FOR THE COLOR LOVERS
The William Aiken House was built in 1810 and sold to railway entrepreneur William Aiken.
The house became the headquarters for the Southern Railway roughly 50 years after it was built, and stayed that way for more than century!
FAQ
Some things to consider for your wedding at the william aiken house!
I.
Where should we get ready for our wedding at the William Aiken House?
We definitely recommend you all get ready at the William Aiken House!
Everyone can get ready in the main house but there is also a carriage house on site that can be rented and used too.
II.
Where should we have the ceremony & what time do you recommend?
You have a few options for your ceremony here but the most popular 2 choices are the oyster tabby patio in front of the carriage house or the white pergola with the fountain (you can even walk over the water!).
Our recommendation for your ceremony time depends on if you're doing a First Look or not:
You're doing a First Look - start at least 2 hours before Sunset
You're NOT doing a First Look - start at least 3 hours before sunset
III.
What are the Reception options?
Host your entire reception on the oyster tabby areas, or have your guests dine upstairs in the house and dance the shrimp & grits off outdoors later!
You'll definitely want to consider adding some additional lighting options like candles & colored uplighting - it really adds depth to the reception space.
IV.
For how long & where should we plan to take the first look, couples portraits, wedding party & family photos?
We recommend doing 100% of your photos at the William Aiken House.
Plan to take photos for 2 hours before the ceremony regardless of if you're doing a First Look or not.
If you're doing a First Look, we'll take 5 minutes for Just Married portraits after the ceremony before you walk hand in hand into cocktail hour and enjoy the party.
If you don't do a First Look, we'll be taking photos for another hour after the ceremony and you'll miss mingling with guests at cocktail hour and due to its small size, your guests will be in the background of all of your photos and will probably try to come chat with you while you're take them. Please keep that in mind.
Hourly Coverage Recommendation for Your Wedding at WILLIAM AIKEN HOUSE
Every wedding is different and so are the hourly coverage needs! If you're unsure how many hours will be the best fit for you, take a peek below at our recommendations
9 Hours
Typically covers getting ready photos to the important reception formalities (toasts, cake cutting) & 30-60 minutes of dance floor action.
If you think your crowd isn’t really going to be the dancing type, or you just don’t really care too much about dance photos, 9 hours will work the best for you!
This is the best starting coverage option if your entire wedding is taking place at WAH
10 Hours
Typically covers getting ready photos to the important reception formalities (toasts, cake cutting) & 1-1.5 hours of dance floor action.
If you’re not planning an exit at the end of the night (or you are but you dont care if its photographed) & you love dancing photos, you’ll definitely want your photographer for 10 hours to make sure there’s lots of fun dancing pics before everyone starts getting too drunk.
This is the best starting coverage if your wedding ceremony is at a different location this isn't WAH
11+ Hours
Typically covers getting ready photos to the important reception formalities (toasts, cake cutting) & all of the dancing + your exit at the end of the night.
This is the best option if you want your photos to tell your wedding day story from start to finish, especially if you’re planning a fun exit at the end of the night like sparklers or confetti!
This is also perfect for those of you looking for blackmail photos of your friends doing crazy shit on the dance floor!
Catherine Ann Photography is an inclusive wedding photographer based in Charleston SC, serving couples of all races, sexualities, genders, and physical/mental abilities.
Wedding photography for fun, fashionable,
party people hosting a wedding
that speaks to their soul
Charleston | New York | Europe