Where to Elope in Upstate South Carolina
Avoiding Crowds
Devils Fork State Park
What to Do Near Greenville, South Carolina
Caesars Head State Park
Finding Spring and Fall Colors
How do you find spring colors? How do you find fall colors? It’s actually a lot more complex than it sounds! The short answer is that it depends on the altitude, how far you are in the season, and what plants are in the area. Here’s a more in-depth explanation, plus some details about where the best color is in upstate South Carolina.
The creek next to the parking area at Bald Rock Heritage Preserve, mid-November
How to Find Spring and Fall Color
My first suggestion is to Google when fall colors typically show in the area you’re looking at. A lot of places will have maps to show you where the color will peak throughout the season. I’ve found the Smoky Mountains fall foliage map to be mostly accurate for the Southeast.
Lake Lure Flowering Bridge, early April
My second suggestion is to use somewhere like a botanical garden as your location because there will be more of a variety of plants that will change color at different times. No matter when during the season you’re there, something there will turn colors and catch your eye, making this a great option if you can only be in the area on specific days. If you can be there when the color is at its peak, that’s even better! Below, here are two photos I took in the South Carolina Botanical Gardens. The first was taken at the end of February and the second was taken on the last day of November. Both times, I only found a few trees with any color on them and used them as much as I could.
South Carolina Botanical Gardens, end of February
South Carolina Botanical Gardens, last day of November
I have an entire blog post dedicated to the South Carolina Botanical Gardens in Clemson, South Carolina and another one for the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge in Chimney Rock, North Carolina. The North Carolina Arboretum is also an excellent choice in the fall, and the Furman Rose Garden looks like a fairy tale in the spring.
Fall at North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, North Carolina
My third suggestion is to keep the geography in mind. The air tends to be cooler at higher elevations and latitudes that are farther from the equator. The the trees around the mountains will change earlier in the fall and later in the spring. Also keep in mind what trees are common in that area and what they’ll look like. For example, in the fall, New England has a lot of maple trees that will turn red, while upstate South Carolina foliage tends to be more like a random yellow or orange tree, and lowcountry South Carolina might not have the right trees or temperatures to see a lot of foliage. New England will also have more fall color in September while South Carolina’s usually peaks in November. In the spring, most of the blooms in upstate South Carolina will be gone by the end of April, but you’ll still find beautiful pink rhododendrons in the mountains of North Carolina in May and June.
Rhododendrons in Linville Gorge Wilderness, taken mid-May. I also took some photos of the rhododendrons at Craggy Gardens in early June of that same year.
Where to Find the Best Spring and Fall Color in Upstate South Carolina
After spending the past several years in upstate South Carolina, I’ve noticed some patterns in where I find myself taking photos at different times. Here are some of my favorite spots:
Spring and Fall at Clemson University
I’ve done so many photo sessions at Clemson over the years that I have a favorite spring tree and a favorite fall tree on Clemson’s campus, and I know where to find the first pink tree and the last red tree of the year. Obviously you can go to the South Carolina Botanical Gardens, but there are plenty of other beautiful trees that you’ll see on the main campus. President’s Park usually gets full of pink and white in April, but you can find some pink and white between the Carillon Gardens and Martin Hall in March. The Carillon Gardens also has a nice orange tree, and you can find a yellow one and a red one around the Reflection Pond.
In downtown Greenville, there are usually flowers everywhere from the spring to the fall, with some trees and bushes that turn pink and white at different times. I usually only find a few trees at a time that give fall or spring color. There’s one tree along Liberty Bridge that stays yellow for most of the fall, and the road by the Medusa Tree will usually have some color late in the year, after almost all the leaves are gone.
Medusa Tree/Swamp Rabbit Trail, late November
Liberty Bridge, late November
Across from Passerelle Bistro, late May
South Carolina Mountains
The lake at Paris Mountain is one of the more colorful places to visit in the fall, but contrary to the name, you won’t get a mountaintop view here. Mountain Bridge Wilderness (towards Caesars Head State Park and Pretty Place Chapel) are at higher elevations, so they will start to show fall colors earlier than the rest of Greenville County. Pretty Place has some of the best foliage in the area, in my opinion, and a beautiful woodsy area next to the chapel. These two photos were taken on the same day—a beautiful fall road trip during peak foliage in the upstate.
