Pawleys Plantation in Pawleys Island, SC, is still one of my favorite wedding locations. The staff is excellent, and everything is always well organized. Sunsets are also beautiful in front of the clubhouse and out of the golf course itself. Kiely and Carson, the bride and groom, had some of the best smiles I’ve had with a wedding couple. In almost every picture, especially when they looked at each other, they had big natural smiles and looked very happy. This always makes it easy to get great photos.
Detail shots and getting ready pictures before the ceremony
This wedding had a small wedding party with only two bridesmaids and two groomsmen. I like smaller groups. It seems like those weddings are always more relaxed. Kiely didn’t want any pictures before putting on her dress, so I started with portraits of the groomsmen and details shots of the location. I liked some of the photos with the groom helping his father with his tie and of the best man fixing the groom’s tie. After the bride was dressed, I did my typical portraits of her standing in the doorway light and then out on the private patio beside the clubhouse. Even though she had her veil on, I took pictures of her mom touching the veil and pulling it over her shoulders. These turned out especially beautiful with the soft light on the patio.
Ceremony programs Pawleys Plantation
Memories table – Pawleys Plantation
Reception table – Pawleys Plantation
Photo Booth table – Pawleys Plantation
Grooms Army cake Pawleys Plantation
Dinner menu Pawleys Plantation
Table decorations – Pawleys Plantation
Table details – Pawleys Plantation
Cool Photo Booth masks Pawleys Plantation
Me Too on Grooms shoes Pawleys Plantation
Groom and groomsmen getting ready pictures Pawleys Plantation
Groom helping father with tie Pawleys Plantation
Father helping groom with tie Pawleys Plantation
Groom and groomsmen getting ready pictures Pawleys Plantation
Groom and groomsmen getting ready pictures Pawleys Plantation
Groom and groomsmen getting ready pictures Pawleys Plantation
Groom and groomsmen before ceremony Pawleys Plantation
Groom and groomsmen before ceremony Pawleys Plantation
Portrait of groom before ceremony Pawleys Plantation
Bride standing in doorway light Pawleys Plantation
Bride standing in doorway light Pawleys Plantation
Portraits of bride on the patio beside the clubhouse Pawleys Plantation
Portraits of bride on the patio beside the clubhouse Pawleys Plantation
Mom helping daughter with the veil Pawleys Plantation
Mom helping daughter with the veil Pawleys Plantation
Mom helping daughter with the veil Pawleys Plantation
Bride and bridesmaids before the ceremony Pawleys Plantation
Bride and bridesmaids before the ceremony Pawleys Plantation
Bride and bridesmaids before the ceremony Pawleys Plantation
Ceremony area Pawleys Plantation
Wedding ceremony overlooking the Pawleys Plantation golf course
The ceremony was held on the lawn behind the clubhouse, with a great view of the lake and golf course. The cute ring bearer forgot to hold up his “ring security” flag until he was almost down the aisle, so I barely got a shot of it. I loved some of the first-look pictures with the huge smile on the groom’s face and the bride getting emotional walking down the aisle with her father. They had big smiles during the ceremony, especially when giving their vows.
Ring-bearer and flower girl Pawleys Plantation
Ring security sign Pawleys Plantation
Bride and father walking from the back doors of the clubhouse Pawleys Plantation
Bride and father walking down the steps Pawleys Plantation
Happy groom watching bride walk down the aisle Pawleys Plantation
Bride with father walking down the aisle Pawleys Plantation
Emotional bride seeing groom for the first time Pawleys Plantation
Huge smile on groom Pawleys Plantation
Holding hands during the ceremony Pawleys Plantation
Big smiles during the ceremony Pawleys Plantation
Groomsmen playing the guitar Pawleys Plantation
Holding hands during the ceremony Pawleys Plantation
Panorama of ceremony location Pawleys Plantation
Groom listing to vows from bride Pawleys Plantation
Putting on the bride’s ring Pawleys Plantation
Sand ceremony Pawleys Plantation
First kiss Pawleys Plantation
Happy just married couple walking down the aisle Pawleys Plantation
Happy just married couple walking down the aisle Pawleys Plantation
After the ceremony, family and wedding party pictures
After the ceremony, we went to the shady area near the lake and did all the family pictures. It was a little early in the afternoon, so the sun was pretty harsh. I’m happy Pawleys Plantation has a lot of lovely trees to give some shade. I still have to be careful with the spots of bright sunlight that make it through the tree branches. It helps using my powerful dual Godox AD200 flash to give some fill light and balance out subjects in the shade from the bright background.
Even though the sun was bright and it was sweltering, the wedding party went out on the golf course and took some fun pictures. It can still look very nice, even in the bright sun, if you place the sun behind the subjects and use some fill light from a flash to balance the light. Finally, we took wedding party pictures in front of the clubhouse by the front door columns.
Groom getting kisses from Grandmothers Pawleys Plantation
Bride and bridesmaids by the lake Pawleys Plantation
Bridesmaids leaning out from behind the bride Pawleys Plantation
Bride with groomsmen Pawleys Plantation
Groom and groomsmen picking up the bride Pawleys Plantation
Groomsmen striking a pose Pawleys Plantation
Bridesmaids doing a fun pose Pawleys Plantation
Groom with bridesmaids Pawleys Plantation
Wedding party walking down the golf course Pawleys Plantation
Bridal party with clubhouse in the background Pawleys Plantation
Bride and groom Pawleys Plantation
Wedding party on the back steps Pawleys Plantation
Wedding party in front of the clubhouse doors Pawleys Plantation
Mixing up the wedding party Pawleys Plantation
Pose with the wedding party in front of the clubhouse Pawleys Plantation
The first dance, reception, and fun photo booth pictures
Because it was still a couple of hours before sunset, we decided to wait until later in the evening for the bride and groom pictures. They went inside and did the first dances, ate dinner, and then the cake cutting. I also set up my photo booth for this wedding. There were a lot of kids at this wedding, and they loved going in the photo booth over and over again. The adults were having a great time with it as well. I got some new props recently, including an Infinity Gauntlet, that everyone enjoyed. The stones even light up on the glove! Even the little kids enjoyed looking at their pictures on the nearby iPad after taking them in the photo booth. I’ve got a nice photo booth setup now, and I recommend adding it if you think it is appropriate for your wedding. Everyone always has a great time taking fun pictures.
Table details – Pawleys Plantation
Wedding cake Pawleys Plantation
Ring security Pawleys Plantation
Entrances Pawleys Plantation
Bride and groom first dance Pawleys Plantation
Bride and groom first dance Pawleys Plantation
Bride and groom first dance Pawleys Plantation
Bride and groom first dance Pawleys Plantation
Bride and father Pawleys Plantation
Kids having fun in the photo booth Pawleys Plantation
Thanos mask – Pawleys Plantation
Big group in the photo booth – Pawleys Plantation
Horse head photo booth prop Pawleys Plantation
Cake cutting Pawleys Plantation
Cake cutting Pawleys Plantation
Cake cutting Pawleys Plantation
Reception dancing Pawleys Plantation
Kids looking at their pictures on the ipad – Pawleys Plantation
Photo booth pictures with gold background Pawleys Plantation
Photo booth pictures with gold background – Pawleys Plantation Golf & Country Club
Photo booth pictures with gold background Pawleys Plantation
Photo booth pictures with gold background Pawleys Plantation
Photo booth pictures with gold background – Pawleys Plantation Golf & Country Club
Photo booth pictures with gold background – Pawleys Plantation
Photo booth pictures with gold background Pawleys Plantation
Photo booth pictures with gold background Pawleys Plantation
Photo booth pictures with gold background – Pawleys Plantation Golf & Country Club
Photo booth pictures with gold background – Pawleys Plantation Golf & Country Club
Photo booth pictures with gold background Pawleys Plantation
Photo booth pictures with gold background – Pawleys Plantation Golf & Country Club
Photo booth pictures with gold background – Pawleys Plantation Golf & Country Club
Photo booth pictures with gold background Pawleys Plantation
Photo booth pictures with gold background Pawleys Plantation
Beautiful sunset pictures with the bride and groom
Finally, for the essential part of any wedding, we did the portraits of the bride and groom. We went out at the ideal sunset time to get the beautiful soft light coming through the trees in front of the clubhouse. Again, I used some fill flash from my studio lights to highlight the bride and groom against the bright background. Pawleys Plantation always provides me a golf cart to take the couple out on the golf course for pictures. Since the bride didn’t have high heels that would damage the greens, we could walk out and get some beautiful shots of them by the lake and fountain.
Next, we went further out on the golf course to one of my favorite spots by an old oak tree. I loved the composition of some of these pictures. I try to follow the rule of thirds when appropriate, although I don’t worry about this if a picture looks better with the subject in the center. This was an excellent opportunity to have the bride and groom on the left side of the image, with the sunset and reflection in the water balancing them out on the right. Finally, we went out to the beautiful golf course area overlooking the marsh on Pawleys Island. I always bring my 35mm lens when we go out there. There isn’t much room to back away from the couple in this location. Even with the wide-angle lens, I loved one picture of them kissing with the full moon in the background. I hope you enjoy the pictures. If you are having a wedding at Pawleys Plantation and need a photographer, please let me know!
Bride and groom smiling at camera with sunset filtering through the trees Pawleys Plantation
Bride and groom looking at each other backlit by the sunset Pawleys Plantation
Touching the grooms face in front of Pawleys Plantation – Pawleys Plantation
Kiss backlit by the sunset Pawleys Plantation
Bride holding her flowers in the sunset Pawleys Plantation
Bride with flowers around the neck of the groom Pawleys Plantation
Leaning against the tree touching noses Pawleys Plantation
Kiss with some fill light from my off camera flash Pawleys Plantation
Kiss with some fill light from my off camera flash Pawleys Plantation
Sunset behind the clubhouse – Pawleys Plantation
Bride looking at groom Pawleys Plantation
Dip behind the clubhouse Pawleys Plantation
Walking down the golf course holding hands Pawleys Plantation
Walking down the golf course holding hands Pawleys Plantation
Laying together by the fountain Pawleys Plantation
Bride looking back at groom laying on the greens Pawleys Plantation
Bride with arms around the groom Pawleys Plantation
Kiss on the cheek Pawleys Plantation
Kiss in front of the fountain Pawleys Plantation
Groom touching brides face backlit by the sunset Pawleys Plantation
Groom pulling bride in for a kiss Pawleys Plantation
Kiss on the cheek Pawleys Plantation
Great composition with bride and groom balanced by the sunset Pawleys Plantation
Kiss in the sunset on the marsh – Pawleys Plantation
Big smiles under the oak trees on the marsh – Pawleys Plantation
Kiss by the marsh Pawleys Plantation
Portraits with clubhouse far in the background Pawleys Plantation
Portraits with clubhouse far in the background Pawleys Plantation
Portraits with clubhouse far in the background Pawleys Plantation
Groom lifting bride into the air for a kiss Pawleys Plantation
Holding hands walking down the golf course Pawleys Plantation
Holding hands walking down the golf course Pawleys Plantation
Kiss on the marsh under the full moon – Pawleys Plantation
Sunsets are so pretty on the golf course marsh – Pawleys Plantation
Big smiles looking at the groom Pawleys Plantation