Between the cobblestone streets, horse-drawn carriages and pastel antebellum houses, Charleston is a real charmer. Founded in 1670, it’s no wonder this historic South Carolina port city beckons for Charleston engagement photography. If you’re looking for that classic Charleston feel, visit Boone Hall Plantation. With its towering oak trees covered in Spanish moss, your photos will boast iconic Charleston charm. Or, visit the Battery promenade and Waterfront Park where you’re surrounded by the Charleston Harbour, White Point Gardens, the technicolor Georgian rowhouses of Rainbow Row, and grand estates on all sides. From Azalea Park to Magnolia Plantation, our list of best Charleston engagement locations is practically endless. Flirt with America’s number one small city for your engagement photos. You’ll be smitten.
04. AZALEA PARK IN SUMMERVILLE
If you’re looking for a location brimming with secret pathways and gorgeous flowers, the romantic Azalea Park in Summerville is the perfect spot for your Charleston engagement photography. This 12-acre garden located just blocks from historic downtown Summerville blooms with a burst of seasonal colors, a picturesque gazebo, winding paths, artful sculpture and glimmering reflection ponds. No wonder it’s one of our best Charleston engagement locations. If you time your shoot just right—you’ll be met with a spectacular show of azaleas and camellias that bring your photos to life. Be sure to pause at the ornate white iron Victorian bench and take in the surrounding view of stunning southern homes.
03. CHARLESTON HISTORIC DISTRICT
Affectionately nicknamed “Charleston Old,” this location is designated as a Historic Landmark District—a timeless spot for your Charleston engagement photography session. In this living museum of preserved history, your shots will be graced by 18th-century homes and plantations, ornate churches, the Battery and the charming city market. Venture down cozy alleys that lead to charming white houses, brick-paved roads and ivy-climbing walls. Something intriguing is around every turn, which is why the historic district is one of our best Charleston engagement locations. Each street has its own lovely and distinct atmosphere. To broaden your horizons, shoot along the water's edge at the battery to incorporate industrial elements, and look out over the Atlantic for a spectacular vista.
Just a short drive from Charleston on Folly Island is Tides Folly Beach, a gorgeous retreat of sandy shores right on the Atlantic coast. If you’re going for a beachy feel, explore this classic location for Charleston engagement photography. You’ll discover coastal elements, like seashells, driftwood and white adirondacks that are synonymous with southern shores, adding textural interest to your every shot. It’s easily one of the best Charleston engagement locations, anchored by an impressive wooden dock. With their precise symmetry, the dock’s sturdy beams assert strong a visual contrast against the natural shapes of the sea. The golden and green grasses on the sand dunes radiate layers of color that pop against the white sand. Tides Folly Beach is wide with plenty of room to explore, though it still manages to give an intimate, secluded feeling.
Romance is in full bloom at the Magnolia Plantation, one of our picks for best Charleston engagement photography. Planted on a bend of the Ashley River on the western side of Charleston, this painterly locale lays claim to a historic house and grounds that have attracted visitors since the late 19th century. In fact, this plantation is the oldest public garden in the United States and has been selected as one of the most beautiful gardens in America—we’ve also chosen it as one of the best Charleston engagement locations. You’ll find yourself transported amongst ancient trees and flowers that bloom year-round, like camellias, daffodils and azaleas in abundance. The gardens flourish with the feeling of a lush, natural retreat underscored by creeping vines, wandering branches of live oak trees, gorgeous white bridges and Spanish moss. Stone-lined limestone walkways lead to classic plantation architecture with its white pillars, brick walls, covered gables, and porches—a magical backdrop photos.
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