Paris Mountain State Park, late October
Pretty Place Chapel, late October
The woods next to Pretty Place Chapel, late October
I hope this helps you narrow down where to go and where to take your spring and fall pictures! I’m always finding new places and I hope to continue to update this with more photos. Even if you can’t be there during peak color, you can embrace the beautiful light that comes through bare trees, trees that are still green, or any Christmas decorations that might be around.
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Taking Photos in Cold Weather
Even though it doesn’t usually get that cold in South Carolina, sometimes winter is the best time to take your photos. Maybe you’re only able to see each other on winter break, or you had a Christmas engagement and want to take advantage of the Christmas scenery for your engagement photos. Either way, taking photos outside in cold weather takes some extra preparation.
I actually prefer cold weather over hot weather for photos. You can layer up as much as you want in cold weather and you won’t be sweaty. Bring hats, gloves, scarves, and extra layers so you can adjust for how warm you are.
Choosing a location is important for cold weather because you need to be careful of ice. In the mountains, or even in the shade, there may be a portion of the road closed for ice. Ice also makes things slippery, so walking or driving might be a little more hazardous.
It’s a good idea to choose a location that’s a good balance of shade and open space. Shade lowers the temperature, but trees and buildings can help block cold wind. Even though the trees won’t have leaves, it doesn’t look “dead” like you might think. I love the way the golden hour sun comes through the trees, like in the photo below.
You can even coordinate them to your outfit—I love this off-white peacoat for this winter session, and her mom made both of their scarves! In hindsight, gloves would have made this session a lot more enjoyable because the wind was so cold and strong that their hands were hurting and we ended sooner than planned.
I hope this was helpful! For more weather tips, check these out:
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Lake Lure Flowering Bridge
Today’s featured location is the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge! This is a little over an hour away in North Carolina, but it feels like such an easy drive to get there from Greenville. It’s a must-see if you’re visiting Chimney Rock State Park (also a must-see), just a few minutes down the road. As some of you might know, Lake Lure is where some of the scenes in Dirty Dancing were filmed, so I highly recommend listening to that super fun soundtrack on the way there.
The Flowering Bridge is a small botanical garden that covers a footbridge over a section of Lake Lure, literally right off of Memorial Highway. It may look small from the road, but there’s so much to see here! There are actually two levels to it, as part of the garden extends below the bridge and down to the water. Each section is so full of different plants and themed sections, so something will always catch your attention and make you slow down. Every time I’ve had a session here, I feel like there’s not enough time to include all the scenery.
I love the recurring theme of famous books throughout the garden, which made it an ideal location for this Harry Potter engagement session. For example, a small section has yellow bricks with slippers next to a brick painted like the Wizard of Oz book. One section is modeled to look like the garden in Peter Rabbit.
My first visit here was in the spring, after I had a session at Chimney Rock State Park. It was my first time in the area, but I saw a sign for the Flowering Bridge and remembered that I’d seen some photographers share pictures from there on Instagram. I couldn’t get over how good it smelled—so many flowers were in bloom, but there’s also a rosemary bush, which is one of my favorite scents. The next time I came back was in August, and the garden was so full of color! There were so many butterflies and bees hanging around the flowers, and I could just watch and listen to them all day.
The third time I was here was right before Thanksgiving, when most flowers are gone, but the Christmas decorations were already up. It was so cool to see how it looked just as amazing in the cold weather as it did in the hot weather!
For more information on the Lake Lure Flowering Bridge in Chimney Rock, North Carolina, check out their website! Scroll down to see some of the photos I’ve taken in the Lake Lure area, or send me a message to get started with planning your photos!
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Table Rock State Park
When you hear “Table Rock,” you might think of super hard hikes. Yes, some of the hardest hikes in the whole state of South Carolina are accessible from this park, but this park really has something for everyone. We’ve been to every state park in South Carolina and Table Rock is one of our favorites because it pretty much has everything—long hikes, short hikes, pretty views that don’t involve hikes, mountains, waterfalls, a lake, you name it! We even had our own family photos here because we love the scenery here so much.
Table Rock actually does have its own venue for larger weddings, the Gaines Lodge, but it’s also a great place for engagement photos and elopements!
