Wedding at the Dunes Golf and Beach Club with a happy new blended family

I always love when a wedding can bring together a happy new family. I was working on the wedding album for Marshall and Lindsey and thought this would be a great wedding to post to my blog. Their wedding was held last November 5th at one of my favorite venues, the Dunes Golf & Beach Club at the north end of Myrtle Beach. This is a beautiful location for a wedding, with a lawn overlooking the ocean for the ceremony, a large ballroom for the reception, and a great staff that I always enjoy working with.

The weather wasn’t looking great at the beginning of the day. My wife took the groom and groomsmen out for pictures in front of the clubhouse while I did getting-ready photos with the bride and bridesmaids. It was very overcast, and we worried it might start raining. However, before the ceremony, the sun came out like it often does in Myrtle Beach, and it was a beautiful day. I always tell clients not to worry about the weather. It can go from stormy weather to clear skies in minutes.

There were a lot of emotions during the ceremony. You can see the tears running down Lindsey’s cheek as her father walks her down the aisle. Marshall, the groom, had two sons from a previous marriage, and they had a baby boy together. The groom’s older son was a groomsman for the wedding, and his younger son was the ring bearer. It’s always nice when a bride and groom let their kids be part of the ceremony. The little guy was too young, but we got him in many cute pictures later.

After the ceremony we took all the family pictures, then some of the bride and groom and their three boys. Once they started swinging the little guy in the air, we got a huge smile. After the family pictures, I took the bridal party to some pretty spots around the old oak trees and on the golf course. After this, the bridal party left, and I took romantic portraits of the bride and groom on the golf course. Lindsey had a big flowing train on her dress which is always beautiful in pictures. I wish we could have waited a little closer to sunset for the beach pictures, but sometimes a wedding schedule doesn’t align with the perfect sunset time. Even if the sun was a little harsh, I got some lovely photos of the two of them by the ocean.

Everyone had a blast during the reception as well. After the first dance and dinner, they did an early fake sparkler exit so everyone could participate. This is a nice thing to do if some of the family has to leave the reception early. After the cake cutting, the groom changed into something more comfortable, and everyone partied for the next few hours. Since I had already taken pictures of the sparker exit, I didn’t need to stay until the very end of the reception. But I got plenty of dancing pictures before I left. I hope you enjoy the photos. If you are planning a wedding at the Dunes Golf & Beach Club, let me know, I would be happy to give you some ideas and suggestions.