Jennifer and Matt were planning on having over 100 guests and a large wedding party for thier spring wedding at the Wildhorse at Parker Farms wedding venue. We were all told at first that the COVID-19 coronavirus wasn’t going to be a big deal in the US, but as the March 21st wedding date approached, things kept looking worse. A few weeks before, they told me the wedding was still on, but the guest list was going to be much smaller.
Soon after that, all the groomsmen except for the best man, had to drop out because of flight and social distancing restrictions. By the time the wedding actually happened, it was just very close family and a few friends that could make it. However, Jennifer and Matt didn’t let this get them down and they still had a beautiful wedding.

Jennifer had made little skateboards as wedding favors for each table. With so many guests not able to come, they laid all the favors out on the fireplace so everyone’s could still be at the wedding in spirit. You might also notice, in the detail pictures below, the AOL messenger logo pin on the groom’s jacket and the blue mailbox on the table. Matt said that he and Jennifer had met 20 years ago on AOL. Many years later than rekindled their relationship and now were getting married!
My thoughts on the Wildhorse at Parker Farms wedding venue
This was my first time shooting a wedding at Wildhorse at Parker Farms. It’s about a 30 min trip from Myrtle Beach to Longs, SC. This is really not a bad distance at all and it’s an easy drive. If you look on Google Maps at the pin location for their address, it looks like nothing is there. You have to drive about 1/4 of a mile past where the pin is located and you will come across the wedding venue and farm. When I first pulled into the location, I was thinking it would be a difficult place to shoot pictures of the bride and groom. All I saw at first is the barn and an open field.
As you will see in the pictures below, once I started exploring around the property a bit, I found some great spots for pictures. The reception area is very elegant with a large dance floor and stone fireplace in the background. There are also hanging lights over the dance floor and a beautiful stained-glass window above. At the Wildhorse at Parker Farms, they recently built new bathrooms and a getting ready room for the bride. Many venues have a really small and unattractive area for the bride and groom to get ready. But the bride’s room and even the bathroom/locker room area is very beautifully decorated with wood plank walls and lots of mirrors. You can check them out in the pictures below.
The farm owner will call over the horses which all come running and are very friendly. I even got a cute picture of one of the horses trying to eat the bride’s bouquet. There is also a beautiful marshy area with lots of trees growing from it. I got some fantastic pictures of the bride and groom with the sunset filtering through the trees and light reflecting off the marsh. Because the wedding ended up being so small, I had some extra time for flying around my drone as well.
I hope you enjoy the pictures below. If you are planning a wedding at the Wildhorse at Parker Farms venue please let me know. Hopefully the coronavirus will be over soon and weddings can get back to normal. If your wedding this year ends up being smaller than you planned, try to stay positive and you can end up having a great time and getting fantastic pictures as well.
Featured Wedding Vendors
Dress hanging in the barn doorway - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Flowergirls looking at bride's dress - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Let's Dance - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Table decorations with mini skateboards - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Best man helping groom with his boutonniere - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Aol messenger pin on groom's jacket - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Grooms and his best man, all the other groomsmen dropped out because of social distancing - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
AOL mailbox - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Flower bed monograms of bride and groom - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Buttoning up the dress - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Bridesmaids helping with the brides dress - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Mom checking out the bride - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Detail picture of the flower bouquets - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Toasts with the girls - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Stained glass window inside reception area - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Table details - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Love is sweet cake details - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Welcome to our wedding sign - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Putting on the bug spray, the gnats were a nightmare - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Drone pictures of the reception area - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Drone pictures of the reception area - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Drone pictures of the reception area - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Best man helping with the tie - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Memorial to everyone that didn't make it to the wedding because of the coronavirus. - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Detail picture of the cake table with stained glass window in the background - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
La Grande Dame champagne - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Flower girls throwing the flowers - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Flower girls throwing the flowers - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
First look at the bride - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Happy bride and father walking to the ceremony - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Bride and groom listening to the ceremony - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Wide angle picture of the ceremony and reception area - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Bride giving vows to the groom - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Groom and best man giving vows tot he bride - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Putting on the rings - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Bride putting ring on the groom - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
First kiss - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Big hug after ceremony - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Happy bride and groom after the ceremony - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Father walking with granddaughter after ceremony - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Bridesmaids with just one groomsman - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Horses running to meet us - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Everyone loved the horses, the gnats were just eating us - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Everyone loved the horses, the gnats were just eating us - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Everyone loved the horses, the gnats were just eating us - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Ring-bearer tried to walk through the mud - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Wedding party in front of the horses - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Bride and groom kissing with horses in the background - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Bride and groom kissing with horses in the background - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Horse trying to eat the bride's bouquet - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Sweetheart table - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Flower details on the sweetheart table - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Horse pillow on the bench - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Bride and groom introductions - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
First dance - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
First dance - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
First dance - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Portrait of bride in front of the marsh - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Big smiles with the bride and groom - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Kiss in front of the marsh - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Sunset filtering through the trees on the marsh - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Casual portrait of the bride and groom leaning against the fence - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Kiss leaning against the fence - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Bride laying her head on the groom's shoulder - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Kiss in front of the sun - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Cute pose with the bride and groom - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Groom pulling bride in for a kiss at sunset - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Groom pulling bride in for a kiss at sunset - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Couple smiling in from of the sunlight filtering through the trees - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Bride and groom looking into each other eyes in front of the marsh - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Kiss in the sunset - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Kiss in front of the marsh with sun reflecting on the water - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Bride's arms around the groom in front of the marsh - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Kiss in front of the marsh with sun reflecting on the water - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Groom lifting the bride into the air - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Dip back in front of the marsh with 35mm lens - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
I got my own little skateboard! - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Toasts with bride and groom at sweetheart table - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Nighttime pictures of the reception barn - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Nighttime pictures of the reception barn - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Bride and groom having fun with the cake cutting - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Bride and groom having fun with the cake cutting - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Bride and groom having fun with the cake cutting - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Bride and groom having fun with the cake cutting - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Baby pig on the farm - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Sparkler exit - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Just a little bit of dancing under the circumstances - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Just a little bit of dancing under the circumstances - Wildhorse at Parker Farms
Closeup ring picture - Wildhorse at Parker Farms