First of all, there’s about a 5-minute drive between the park headquarters and the trailhead, so make sure you know where you’re navigating to because it’s hard to get signal in the park. The trailhead is on State Park Road and the park headquarters is on Ellison Lane. The trailhead has a small waterfall, and there’s another one just a short walk up from it.
The photo below was taken at Carrick Creek Falls, along the Carrick Creek Trail. This is a moderate 2-mile hike and took us about an hour with all the stops for photos. It goes a lot farther than what you see in the photo, but this is where it was safe for me to stand.
If you go to the park headquarters, you’ll see a beautiful view of the mountains over Lake Oolenoy, including the famous Table Rock, which is easily recognizable with its granite face. There’s enough grass in front of the park headquarters to make it look like a big field in front of Table Rock. There is a T-shaped pier on Lake Oolenoy, with one side overlooking the mountains and the other side overlooking more of the water.
In the fall, the visitor center has some beautiful tall grass down by the water. The walkway to the visitor center is lined with beauty berry bushes, which give almost neon purple and green colors.
Also, while you’re in the area, feel free to check out some other nearby state parks, like Caesars Head, Keowee-Toxaway, or Devils Fork! You can also read about our adventures through all 47 state parks in South Carolina! For more information about Table Rock State Park, read about it on the South Carolina State Parks website.
Check out some of my other photos below from around Table Rock State Park, read more about my engagement photo services, or click here to get started with planning your session!
More from Table Rock
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Taking Photos in Hot Weather
“Summer
It turns me upside-down
Summer, summer, summer
It’s like a merry-go-round”
—The Cars
Maybe you’re on a break from school, taking a summer vacation, or you just love summer scenery. Summer in South Carolina means our plants are flourishing, but our heat and humidity are as intense as the mosquitoes. Here are some of my tips for taking photos on summer days:
1. Consider choosing sunrise instead of sunset. Sunrise tends to be the coolest time of day. Even right after sunset, it’s still warmer and more humid than sunrise. It also tends to be less crowded at sunrise because it involves waking up early, and a lot of people don’t want to get up early enough for sunrise in the summer. It’s about 6:15 in Greenville around summer solstice. For more information on deciding whether sunrise or sunset is the right choice for you, check out this post!
2. Bring a change of clothes. I always recommend having two outfits to give you variety, but this also gives you the option to spend less time in an outfit that makes you hot, and you can change into something else if you get sweaty. Check out this post for suggestions on what to wear!
3. Pick somewhere that’s not as exhausting to get to so you won’t be red, sweaty, and tired in your photos. For more suggestions for choosing a trail for your photos, check out this post.
4. Keep a bottle of water with you. Sometimes you don’t notice dehydration until you actually start feeling weak or sick. And don’t forget water and a bowl for your dogs if you’re bringing them! Here is more information about bringing your dogs for your photos.
5. Take advantage of shadier spots when the sun is higher in the sky. For this beach session, we used the shade to block out the sun, then we went out to the water as it got darker. The water acts as a giant mirror, so any sunlight will look really bright if there’s a lot of water.
6. Use sunscreen in the days beforehand. Please. Being pale looks better than being sunburned.
7. Be strategic with your location. Summer means that a lot of people will be traveling, and they may be visiting the same scenic location you’ve chosen for your photos. Sunrise can help with avoiding crowds, but so can going on a weekday, or finding lesser-known places. For more ideas on where to take engagement photos in upstate South Carolina, check out this post.
8. Have a rain plan. Summer evenings in South Carolina pretty much always have that forecast of “50% chance of scattered thunderstorms in the evening.” If it’s difficult for you to reschedule, we can find a covered area, like the Wyche Pavilion in downtown Greenville. Here are some more ideas for locations in downtown Greenville, and here is some info on how to navigate cloudy days.
Bonus for photographers: take your camera out of your bag a few minutes before you want to start taking your photos. Your camera might fog up if it’s really hot and humid out, and there’s nothing you can do except wait.
Bonus for upstate South Carolina: the South Carolina Botanical Gardens has a desert garden area that looks best in the summer when the succulents can thrive on the heat! Check out this post to see more photos from there!
I hope this was helpful! For more weather tips, check these out:
Taking Photos in Cold Weather
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South Carolina Botanical Gardens | Clemson, SC
I have to write a whole blog post about this place because it’s one of my favorite places, both to take pictures and just to walk around. There’s so much here that I can’t just show one or two photos to show you what it has to offer. I’ll also show you some photos taken throughout the year so you can get a better idea of what the scenery will look like at the time of your session.
