WHAT EXACTLY DOES IT MEAN TO ELOPE? If you look up the definition of “elope” in the Merriam-Webster dictionary , you’ll find a plethora of meanings making it quite clear how polarizing the word has become, and how it has transformed and evolved with the passage of time and even personal preference.Read more
Are you planning a short-notice, small wedding or elopement?
WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIOS ARE OPEN - Many couples don’t want to wait. They are planning to get married in the very near future, eloping, or rushing a small ceremony with their photographer, some close friends, and family but dispensing with or postponing the reception party.
View WPJA photo stories from smaller weddings - WedElope | Choose love, not fear!
South Carolina Wedding Photographers
Wedding Photographers of South Carolina, United States
Columbia, Charleston, Mt. Pleasant, Myrtle Beach
South Carolina Elopement Photographers
YOU CAN'T STOP LOVE - In recent days, some of our North America photographer vendors have expressed their desire to accommodate couples who don’t want to wait to be married and are rushing the ceremony.
Many brides and grooms around the globe are planning to elope and deciding to reschedule their original ideas for a big event because of current wedding size restrictions, social distancing, and mask requirements. They are getting wed on a whim, but dispensing with or postponing all else.
The WPJA has an abundance of top-ranked, documentary-style elopement photographers who are available right now who understand that some weddings can’t wait. Find yours today!
Most Recent WPJA WedElope Story Awards
Elopement Photographers for Small United States Weddings
Shooting an elopement or small South Carolina wedding event is a wedding photojournalist’s dream: a fairly open schedule with lots of breathing space for creativity – it’s just the photographer, the couple, the officiant, and perhaps a few select companions.
Members are ready to document any small, quick, fast, or elopement wedding, even if it is a Monday-Thursday ceremony. Search for the “Can Shoot Weddings on Short Notice!” message on the listings below.
We are anxious to create a picture story chronicling your symbolic, boutique, intimate, small wedding from beginning to end. In this sense, it is no different from any other event that we have covered. The emphasis is on documenting key moments, capturing spontaneous displays of emotion, telling your real love story, as well as creating artistic portraits and details.
Map of Wedding Photojournalists Serving South Carolina Couples
10 Documentary Wedding Photographers...
I’m gonna state the obvious here; I’m a photographer. With that moniker comes a host of other qualities that I bring to the table: Former music teacher, father, husband, traveler, easy-going nice guy. Why does this matter? Because I’m the one who shows up on your wedding day, charming your family members, stealthily recording the little moments no one else sees. I take this work seriously because I know that memories fade over time. Photographs live on in albums, books, and prints. It’s my job to make sure those heirlooms tell an accurate and authentic story of the day. [Greenville Wedding Photographer]
Starting Price:
2199 (USD)
I have loved photography since I was young. I have always loved the thought of any emotion being captured naturally, in it's purest form of expression. My passion is born from being a romantic at heart and shooting a wedding like I was shooting my own, without missing a moment. I lived half of my life in Honduras and the most recent half in the USA which is where I have mostly grown as a photographer for weddings, engagements, and elopements. [Knoxville Wedding Photographer]
Starting Price:
250/hour (USD)
After studying photography at NESOP in Boston Massachusetts, Neil spent several years in the action sports industry as a photographer working with nationally recognized athletes in the snowboard, ski and motocross industries. In his personal work Neil has traveled to locations in North and South America, Eastern Europe, and North Africa, creating documentary images that tell the story of those he met along the way. Since moving to the Outer Banks of North Carolina in 2000, Neil has established himself as a nationally recognized wedding photojournalist, applying his unique experience to capture the reality, excitement, and emotion of the wedding day. [Outer Banks Wedding Photographer]
Starting Price:
500/hour (USD)
Photographer and diaper changing ninja. I once had a dream that I got rich and famous for being the guy that took all the cat photos on the internet. I am a dad, husband, and photographer in that order. Those three things make me the happiest, and my favorite new hobby is to use my photography skills to document my daughter growing up and all the fun sweet moments she has with my wife. I cherish every minute with those two and although I have huge goals for success as a photographer, every time I make my wife or baby girl laugh I feel successful enough. Sometimes I feel like becoming a successful photographer is a crazy dream, but I remember I want my daughter to chase hers someday and it makes me not want to give up. My wife and I are high school sweethearts who have been in love ever since we saw each other in the gym at Southgate Anderson High School. She followed me to Michigan State and then all the way to Georgia. No matter where I go or whatever crazy journey I’ve been on, I can always count on her being by my side. There’s nothing better than having that loyal sidekick who always believes in you and is just happy to be in your arms. We’ve been best friends since the day we met and luckily we haven't stopped being as silly as when we were kids. (We may or may not have taken our limo to burger king on our wedding day) I think a part of why I love photographing weddings so much is because I feel joy every time I see couples that just seem to love each other as we do. I grew up in Detroit but I moved to the south as soon as I could (I FREAKIN LOVE IT HERE) I have officially adopted the Falcons (I mean seriously I grew up a Lions fan, that was an easy trade) and the braves, but not sweet tea (gross) But I still love my Spartans (Izzo for President) I once thought of trying to be a stand-up comedian, but I couldn’t come up with any jokes so I got back into photography instead. I was a Science Teacher for 12 years and have been known to randomly get excited about explaining things. I may or may not have spent an entire road trip explaining to my wife about Clouds. Gotta love them beautiful Cumulus Nimbus. [Atlanta Wedding Photographer]
