Caroline & Hunter | A Southern Wedding at Wachesaw Plantation

Okay, y’all!! This wedding. This one is a good one!!

There are weddings you photograph, and then there are weddings you fall completely in love with before you ever pick up your camera. Caroline and Hunter’s day at Wachesaw Plantation in Pawleys Island was 100% the second kind. I photographed their engagement session months before the wedding, and I knew right then I loved these two. Caroline might genuinely be one of the sweetest, easiest brides I’ve ever worked with, and by the time their wedding day rolled around, it felt less like “working a wedding” and more like showing up to celebrate with old friends… Seriously! HAHA!

How Caroline & Hunter Met

Like so many great southern love stories, this one started with mutual friends. Caroline and Hunter were set up by people who knew them both, and from that first meeting, they were pretty much inseparable. Fourteen months later, Hunter proposed on the pier beside Wicked Tuna in Murrells Inlet — the very same spot where they had their first date. There’s something so special about a couple choosing to come full circle like that, and you could feel it in every part of their wedding day!!!

Why I Love Wachesaw Plantation for Weddings

If you’re looking for a Pawleys Island wedding venue that feels timeless, elegant, and unmistakably southern, Wachesaw Plantation is SO hard to beat. The property is lined with sprawling live oak trees dripping in Spanish moss, with waterfront views that make for the dreamiest backdrop in golden hour light. Caroline and Hunter’s 6 p.m. ceremony took full advantage of that soft evening light, and the grounds gave us so many gorgeous spots for portraits before the sun went down. Honestly, this venue does a lot of the work for you — romantic, a little moody, and full of that low-country charm that southern weddings are famous for.

The Storm That Almost Stole the Show

Here’s the part of the story that had all of us sweating (literally and emotionally): the weather was absolutely perfect all day… until about two hours before the ceremony, when a huge storm rolled in out of nowhere. I mean dark skies, wind, the whole dramatic movie-scene effect. For a minute there, we were all just staring at the sky like, “please, no.”

But the Wachesaw staff did not even flinch. They jumped into action, kept everyone calm, and had a game plan ready to go. And then — I still can’t quite explain it — just minutes before the ceremony was set to start, the storm cleared out completely. Not only did it clear up, it actually cooled the air down a few perfect degrees, and the evening turned into pure golden-hour magic. Boom. Perfect weather, perfect light, perfect timing. If that’s not a sign this couple was meant to be, I don’t know what is.

A Traditional Southern Wedding, Their Way

Caroline and Hunter both grew up in small towns in South Carolina, and they wanted their wedding to feel like them — simple, traditional, and rooted in family. They were clear from the start: a formal setting with a laid-back feel, surrounded by the people they love most. And that’s exactly what their day was. Every detail felt intentional without feeling stiff, and every laugh and happy tear from their families made it obvious how close-knit this crew really is.

The Sweetest Surprise of the Day

Every wedding has that one moment guests are still talking about months later, and for this one, it was Cocky. Yes — THE Cocky, the University of South Carolina’s own mascot, showed up at the reception, and it was an absolute blast. I’ve photographed a lot of weddings, and I can say with confidence that “dance with the mascot” is not usually on the reception timeline. It added the funnest, most unexpected dose of school pride to an otherwise elegant evening, and everyone was here for it.

Awesome car provided by Miles Transportation!!

The Music, The Emotion, The Whole Night

Tru Sol Band kept that dance floor PACKED all night long. This Myrtle Beach-based R&B and soul band brought so much energy to the reception, and honestly, it’s clear why they’re a favorite for weddings up and down the Grand Strand. Between the band, the toasts, and Caroline and Hunter barely able to stop smiling at each other, the whole night had that rare kind of emotion you just can’t fake. You could feel how deeply in love these two are, in every single frame.

Advice for Couples Planning a Wedding at Wachesaw

If Caroline and Hunter’s day has you dreaming about your own wedding at Wachesaw Plantation, here’s what I’d tell you: lean into the golden hour. A ceremony timed around sunset gives you the most beautiful, soft light for photos, and the live oaks practically glow. Also — don’t be afraid to add a fun, unexpected moment into your day, whether that’s a surprise guest, a special song, or a family tradition. It’s often those little unplanned moments that end up being everyone’s favorite part!!!!

Check out more weddings HERE!!

Vendor Love: Venue: Wachesaw Plantation Band: Tru Sol Band Photography: Hannah Ruth Photography | Second Photographer: Sloan Kelly Photos | Magnolia Row | Jill McClellan | Katie Hicks – Palmetto Shores Photography