The South Carolina Botanical Gardens is at the Clemson University campus. Clemson, my alma mater, was founded as Clemson Agricultural College, and so much of the university’s culture is still rooted in agriculture. I mean, their signature ice cream and blue cheese comes from cows raised by the students—check out the ‘55 Exchange when you visit! All around Clemson’s campus, you’ll see a variety of plants that change colors at different times. It’s not unusual to see a class stopping at a tree and taking notes. It’s no wonder that a school like this would have such a wonderfully diverse botanical garden. Every time I go, a different spot stands out to me because of how the plants change through the year. I have my pre-designated spots to stop at, but I usually find different spots along the way that look pretty.
The entrance to the garden features Palmetto trees, South Carolina’s state tree. You can also find some throughout the Maritime Garden, which I’ll highlight later, but you don’t see them much in the upstate.
Take a left at the entrance and you’ll find the main parking lot, which brings you to the caboose garden. There’s an amphitheater here, a bell, and some cool overhangs. PS: this caboose is a much safer alternative to taking pictures on railroad tracks!
The Duck Pond has a beautiful Japanese-style pier. And ducks, but they tend to not cooperate for taking photos.
The Xeriscape Garden, near the Duck Pond, has a white gazebo, which would be a beautiful setting for an intimate wedding.
If you turn right after the main entrance instead of left, you’ll find an easily overlooked part of the garden, which includes exhibits like the Desert Garden, Jurassic Garden, and ones that represent the state of South Carolina, like the Maritime Garden, Prairie Garden, and the Carnivorous Garden. The Desert Garden is one of my favorite parts because you probably won’t find plants like this in many places east of the Mississippi River.
One thing I love about the South Carolina Botanical Gardens is that I don’t have to get there at the peak times in the spring or fall to find seasonal color. Different plants show their colors at different times, so a March session and an April session will both look like the ultimate spring session, but will probably have different places featured. This session was at the end of February, but we found one pink tree and one white tree to use.
This session was in mid-March, when most of the trees here turn white and a few are pink. What I consider “peak” is usually the end of March through the second week of April, but look how much color we got when we weren’t even in that window!
This bridal portrait session was late May in the same year—we still had a spring feel with the flowers, but also the full green trees of summer.
This session was in the summer, when all the plants are in full swing—especially the desert garden. That glowy light on the willow tree is everything I want to illustrate a summer evening!
For this fall session, we missed peak foliage by less than a week, and most of the trees were bare by the time we got there. We looked around and some orange and yellow caught our eye, so we used those spots as much as we could. I believe this was the last day of November and these 4 spots were all the color that was left. We usually don’t have much fall color before the beginning of November, but I’ve had some photos with yellow trees in the first week of December before.
This elopement was on New Year’s Eve. There were some coniferous trees that still gave us some green that time of year, but there’s enough scenery for us to still have a beautiful setting for our photos, even without flowers.
No matter the time of year, the South Carolina Botanical Gardens is a picturesque place for your wedding, your portrait session, or just a nice walk! Check out some more of my work from the gardens, or click here to get started with planning your own photos there!
More of my work from the South Carolina Botanical Gardens
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Pretty Place Chapel
Fred W. Symmes Chapel at YMCA Camp Greenville, more commonly known as Pretty Place, is one of the locations I get asked for the most. This is an open-air chapel at the edge of a cliff overlooking the mountains, right on the North Carolina border. People from all over the country see pictures and videos of this place on Pinterest and TikTok and ask me to take their engagement photos, wedding photos, and proposal photos there. However, it’s also one of the most complex locations to plan for, which is why most of the people who ask me for it end up choosing another location after I respond. Pretty Place lives up to its name though, and if you can work it out, your photos will be stunning. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Check the visitation schedule. This is a very popular wedding venue, so the chapel will be closed to the public when there’s a wedding. The schedule on the Camp Greenville website lets you see up to 2 weeks in advance when the chapel is open.
Consider a weekday. Most weddings happen on weekends, and during the fall and spring, the chapel is sometimes booked for the whole weekend. The chapel has a lot of visitors during public hours, but there tend to be fewer on weekdays. If you’re coming from out of town, I recommend being in the area for at least one full weekday (Monday through Thursday) since you can only see the visitation schedule 2 weeks in advance.
Be prepared for crowds. If the chapel opens at 6 AM and sunrise is at 7:30, some people get there at 6 AM to make sure they get a parking space. The cross is the main feature of the location, so if you’re standing in front of the cross to take photos, all eyes are on you. You may even see another couple eloping or proposing. The first time I came here, there were enough people that we thought there was a whole church service happening that day, and we saw two proposals in the short time we were there. For more ideas on how to avoid crowds, check out this post.
You can pay to reserve it if you’re trying to plan in advance or if you don’t want people there. You can only view the visitation schedule two weeks in advance, so if you’re making a long trip here, this can help you ensure that it won’t be booked up the entire time you’re in town.
Account for motion sickness. It’s a windy road and there’s not really anywhere to pull over.
Check out some of the other beautiful spots along the way. Right off the side of 276 are Caesars Head State Park, Bald Rock Heritage Preserve, and Wildcat Wayside. Caesars Head offers some of the more difficult hiking trails in the state, but there’s also a 4-mile round trip trail to see Raven Cliff Falls, the highest waterfall in the state. Pictured below is the overlook at Caesars Head—read more about it here!
It’s pretty remote. For a wedding, you’ll need to accommodate for the amount of time it takes to drive here from wherever you’re getting ready and wherever you’re having your reception. For a reception venue, Victoria Valley Vineyards is probably the closest at about 25 minutes away, and there are a few venues in Travelers Rest. Otherwise, you’ll need to make the drive to either Tryon, Brevard, or Greenville for a reception.
Cell service is spotty. Coordinate beforehand with anyone you plan to meet there. It’s easy to follow signs to and from there though, so you might be able to get there and back without a GPS.
Be prepared for clouds or fog. The effect is cool, but it can totally hide the view of the mountains if it’s low enough and thick enough. Here is a post all about cloudy days and what to look for!
Sunrise has the best lighting. The sun will rise behind the cross and over the mountains, but you probably won’t see the sunset since it’ll be on the other side of the woods. Since the chapel is covered, it’s darker under there than it will be in the background.
Read their policies before you go. You will not be allowed to bring dogs or alcohol, and they encourage you to use as little decor as possible. Read more on their website.
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 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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Where to Take Engagement Photos in Downtown Greenville, South Carolina
I’ve lived in the Greenville area since 2016 and I think my first photo session in downtown Greenville was in 2017. Here are some of my favorite places downtown to use for engagement photos!
If you’re still looking for a photographer, click here to send me a message!
Liberty Bridge
I’ll start with the most iconic part of downtown Greenville—the curved suspension bridge over the waterfall. There are so many angles we can get of this bridge, so no worries if it’s crowded.
Reedy River Falls
What other city has a waterfall in the middle of downtown? If you get the right angle, it won’t even look like you’re in a city! The top photo was stealthily taken from a bench, which I plotted with the guy in advance.
Medusa Tree
Also called the Root Tree, this is along the Swamp Rabbit Trail, right next to the end of the Liberty Bridge. These roots kept growing after the ground around it was dug out.
(Bonus points if you have a Medusa tattoo)
Wyche Pavilion
You will have to check with the owners in advance about not conflicting with events they already have scheduled here, but this covered pavilion is a great option for a proposal if the forecast calls for rain (like it did for this session). Fun fact: this is actually the original Duke’s Mayonnaise factory!
Carolina Foothills garden club sanctuary
Some people don’t even realize this is here because it’s almost hidden in the woods! I had to do some digging to even find the name of this area. It’s a great place to find shade when the sun is still high and it has a little more privacy than the rest of downtown. Plus, the sun comes from behind the little waterfall, which gives you really pretty light!
Christmas tree
Downtown Greenville at Christmastime is straight out of a movie! The Christmas tree looks beautiful day or night—you decide which one you like better!
Overlooking downtown
The view from the top of the stairs next to the Peace Center is where the prettiest light is as the sun goes down!
Water Wall
When the golden hour sun and the lights at the bottom hit this spot just right, it makes the prettiest background!
Eugenia Duke Bridge
This green bridge gives you a great urban landscape that shows off some of the architecture of downtown Greenville!
Flowers near Mary’s Cottage
This spot smells so good, there’s pretty color there at any time of year, and it always has beautiful light before sunset!
Ivy Bridge
I couldn’t find a name for this bridge online, so let me know if you know the name of this one. This bridge always makes me think of Winnie the Pooh. I love the stone and ivy together!
Off of Main Street
Here are a few spots downtown that aren’t along Main Street or Falls Park, but are still gorgeous!
Rock Quarry Garden
This little garden is below the street near the Governor’s School. It’s far enough away from downtown that you won’t get as many onlookers, but it’s still very beautiful.
Cancer Survivors Park
This was actually a backup location after Falls Park closed at the beginning of the pandemic, then this park closed too. When everything reopened, we decided to still go here because we liked the futuristic feel of the pavilion with the light sabers. But as you can see, the light is also beautiful here in the morning, and it’s not as crowded as the rest of downtown.
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 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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Where to Elope in South Carolina
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.
Liberty Bridge in Downtown Greenville, South Carolina.
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.
Pretty Place Chapel in Cleveland, South Carolina
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:
Oconee County alone has over 150 named waterfalls.
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.
Lake Oolenoy at Table Rock State Park
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?
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 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!
Wedding and Elopement Inspiration
More Ideas
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:
You like the idea of celebrating with other people, but still want the privacy and intimacy of an elopement ceremony.
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.
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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Sunrise or sunset?
The best natural light happens within the hour after sunrise or the hour before sunset. Depending on the time of year, the sun rises in the upstate between 6:15 and 7:30, and sets between 5:20 and 8:45. I usually have my sessions closer to sunset because people tend to not want to be out at sunrise, but I’m usually open to either one.
How you decide whether sunrise or sunset is the better option for you?
Where does the scenic view face?
You’ll want the view behind you, but you also want the sun behind you for more flattering lighting and more colors in the sky. The sun rises over the water on east coast beaches and it sets over the water on west coast beaches. One example in the upstate is Pretty Place Chapel vs. Caesars Head. They overlook the same area, but they face different directions. Pretty Place will have the sun rise behind the cross, and Caesars Head will have the sun set behind the overlook.
Do you want people there?
If you want to avoid crowds, it’s usually better to wake up early and get there before people are usually out. If you want other people there with you, like your family and friends, it might be easier for them to get there at sunset.
Temperature
The outside temperature tends to be cooler at sunrise and warmer at sunset. If you want your photos on a mountain, the cool air in the morning might be too much in the colder months. There could also be ice at higher elevations, which is more likely to form overnight and still be there in the morning. For a summer beach session or an elopement that involves hiking, sunrise might help you beat the heat.
Clouds
Sometimes in the mornings, the clouds are lower. At higher elevations, this might mean you don’t see the views down below, but it could also look really cool.
We arrived to the park right when it opened, which was about an hour after sunrise. Nobody was at the overlook except for us, we were above the clouds, and Leah and Jacob got to spend the rest of the day celebrating being engaged! Read More
Timing
A sunrise session gives you more time to spend the day together later, while a sunset session gives you more time beforehand. If you want to have your hair and makeup done or head to a barbershop before having your photos done, you might have better luck with scheduling that before a sunset session. If you want to get married and spend the rest of your wedding day adventuring, sunrise might be a better option for you.
We had this overlook all to ourselves and the background looks like a painting!
What if I can’t do sunrise or sunset?
It’s not impossible to get good photos midday, but the light isn’t as easy to work with, so it’s harder to get what you want in the background with flattering light on your faces. If midday is the only time you’re available, we can work it out. I typically pose people with the sun behind them, but if that’s not where the pretty background is, I try to have one person block the sun on the other, or I have them face the side so their eyes aren’t in the shadows. The sky tends to be bluer, but the background may be overexposed. Here are a few examples of photos I’ve taken midday to help you get an idea of how they’re different.
I hope this helps you decide what time of the day is the best option for you! Click here to set a date and time with me, or read some of my other posts below!
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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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Planning Your Proposal
So you two are ready to start planning the rest of your lives together! Going from “dating” to “engaged” is a big step. How do you want to pop the question?
First of all, there’s no right way for everyone to propose. The only thing that matters is that it’s what you and your partner want. It can be as simple or complex of a plan as you want. These are just some steps to make it less stressful.
