Community› Local Wedding Boards› South Carolina-Charleston
South Carolina-Charleston
New Discussion
Options

Introduction...and any ideas for ceremony location? (kinda long, sorry)

newmamaronewmamaro member
First Comment
in South Carolina-Charleston
Hello everyone! I've been lurking on here for a while and thought it was time to introduce myself. I live in Charlotte, NC and am planning a May 26, 2012 wedding in Charleston. I've been engaged since this past Christmas Eve, but am just now starting to really plan. My fiance is 31 and I am 25; he does data entry and I am a full-time student/CNA.

I am on a somewhat tight budget, and want a more casual/laid back wedding for about 50 guests.

My fiance and I are really leaning towards having our reception at a restaurant. I want to rent out the 2nd floor at Southend Brewery...waiting for a reply from them to see if my date is available.

What I need some ideas on/help with is where to hold my ceremony. I'm having a hard time with that. I don't want to pay a ton of money for something that will last 15 minutes or so (we are having a non-religious ceremony).

I would love any advice from the Charleston ladies. It's hard trying to find stuff when you live almost 4 hours away! Thanks ladies!
Report Reply to Post

Re: Introduction...and any ideas for ceremony location? (kinda long, sorry)

  • Options
    kd.josephkd.joseph
    First Comment Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    We got married at Middleton Plantation and they were wonderful. Even though we only had our ceremony there and had our reception at Tristan, they do have the ability to do both the ceremony and reception at the location.

    Good Luck!
    Image and video hosting by TinyPic
    Report Reply
  • Options
    AmysMOBAmysMOB
    First Comment
    edited December 2011

    We looked long and hard for a ceremony location for my daughter's wedding in June.  I think your best choice might be the Confederate Home and another place to look would be the Palmer Home.  Both would offer an outdoor ceremony location with an inside room in case of rain  We ended up using the courtyard of the Dock Street Theatre, but that will not be an option because your date is during the Spoleto Festival.   

    Report Reply
  • Options
    newmamaronewmamaro member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Thanks you guys! I appreciate it. I'm going to try to look into the Confederate Home. I saw pictures of a wedding in their garden that was really pretty, and it's really close to Southend. Thanks again!
    Report Reply
  • Options
    katydid2014katydid2014 member
    First Comment Combo Breaker First Anniversary
    edited December 2011
    Our wedding was in the Confederate Home garden on April 10 and we loved it.  I had thought about using one of the public parks b/c they are so cheap, but then realized we would be screwed if it rained.  You do need to have some patience trying to get ahold of someone at the Confederate Home.  It houses elderly women on the upper levels and the woman who runs the office I think lives there also so she kinda comes and goes.  Their office hours are extremely limited, but just keep calling during the hours it says on their answering machine and you will eventually get an answer.  It also helps to hire a coordinator just for the ceremony who has done weddings there previously.  I used Candice at Yoj Events and she was great and offered a really great price for just ceremony direction.  She also handled setting up the rental chairs and setting up all of my decorations I made and then clean up after.  She will do a rehearsal with you as well.  And then most of our guests walked from there to McCrady's for our reception.  That is a really nice area of downtown to walk through (if you have nice weather :)  Good luck!
    Report Reply
  • Options
    katydid2014katydid2014 member
    First Comment Combo Breaker First Anniversary
    edited December 2011
    But do be warned that parking in that part of downtown can be a nightmare.  Our wedding was on a Sunday, so all the parking meters were free on the street, but still some of our guests had some trouble finding a spot.  I even provided detailed parking maps to nearby garages with their fees, and told our guests to get there at least 15 mins early to make sure they had time to find somewhere to park.  Unless you want to splurge and send everyone to the same garage and have a bus or limo shuttle people.  That wasn't in our budget, but our 30 guests did fine on their own.  :)
    Report Reply
  • Options
    HydrophyllicHydrophyllic
    First Comment
    edited December 2011

    The South Battery Park area has a beautiful large gazebo where you can have a wedding.  The whole park is shaded with large oak trees, so your guest won't have to sit in the hot sun. The park is right on the water so you have a beautiful waterfront view on one side and grand old mansions on the other.  Also since it's a public park, it shouldn't be too expensive to reserve.  Try contacting the Charleston County Park office to see if they can point to the right person for reservations.

    Also, many of the plantation gardens/museum houses rent out for venues and weekdays can run half price, Sundays and Fridays a little more, but still cheaper than Saturday.

    Report Reply
  • Options
    HydrophyllicHydrophyllic
    First Comment
    edited December 2011

    The South Battery Park area has a beautiful large gazebo where you can have a wedding.  The whole park is shaded with large oak trees, so your guest won't have to sit in the hot sun. The park is right on the water so you have a beautiful waterfront view on one side and grand old mansions on the other.  Also since it's a public park, it shouldn't be too expensive to reserve.  Try contacting the Charleston County Park office to see if they can point to the right person for reservations.

    Also, many of the plantation gardens/museum houses rent out for venues and weekdays can run half price, Sundays and Fridays a little more, but still cheaper than Saturday.

    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards