South Carolina Best Venues that I LOVE
Now, maybe you’re in a place where you’re about to be married, or just engaged and you happen to live in SC! Did you know that Charleston SC is the second most highly desired destination wedding location in the US, following Vegas?? Crazy right! We live in a cool state.
Well I’m here to help! I’m going to be reviewing the top 5 favorite venues in SC that I like and why I love them so much. I am a Columbia South Carolina based photographer, so this will be from the perspective of someone who lives in beautiful Soda City, but not all of the venues are close to the heart of SC. You ready? Here we go!!
#5 City Art – Downtown Columbia, SC
Pros
- Unique Art covering walls that changes based on the season.
- Right in the heart of downtown Columbia.
- Great location for guests to get hotels and local foods.
- A cool variety of downtown photos available being in the heart of the city.
- One of the more affordable venues if your budget is tighter.
Cons
- Limited space means limited guest list. Definitely on the smaller side.
What I LOVE about this venue is how different of a feel it is. I rarely get invited to shoot many modern, and indoor weddings, so this place is a treat! Like I mentioned above, it is on the bit smaller side of things, so that means more limited space to get ready, and more limited variety for shooting (at least on the inside of the building), BUT, it being in the heart of downtown, me and the bride and groom were able to hop in the car and drive around to several locations that I scouted beforehand for their couple photos.
Not to mention they have the biggest and coolest old looking windows that lets in so much beautiful sunlight to the venue.
If you are looking for unique and trendy, and you don’t see yourself as the very traditional, church venue, type of bride, this is the place for you!
#4 Hartley House – Batesburg Leesville, SC
Pros
- LOVELY indoor, old fashioned, plantation home feel.
- Very classic look and feel to wedding and photos.
- Medium-larger guest list available.
- All-inclusive packages available, making it easier for your to plan your day.
- Incredible staff to work with! I have met the owner of the house and she is very involved throughout the whole process and incredibly professional
- They have recently gotten a couple of renovations that I have not personally seen yet, but I’ve heard are lovely!
Cons
- If you have a small budget, this place may not be right for you. It is a little pricier, but you may save money in the long run because it is all inclusive (so I feel weird putting this in the con list, because it’s really not)!
I have never had an easier time making getting ready photos look so gorgeous! The interior of this place is amazing, and I have been told that there are even some more renovations that have happened since I’ve been there last! The Grooms quarters are so classic and manly feeling, and the Brides area is BEAUTIFUL. It is just so classic. I couldn’t sing this venue’s praises more.
It is only about 40 minutes from the heart of Columbia, which makes it easy for guests to travel to hotels nearby.
#3 Lace House – Downtown Columbia, SC
Pros
- Mid-range pricing, starting at around 2,000 and going up from there depending on the season and day you pick
- Lovely old, SC house feel surrounded by the loveliest gardens you’ve ever seen.
- Lots of variety for photos and ceremony placement.
- Rain tent options
- Gorgeous inside of the house and large venue!
- Downtown Columbia, and within 2-5 minutes of lots of hotels and restaurants!
- Beautiful foliage all season round.
Cons
- I honestly can’t really think of any!
Located in the heart of downtown, and pretty affordable, this is a great option for guests and bridal party! It is a fairly large venue that has options of a great variety of shot locations. From gardens, to gates, to old houses, this place is a classic, old southern charm location.
I have seen photos of this place done by other photographers, and it feels like there is so much variety in photo locations that it can look like a completely different wedding from the last. There is also great shade here, which is a photographers dream. It makes it easier to choose a time of day to get married in because there are so many more options provided by the shade. Great option.
Lace House at Arsenal Hill Website
#2 – Sunset Farms – Union, SC
Pros
- Rustic farm feel, with a large venue and gorgeous scenery
- Lower priced venue with pricing starting around $2,000 for a whole day
- Indoor and outdoor options in case of rain.
- Medium to large guest list available.
- A complimentary extra day for engagement or bridal portraits available as well.
- ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL.
- Sunset farms gets it’s name because the sunsets are absolutely stunning here.
Cons
- A bit out in the middle of nowhere, but only an hour and a half outside of Downtown Columbia.
- A little darker on the inside because of everything being wooden, so photographers might have to bring extra lighting for several parts of the day.
This is my second favorite venue for many reasons, but the reason this venue is so loved by me is because you will not get as beautiful of scenery for as affordable a price as here. During golden hour, we had an opportunity to grab some incredible photos of the couple.
The venue is a very flexible inside/outside venue, and they have several variations for ceremony setup. My sister also got married here, so I know from that side of things, the venue owners were so kind and easy to work with as well.
I would recommend this venue to anyone, as long as you don’t mind driving back through the dark in some rural forest areas.
#1 – Heyward Manor – Iva, SC
Pros
- Huge venue with tons of different variety in shots and ceremony options.
- Allows for a much larger guest list.
- Farm style wedding, but incredibly modern feel
- Very professional staff, who works very close with the bride on the day of the wedding.
- ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS.
Cons
- Higher on the price-range, but SUPER worth the investment!
- A little out in the middle of nowhere if you are not from around those parts.
There is no question as to why this place takes the #1 spot for me. I just shot here for the first time this year, and I’m already itching to go back! It is rare for me to spend an entire day at a venue and not see the whole thing, but that is exactly what happened! I was asking my second shooter for descriptions of some of the other parts of the venue that I didn’t myself get to see. What a cool place! Ponds, fields, rock gardens, and beautiful trees. I cannot get over this place!
Our bride got to have her exit be a fireworks show, which was the first time I had been a part of something like that, and the grounds did not disappoint! There is a lot offered at this venue, and it’s absolutely breathtaking. My personal favorite, and I think it would be yours too.
Honorable mentions:
701 Whaley
Jasmine River and Road House
Corley Mill House
