Choosing our Charleston Wedding Venue - Blogging Bride Kelsey
Hi there! Kelsey here again - I am thrilled to be back today to talk about how I chose my wedding venue.
My fiancé, Nic, and I are getting married in September in Charleston, South Carolina. The decision to get married in Charleston was not necessarily a quick and easy path. As I mentioned in my previous post, Nic and I originally set out to have a nautical, waterside wedding in Annapolis. At first, this location made sense to us - we are both from Annapolis and actually met at a bar in downtown Annapolis a few years ago. We visited a handful of venues in Annapolis and in the Eastern Shore of Maryland and loved them all. However, something was pulling us both down to Charleston.
Charleston has and always will be a special place for us. It is one of our favorite places to visit, it is the place where Nic proposed last September; and it is a place where we talk about raising kids one day. While we loved the idea of a waterside wedding in Maryland, we truly felt the right place for us was in Charleston. Not only did we choose Charleston because it is such a special place for us, we also chose Charleston because we want our family and friends to visit and experience a city we adore.
After looking at a few plantation and waterside locations in Charleston, we ultimately decided on a smaller venue downtown called The Wickliffe House. The house is beautiful and romantic, like all of Charleston, and has qualities that remind us both of historic homes in Annapolis - original hardwood floors, tall ceilings, and intricate details throughout. I love that the venue is classic and elegant and I especially love that it has a large porch overlooking a charming yard that we plan to hang string lights over for our reception under the stars (as long as it doesn’t rain!).
In summary, our 2 month venue search took us from a Chesapeake Bay-side venue to a historic home in downtown Charleston. If I had to give a bride-to-be advice on the venue selection process, it would be, first - keep your budget, your guest count, and the anticipated time of year in mind. Second - picture yourself at each wedding venue your visit. I know this may sound obvious, but truly try to imagine yourself there, in your dress, among your family and friends. Finally - try to ensure this decision is one that just you and your fiancé make. I know it can be easy to receive opinions from others in the process, but it is a big decision and one that should be made by the two of you. Best of luck!
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Photographer: Rachel Craig Photography