1. Pick a special place. Maybe it’s a place with a pretty view, and maybe it’s a place where you two share memories together. Think about how many people will be there and how easy it’ll be to access the spot you want.
Karl and Melanie had never been here before, but they heard how beautiful it was and made a weekend trip there. See More
2. Pick a time. The hour before sunset and the hour after sunrise are what we call “golden hour.” This gives us that pretty glow and is the most flattering on your faces. The exact time of golden hour will vary depending on where you are and what time of year it is, but I’m happy to coordinate that with you. Getting the sun behind you will be prettiest, but if that doesn’t work with your plan, we can find a spot in better light.
This proposal was midday because Tracy and Lawrence would be heading home later that day. I got there early and picked a place for Lawrence to stop that was in good lighting. I put a piece of tape on the ground and sent him a picture of my view. See More
3. Decide when your partner will know what’s going on. If you want it to be a total surprise the second you pop the question, then you’ll need to be in a place where I can easily hide. That could either mean finding a hiding place or blending in with a crowd.
For this proposal, there was not a safe place for me to be out of sight. Connor said that was okay because his plan involved Jess knowing earlier in the hike what would happen at the overlook. See More
4. Pick a spot you know you can easily get to. Let’s use the Table Rock summit as an example, because I’ve gotten this request before. And I get it—getting on one knee in front of that overlook would be so beautiful. Physically, it takes a lot for you, your partner, and your photographer (if you have one) to get there, especially in the warmer months, even if you’re experienced hikers. To quote another photographer who has been to this summit, “You will not be cute by the time you get to the top.” If one of us needs to turn around, or if the parking lot is full, we may not be able to communicate that to each other because cell service is so spotty there. It’s way easier if we simplify the plan, especially if your partner isn’t supposed to know I’ll be there.
For places in the upstate that are beautiful, easy to navigate to, and won’t wear you out before it’s time to take pictures, click here. If you were actually thinking about proposing at the Table Rock summit, that post will tell you about similar views and other pretty parts of the park.
The South Carolina Botanical Gardens have a variety of scenery that will change at different times of year. The trails are paved, there aren’t really steep parts, and you don’t have to go far to find beautiful places.
5. Think about what to wear. If getting dressed up will tip off your partner, it’s up to you how to proceed, but keep in mind that they may want to wear something nicer for these photos. If you do choose to wear something nicer, make sure it won’t get messed up as you’re getting to the spot.
I helped Joe pick a restaurant in the area so that he could get Bree to the spot he wanted to propose. He told Bree she should wear something nice that day because they had a reservation at a nice restaurant. See More
6. Protect the ring. How you hide the ring depends on the situation, but some people have found that a ring box doesn’t sit well in their pockets. You could find a smaller box, a different container to protect it, or put the box deep in a bag you’re carrying so it doesn’t get moved.
Believe it or not, you can get desert scenery in the upstate! Click here to see!
7. Leave time to tell everyone. You might not know until after the proposal whether you’ll want to tell your family and friends ASAP or take some pictures first, so leave a little bit of time in case you decide to make a few phone calls.
AC wanted to call her family right away, but she didn’t know until later that Ben had planned to go by her parents’ house, and her whole extended family would be there. Read more
8. Consider the crowds. Are you and your partner okay with having onlookers as you get engaged? If not, consider proposing in a time and place where you might not encounter as many people. People tend to not be awake around sunrise on the weekends. There tends to be fewer people going downtown or to hiking trails on weekdays. Overall, not as many people go outside during the winter.
For this proposal, we got to the park right when it opened. Not only were we getting that just-after-sunrise light and those low morning clouds, we were also the only three people at the overlook when the actual engagement happened! See More
I hope this helps give you some peace of mind as you take the next step in your relationship! Read more about my engagement photo services, and check out some of the blog posts below to get some ideas!
Melanie and Karl’s Proposal at Caesars Head
Where to Take Engagement Photos in Upstate South Carolina
Connor and Jess’s Proposal at Lake Keowee
Bree and Joe’s Proposal in Downtown Greenville
Fill out the form below to tell me your plans so far for your engagement!
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Featured
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:
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.
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.
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.
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!
Info for Chimney Rock State Park in Chimney Rock, North Carolina.