Starting Price:
2800 (USD)
With over 15 years of experience as a photojournalist, I specialize in finding those special moments that make your day unique. It’s an extreme honor to be trusted with documenting once in a lifetime moments. A wedding or elopement day is full of the moments you spent the last year planning, which fly by so quickly. I get to shoot for some amazing, fun-loving couples whose joy for life shines through in the photos we make together. My life as a photojournalist has provided countless opportunities to meet new and interesting people and I truly enjoy learning everyone’s story. That’s exactly what a wedding is for me: a chance to get to know incredible people, like yourself, and tell the story of this milestone in your life. Your wedding is a celebration of life and I want you to be filled with that same sense of joy every time you pass your photos hanging on the wall, flip through your wedding album, or see the image that pops up when your spouse calls your phone. Nothing gets me more excited than seeing raw emotion pouring out of the photos I make. My mission is to tell visual stories for my clients with high caliber, documentary-style photography and to create meaningful artwork with professionalism and enthusiasm. Outside of wedding photography, I’ve twice been honored as the Photographer of the Year by The North Carolina Press Association (2010 and 2012) for my work with the Independent Tribune, a Concord, NC-based newspaper. For the past three seasons, I've had the privilege to work with the Carolina Panthers as part of their photo team. [Charlotte Wedding Photographer]
Starting Price:
2500 (USD)
Described as "a workaholic" and "passionately dedicated to photography and art," Alicia Kidd continuously challenges herself to master and hone her photography skills. She is experienced in both people photography as well as animal portraiture. Alicia currently works as a commissioned documentary photographer, creating artistic images for weddings and behind the scenes stills for documentaries and film. She recently accepted the honor of being a curator for a photographic gallery in San Juan, Puerto Rico. [Puerto Rico Wedding Photographer]
Starting Price:
2100 (USD)
Sarah Whitmeyer was raised in Raleigh, North Carolina where she graduated from Broughton High School. She went on to study photojournalism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and received her BA in photojournalism in 2005. She has been shooting weddings in the mountains of North Carolina since 2006. [Asheville Wedding Photographer]
Starting Price:
2000 (USD)
Dan started his photography career at the age of eight, encouraged by his mother's instructions on the workings of the Kodak Brownie II camera. He spent the whole afternoon lying on the grass in the late California summer sun taking pictures of his GI Joe figurines in full battle regalia. Little did he know his love of GI Joe was to be replaced with a love of photography. His formative years are now more affectionately referred to as the Rangefinder, Polaroid and Instamatic years. He majored in journalism in college, beginning his SLR years. He has over 20 years experience in newspapers. He swore he would never shoot weddings but finally caved under the pressure of friends and has now shot more than 730 events in the past 20 years. He has won numerous local, national and international awards. While lying in the grass at a recent wedding capturing the life-changing event before his eyes, he reminisced about an earlier time when he naively discovered his own lifetime passion. [Jacksonville Wedding Photographer]
Starting Price:
300/hour (USD)
I should have been practicing penmanship (it really is the worst) but I could not keep my hands off my step father's photography books. I learned what panning was, what particular filters did- I found it all fascinating. Later on, I had a few friends that dabbled in photography and showed me the darkroom- what magic! Finally, on a whim, I took Photo 101 in college. That was my first love! I've documented over 400 weddings, and am positive that the found moment is more valuable to the heart than any staged. I cannot tell you what fulfillment it brings me, personally, to offer these documents to my clients. When everything works together- the moment, the lighting, the emotion- I keep that in my pocket for a rainy day. Portraits have a lean toward that as well, with a push toward the bonds between people. By working to get clients to interact, the images made reflect the connection between individuals as well as the self. “My goal is for fun moments between the people I am photographing, with little camera awareness apparent. Posed work is great, but finding the real smiles, getting a belly laugh- I want my clients to have images that capture that!” Her background in traditional photography, studio lighting, and English literature blend well to help tell the stories between families and friends and the love of a lifetime. [Raleigh Wedding Photographer]
Starting Price:
2000 (USD)
When I was a young girl growing up in Lithuania, I fell in love with everything about weddings. I got caught up in the joy, beauty, and emotion, and the sweet connections that happened between family and friends always made me smile. I still feel that way today. Now I am living my dream as a wedding photographer in Washington D.C., and traveling for destination weddings nationally and abroad. I am known for my documentary style which keeps me focused on candid moments and true emotions. It’s those kinds of story-telling wedding photos that you will see throughout my portfolio. When you trust me to be your wedding photographer, I want my photos to speak to you about your life, (not just make you look amazing). Of course, I’ll capture gorgeous portraits, group shots, and details to fill in your collection, and I’ll do it all without controlling the flow of your celebration. When you look at your photo years from now I want you to feel the emotions you felt on your wedding day, just like it was yesterday, and remember how comfortable you felt in front of the camera. If you find yourself drawn to my work, please reach out. I would love to know what captures your heart and makes you smile, and if our calendars align I would be thrilled to be your wedding photographer. All the best, Gabriele Stonyte [Arlington Wedding Photographer]
Starting Price:
3000 (USD)
2 more photographers available for your wedding...
