Southerners are known to have a more carefree, uninhibited and unapologetic approach to life. We love fun & know how to have some! From holidays to meals to family gatherings, there are certain traditions celebrated down here that northerners may not even know about! As a wedding photographer, I’ve seen a lot of great southern wedding traditions in Lowcountry, SC that I’d love to share. This could give you ideas for your big day as a southern belle bride!

Bury the Bourbon

If you haven’t heard of this one, you’re not alone. It’s a special gem of a tradition but it is one of my favorites. (I’ve even written a post for an engagement shoot about it here.) So what’s the idea? If you’re supposed to have an outdoor wedding ceremony in the South, you bury a bottle of bourbon upside-down in the ground. On your wedding day, you dig it up and it’s said to ward off rain. Personally I have seen this method work, seriously! Now, you can’t hold it against me if it doesn’t
This is a fun tradition and certainly all of your Lowcountry, SC wedding guests will appreciate a nice glass of bourbon and the mythos behind it all!

Groom’s Cake

Of course one of the biggest traditions for a wedding nationally is the wedding cake. There isn’t too much room for something special or creative for something that’s normally a white, tall, tiered fancy display. Since the wedding is often considered to be mostly “about” the bride, it’s understandable the cake is usually what she wants. In the South, we “allow” the groom his own cake! With this tradition, the groom gets a different cake either at the rehearsal dinner or at the reception on the wedding day. Usually these cakes are more unique: they can be crazy designs (I’ve seen a four-wheeler “mudding” cake, an R2D2 cake and many more) with any kind of flavor (because Funfetti is not the most traditional flavor!)
This tradition gives a nod to the man who loves his bride so very much.

Bridal Portrait

This tradition is great for several reasons. Getting a bridal portrait done is a great way for the bride to get all dressed and done up to get in front of the camera. A bride-to-be does this about a month or two before the wedding, but when you take those photos it will all start to sink in (“I’m getting married… oh my gosh!”) While that’s always a blast, it also makes it so you have a great and creative present for parents and in-laws.
Often times, people will blow up a very large bridal portrait and display it at the wedding for everyone to see. After all: down here in the South, we like everything bigger!

Bridesmaids’ Luncheon

A couple of days before the wedding, you and all your girls may be running around like chickens with your heads cut off. This is the perfect time to pause, take a deep breath and have a glass of champagne over a sunny brunch on the patio of your favorite restaurant. Traditionally, the bride will treat her girls to this lunch as a “thank you” and a way to slow down and really enjoy the women that have helped out so much through the whole process. I mean, they were chosen as your bridesmaids for a reason, right? Remember that in all the hectic business the girlfriends who were there for you since before the wedding was being planned. This is also a great time to distribute your bridesmaids’ gifts. So put on your big, southern cowgirl hats and meet your girls for a rustic-themed lunch with sweet tea! Be sure to tell them you love ‘em.

 Cake Ribbon Pull

In addition to the bridesmaids’ luncheon, this is a special southern tradition aimed at your bridal party. Very popular in New Orleans, it originated with an old Victorian tradition called “ribbon pulling”. Basically, cake ribbon pulling tradition entails placing specialized sterling silver charms inside the bottom layer of the wedding cake. Each charm is different and unique to each bridesmaid and is a sign of good luck and good fortune. Before the cake is cut, the girls literally pull the ribboned charms out of the bottom of the cake. It is just one more way to thank those wonderful ladies for all the hard work they put into your special day.

While many of you might have been expecting something crazy on this list (no, whiskey-drinking contests or horseback riding aren’t typical southern wedding traditions,) I hope you read this and it sparked some ideas for your own Lowcountry, SC wedding day!
If you’re still in need of a photographer for the big day, for a bridal portrait or your engagement photos, I would love it if you gave me a call:   contact me here!

The post 5 Truly Southern Wedding Traditions | Lowcountry, SC Weddings appeared first on Gillian Claire Photography: Myrtle Beach Wedding Photographer and Charleston Wedding Photographer.

Engagement sessions have always been my favorite type of wedding related shoot.  It’s such a great way for me to get to know how my clients are in front of the camera before the wedding day (which is always pressed for time and chaotic) and a fabulous way to get to create some fun and relaxed images of my couples with no time constraints or tight schedules.  Each Engagement session is as unique as each client.  From where and why they chose the venue, to the mood of the shoot, to the choice of fashion for the future Mr. & Mrs.  Each part requires some planning so I have created for you today some style boards and pairing ideas to help make at least one of these big decisions a little less stressful.  (All of the style guides below are very easily pinned to your Pinterest boards by clicking on the image to enlarge it and the pin-it button is on the bottom or right click them and save them to your computer for access later

One major tip for Engagement session fashion that I ALWAYS tell my clients:  BE COMFORTABLE!  I can not stress this enough.  Comfort always comes across on film and if your uncomfortable we’re going to see it later with the finished images from the session.  So if you are not used to wearing a dress then don’t wear a dress, simple as that.  I’m a jeans and t-shirt girl myself so I would be much more comfortable dressing up a pair of jeans instead of trying to walk around and be all cool in a dress that I am desperately trying to make sure I’m being lady-like in.  Just a tip – now onto the fun stuff!

When I think of Spring and Summer fashion, I think of flowy tops and dresses, sweet spring colors such as petal pinks and baby blues and for the gentlemen, classic polo’s and blue jeans or khaki’s are always classic.  I never recommend trying to match each other exactly, you should each have your own distinct look but be coordinated with each other.

Inevitably the other half of the “What do I wear” question is always “How many outfits should I bring?”  That usually depends on how long your session is.  If you’re doing a full session and not a mini session, then I would say 2 outfits (1 change) is plenty.  This way you can have one dressier outfit and one more casual.

One of my favorite spots for a romantic and fun engagement session is Charleston, SC.  This is truly one of the most romantic places on earth and it’s a great place to do an outfit change.  The city section with all the great architecture and city streets pairs very well with “city” clothes.  Maybe a cute dress and a pair of fabulous heals and he could wear a blazer or button down.  Then there is all the waterfront parks downtown Charleston and those are much more casual.  Kari & Alec are a great example of how to make the perfect outfit change.  Check out their session HERE.

One more tip on looking your best:  Go pamper yourself the day of your session and get your hair and makeup done. Wedding photography is an investment so why not get your money’s worth and look AMAZING for your photo’s!  This will make you feel great on the outside which, in turn, will make you feel great on the inside and confidence is always a great quality to photograph!  I have had the wonderful pleasure of working with some of the best hair and makeup artists in the industry over the years so there is not one person on this list that I wouldn’t trust implicitly:

Charleston Vendors:

Lashes & Lace:  843-568-3625

Paper Dolls:  843-602-6486

Myrtle Beach Vendors:

Maggie Williamson:  843-946-9344

Peggy Boodro:  843-997-2663, pboodro@sc.rr.com

Stox & Co.:  843-979-4233

Salon & Spa 18:  843-318-0638, hotwing@sc.rr.com

Bobby Pins & Blushing Brides:  843-421-9008, BobbyPinsBlushingBrides@gmail.com

Rock Paper Scissors Salon:  540-420-4535

Anna-Marie Swad:  843-742-2538, createforlife@hotmail.com

There are always specific questions that come up when it comes to planning out your session so I always recommend chatting with your photographer and getting their advice on how they do things.  I’ve put together some more examples for you to help with color coordinating.  Happy Pinning

The post What to wear? The most asked question for Engagement Sessions appeared first on Gillian Claire Photography: Myrtle Beach Wedding Photographer and Charleston Wedding Photographer.