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Charleston Wedding Photographers

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Charleston Wedding Photographers

Our Charleston photographers also provide documentary-style coverage in: Ansonborough, Charleston Historic District, Daniel Island, Dewees Island, French Quarter, Hampton Park Terrace, Riverland Terrace, Wagener Terrace, West Ashley, Wilson's Farm, Wraggborough

Charleston Wedding Photography, Engagement Photo Sessions + Elopements

Intimate Wedding Photography in Charleston - Capturing the Joy of Small Celebrations - Discover the best Charleston photographers specializing in intimate marriages. Couples are embracing the trend of smaller, more meaningful celebrations. Let our talented photographers capture the joy and intimacy of your wedding day.

By planning a simple Charleston elopement, couples are able to stay present in the moment and fully absorb the impact of their wedding day. Given the fact that many couples feel more natural and at ease in intimate settings, it's no surprise that some of the most breathtaking wedding images come from elopements.

The WPJA has an abundance of top-ranked, Charleston documentary wedding photographers available right now who understand that some weddings and elopements can’t wait. Find yours today!
Recent WPJA WedElope Story Awards
The bride and groom posed boldly in front of City Hall's stunning graphic architecture, against the backdrop of the clear blue sky, creating the perfect backdrop for their wedding portraits
Tyler Vu
The bride and groom shared a tender hug as they exchanged their vows in an intimate ceremony at the Town Hall, while the caring guests watched, seated in chairs
Alessandro Di Noia
On a sunny day, surrounded by a few close family and friends, a small wedding ceremony was held in a beautiful wilderness place overlooking the vast openness of the desert, under a stunning blue sky
Christelle Rall

Charleston Photographers for Large or Small Weddings

Shooting an elopement or small Charleston 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.

South Carolina WPJA members are ready to document any secret, pop-up, 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.

View Award-Winning Pictures from Charleston Wedding Venues

Charleston Wedding Photographers...

Charleston Wedding, Elopement and Engagement Images by WPJA Photographers

Below are some Charleston wedding photography samples from the world’s best wedding photographers of the WPJA. Some of these Charleston marriage pictures might be artistic portraits, details, or documentary-style images that have come from getting ready sessions, wedding ceremonies, reception venues, or Charleston engagement portrait sessions with couples.

Wedding photo capturing the couple at Charleston Harbor Beach, joyfully high-fiving guests during their recessional after the ceremony.
Charleston, SC wedding ceremony images | The organist's point of view of the ceremony with the bride and groom
Charleston wedding photographer uses mirrors creatively as we see the groom in the rear view mirror of the car focusing on the dirt road ahead while the bride applies lipstick in the sun visor mirror
Charleston wedding photographer captures from a distance the best man giving his speech under a curtain of twinkle lights
The bride and groom jump off a cliff into a lake as people watch in boats below in this photo by a Charleston, SC wedding photographer.
The bride begins to walk downstairs as her father waits for her below in this photo by a Charleston, SC wedding photographer.
Groomsmen watch the groom as he gets emotional reading a card in this photo by a Charleston, SC wedding photographer.
A woman hugs a man from behind in this photo by a Charleston, SC wedding photographer.
The bride stands next to a man playing the saxophone during the reception in this photo by a Charleston, SC wedding photographer.
The bride and groom can be seen sitting in their car at night in this photo by a Charleston, SC wedding photographer.
The bride sits with guests as one of them massages her foot in the reception hall, surrounded by candles in this photo by a Charleston, SC wedding photographer.
The groom and groomsmen are dressed and wait for the ceremony to begin in this black and white photo by a Charleston, SC wedding photographer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Who are the best Charleston wedding photographers for small elopements?
A: The WPJA is proud to have some of the top Charleston documentary wedding photographers for elopements. Our members are able to submit WedElope Stories that take you step-by-step, via a 9 image picture story, through the unique and moving elopements that take place around the world.
Q: Can a wedding photojournalist create artistic portraits on my Charleston wedding day?
A: While wedding photojournalists strive to capture candid moments on the wedding day, our photographers also are skilled artists who can compose powerful portraits. If you have a specific vision of what types of images you want from your wedding day, look at the top-ranked Charleston wedding photographers who have earned Artistic Guild awards for portrait and detail images.
Q: How can couples find top-ranked Charleston wedding photographers?
A: The WPJA created the original wedding photographer ranking systems. Our innovative system is based on contest winning points, meaning that the Charleston photographers you see at the top of your search results page have recently won the most — and the most recent — contest awards. Our contests judge photographers based on their creativity, style, composure, and ability to capture the heart of any couple's story on their wedding day.
WPJA Communiqué: Featured Wedding Photography Articles
What is a Modern Elopement?
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...Read more
Small Weddings - How to Budget and Save
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...Read more
Vows, Crowds, and Nerves: Avoid Stress with a Small Wedding
While some of us were fortunate enough to be born as extroverts, not everyone feels the same way. For a good chunk of the population, any number of the typical wedding day traditions can inspire anxiety and existential dread. This day is all about you, yes, but does that...Read more

WPJA Communiqué: Viewpoints
Elopements: Traditional and Modern
The oldsters among the WPJA ranks no doubt remember when 'to elope' meant, in Merriam-Webster’s definition, “to run away secretly with the intention of getting married, usually without parental consent.” Many wedding photographers have gone on the lam with couples who did just that. However, even Merriam-Webster now acknowledges that “elope appears to have become shorthand for ‘ small destination weddings ,’ a ‘ wedding that is not financially insane ,’ or a ‘ wedding that allows us to not invite all the people we would rather not invite .’” Smaller Weddings are... Read more
What is Reportage?
On Instagram and elsewhere, one can see images labeled as #photojournalism or #reportage when they are, in fact, merely photos. I say "merely," even though photography has been my career's great passion. But it's because of that passion and my respect for the work of actual photojournalists that I am particularly bothered to see wedding photographers call their work "reportage." That word properly used actually means something important beyond just a stylistic conceit. By contrast, however, I'm the lead cheerleader for those practitioners of #weddingphotojournalism ... Read more

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.