6000
US Dollar
Brad Landon Walters Photography: Brad Landon Walters
Greenville in South Carolina, United StatesBrad Walters is an internationally acclaimed wedding photographer and fine art oil painter who fuses his photography with oil painting, creating a truly unique genre in wedding art. Brad's painting style is heavily influenced by Edwardian-...
Wedding Engagement Diamond Awards - South Carolina
Are you ready to find your South Carolina engagement / pre-wedding photographer for a portrait session to complement your story of love? Searching for some ideas and creative inspiration for your own pre-wed shoot? Pro members from the South Carolina Wedding Photojournalist Association would like to help you add some unique and artistic pictures to your engagement photo gallery!
Searches Related to South Carolina Wedding Photography Vendors
WPJA Communiqué: Features
Some couples, as they begin planning for their weddings, might think that they are limited to the classic locations: churches, gardens, beaches, or even Las Vegas. But in doing so they’re missing out on a multitude of unique options that might suit their personalities much better! Why limit yourself to a quiet, quaint ceremony when your adventurous heart may be calling out for something more? An entirely different genre of wedding, so to speak, is the adventure wedding elopement. This concept...Read more
Not everyone has a lagoon or glacier next door, but there's no rule saying you can't have a small wedding in the great outdoors. Take advantage of natural sunshine and that open, airy feeling and give your guests some room to breathe! LESS IS MORE Instead of hemming your guests in on all sides, give them some elbow room, and legroom, too. There's no need to induce claustrophobia when you've got a wide, open space. Let your guests take in the view, especially if you've got a spectacular one. You...Read more
Traditionally speaking, often times it is the couple’s families who help pay for their wedding. However, unfortunately that’s just not possible for everyone, especially these days when the cost of weddings can quickly and easily get out of control. Some couples find themselves in the position of paying for all of their own wedding expenses, which can be quite the financial burden to take on, and about 40% of Millennials end up in this boat. So, how can you stick to your allotted...Read more
We all know that the economy can go through some hard times, and be somewhat reminiscent of past recessions. However, as people cut back on non-essential little luxuries here and there, one constant remains: weddings. People don’t tend to just stop getting married due to a poor economy, nor should they! So, in an industry that keeps on going through thick and thin, what are some things to expect for the future, and what is really necessary to still make that wedding day memorable and...Read more
It’s no secret that these are strange times we’re going through right now, and there are many couples out there with weddings set in the near future who are left feeling uncertain and concerned about their futures. While that’s understandable, it’s also important to remember the reason you’re getting married in the first place; not for the grand celebration, but because you love each other and want to be together. REMEMBER WHAT'S IMPORTANT You’re in this position now, about to get married, for...Read more
RAVES, REVIEWS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Kaleigh & Brent
Photo by James Nix
Brent and I, as well as our entire family and friends, are absolutely in love with all of our pictures... People have told us our pictures look like they are out of a magazine. All of our pictures truly document our wedding day from start to finish even including all of the small details. We couldn't be more pleased... Thank you so much James!
Teri and Michael
Photo by Neil Thurston
Thank you so incredibly much for everything! Everyone that sees our pictures says WOW! and that we just radiate happiness, and that is the perfect compliment because that's exactly how we felt and you captured it perfectly! We will cherish these photos forever. Hopefully our paths cross again one day, perhaps for family photos!
Michelle and Peter
Photo by Neil Thurston
Thank you for the amazing pictures! They are absoloutely breathtaking! You both captured every single detail of the day and every picture tells a story. You both did a phenomenal job and were such a pleasure to work with. We can't thank you enough for these amazing memories!
Heather and Andrew
Photo by Neil Thurston
Wow! I am speechless, these photos are absoloutely amazing! Thank you so much for capturing these precious moments on our wedding day!
Corley & Don
Photo by Neil Thurston
Hi Neil and Lisa, Don and I are beyond thrilled with our pictures! The quality, detail, and beauty of the pictures is just so obvious. Aside from all those things, we love that you captured the sequence of events in a photojournalistic fashion. I've gotten comments from many of my friends/family that these are the best pictures they have ever seen, and of course we are just so proud that they are our pictures. I also have to chuckle a little because you guys were such an organized but chill vendor and as a project manager myself, I know how much preparation you both did behind the scenes to make that work. We couldn't be any happier and if you ever need a reference - email, phone, whatever - please do not hesitate to call.
WPJA contest judges have been recognized by their industry peers, winning top awards as staff picture editors, staff photojournalists, and newsroom mentors while working for these and other leading publications and journalism organizations.
