to Greenville’s downtown, which has a waterfall and a beautiful little park right in the heart of downtown, so you don’t have to choose between a place with urban or natural scenery. But downtown in any city could give you the option for renting a patio space, amphitheater, restaurant, or rooftop. You can also hop from your ceremony to dinner to anything else that excites you there: live performances, festivals, ice skating, or just a hotel to relax afterwards.

Mountains

Should you hike to a summit with a gorgeous view, or make it an easy day at a restaurant, inn, or venue? Up to you!

A small part of the Blue Ridge crosses into South Carolina, giving similar scenery to western North Carolina or northern Gerogia.

While I’ve already mentioned some venues in South Carolina with mountains, you can also find a view from a few different summits. Catch the sunset at Bald Rock or Caesars Head, or trek up to Sassafras Mountain for a 360 view while one of you stands in North Carolina and the other stands in South Carolina. Some of these views require hiking, so check out some of my suggestions for finding a trail.

To learn more about choosing a hiking trail for your photos, see what I look for in a trail.

Waterfalls

Whether you’re looking for a hiking adventure or an easy walk from your car, you have plenty of waterfalls to choose from in South Carolina. Waterfalls are a little tricky because they can either be difficult to get to or they can have a lot of people. Here are a few not-so-secret ones that I’d be happy to use for an elopement:

Station Cove Falls (pictured above): This is one of my favorite waterfalls. It’s an easy trail with plenty of scenery along the way. It’s in Oconee County, close to some other cool natural scenery, like Oconee Station and Stumphouse Tunnel. This couple chose Station Cove because they had about 10 family members they wanted to join them and they wanted a trail that wasn’t very difficult.

Reedy River Falls: This is the most famous one, right in the middle of downtown Greenville, but there are other smaller waterfalls within walking distance of it. There are plenty of restaurants around it if you want to celebrate afterwards! For more ideas on having a reception after your elopement, click here.

Rock Quarry Garden: It’s easy to drive right past Rock Quarry Garden without realizing it’s there. It’s in downtown Greenville, below two streets. It has a small waterfall at one end of the garden.

Wildcat Wayside: This is a one-mile trail in northern Greenville County with 3 waterfalls. The first one is a 10-foot waterfall that you can see from the road. The second is a smaller, wide waterfall up a set of steps. The third one is the biggest, but it looks more like a little trickle on a rock to me, so I’d stick with the two at the bottom.

Table Rock State Park: There’s a dam near the visitor center, but there are also 3 waterfalls of varying sizes along the 2-mile Carrick Creek Trail.

Lake Jocassee: There are at least 5 waterfalls on Lake Jocassee that are only accessible by boat.

Jones Gap: While Rainbow Falls is one of my favorite places in the state, it’s a difficult trail for only being 4 miles. I’d suggest Jones Gap Falls, which is a little shorter and not as difficult.

Beaches

Everyone thinks of Myrtle Beach and Charleston when they think of South Carolina. Even though MOST of the state isn’t actually beaches, the coast does have some really pretty spots, and it’s no wonder people visit there so much, but you can find plenty of beaches that aren’t as crowded. For a more private ceremony, get married close to sunrise, when the sun is over the water, and enjoy the rest of the day on the beach as a married couple!

Since South Carolina beaches tend to get a lot of tourists, I’d recommend either choosing a beachfront venue with an elopement package, finding a rental property along the beach, or reaching out to a park office to see if they can find a private place for you.

Lakes

If you love water but you don’t live near the beach, we have plenty of lakes in South Carolina to have your wedding!

The lakes in the upstate along Highway 11 have some gorgeous views of the mountains. This couple got married at Lake Keowee with just a few family members!

I’ve mentioned Lake Jocassee a lot in this post, since it’s my favorite lake, but there are several in South Carolina. I was married at Clemson in front of Lake Hartwell, one of the biggest lakes east of the Mississippi River. Lake Keowee (pictured above) has multiple access points, but there are also lots of lake houses available for rent. Several of the South Carolina State Parks serve as a public access point to a lake, and you can ask the park staff what their policies are for weddings.

Courthouse or Post office

A post office? Hear me out on this one:

First of all, one venue in upstate South Carolina actually is an old post office that was converted into a wedding venue, but kept the aesthetic of a 1940s post office.

Second of all, a post office can provide a notary public, who can take care of the paperwork for you to become legally married.

A courthouse could also be where you sign the papers saying that you’re legally married so that you don’t have to worry about that on the actual wedding day.

Churches

This is a great option for couples who want intimacy for their ceremony, but still like the idea of a church wedding. One good thing about getting married in a church is that it comes with officiants!

If you don’t want to get married at the church you attend, you can ask your pastor to come with you to a chapel that isn’t affiliated with a parish, like Pretty Place, Cliffs at Glassy Chapel, or the chapels at Palmetto Bluffs.

Private Property

You could even get married at your own house! If a family member or friend has a beautiful house or land that you love, you could ask them to be a witness to your wedding.

A backyard wedding doesn’t sound glamorous, but using your home as your wedding venue can be really special. Make it as pretty as you want, and it’ll still be that pretty the next day!

Side note: South Carolina doesn’t require witnesses. North Carolina and Georgia both require two. I can sign as one, and literally anyone else you see can sign as the other.

Somewhere that’s Special to You

If it’s just the two of you, the sky is the limit for where to get married! For this couple, it was the amphitheater at Clemson University. Let’s face it, that amphitheater is a gorgeous place to get married, and they’ve been there so many times together.

At the end of the day, it’s about you two. It doesn’t matter how crazy your ideas sound to anyone else, especially if you’re not having guests.

How do you want to remember your wedding day?

Ready for the best day ever?

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 has just about everything in terms of scenery. Whether you’re looking for a mountaintop, a lake, or a beach; 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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