We are Charleston-based photographers who love making the two-hour drive south to be Hilton Head Island wedding photographers for the day. In this case, it was for a very sweet couple who chose Hilton Head blindly for their wedding, never having been there before but drawn to its serene, natural beach environment. They rented a vacation home at Sea Pines Resort for their small, intimate wedding of family and a few very close friends.
Even for the kindest, coolest people in the world who set out to have simple weddings with no stress, it’s hard to have a wedding without logistical issues popping up and stressing everyone out anyway. However, somehow, Eleana and Jeremy pulled it off. Their Hilton Head Island wedding at a vacation rental home in the Sea Pines Resort was a low-key, easy day, bursting at the seams with emotion and joy.
They had no coordinator. No ceremony chairs. No wedding cake. No first dance, parent dances or anything ceremonial. They didn’t even really have a specific ceremony location until minutes before, when we ran out to the beach with a couple of family members to figure it out. They rented a beachfront home, filled it with their immediate family, invited a few very close friends, and decided they’d simply walk out to the beach when it felt right and say their vows. Eleana did however have a world-class hair and makeup artist – True Beauty by Joanna Marie – whose artistry perfectly matched the vibe Eleana was going for.
This Hilton Head Island wedding was all heart and happiness – pure, joyful, sunshiny happiness. It reflected Eleana and Jeremy perfectly. They are two of the nicest, warmest people we’ve ever met who love their people with everything they have. They embraced us with huge, all-consuming smiles and hugs the moment we walked in. While Erin got started on photos of Eleana getting ready, Jeremy invited Ben to go looking for snakes and alligators with him (and now it’s become a thing… they still send each other photos of snakes and alligators).
After their very organic ceremony on the beach officiated by Jeremy’s dad, they simply walked back to the beach house and had champagne and charcuterie (prepared by their family). Everyone hung out and talked, without a care in the world or any kind of timeline to follow. A little later, Eleana’s dad and brother left to pick up the takeout Italian food they’d ordered for the group. Ben and I ate dinner at the kitchen bar with the bride and groom, laughing and talking about life.
We love weddings of all shapes and sizes, but Eleana and Jeremy’s wedding was a great reminder that you don’t always need all the extra stuff and formalities, especially if those things don’t feel true to who you are and what you like. We’ve said this so many times in our wedding stories – we just love when couples do things their way, no matter what that looks like. For us, it’s always a breath of fresh air. For them, it’s a day they would play on repeat if they could, exactly as it was.
Looking for ideas and inspiration for your own wedding?
Check out more of our Beach Weddings
See the Elopements we’ve photographed.
