Spring wedding at Wachesaw Plantation with a large bridal party

Annika and Ronnie were one of the many couples in Myrtle Beach that had to move their wedding from its original date because of Covid-19. They even had to change from their original venue to Wachesaw Plantation. Wachesaw Plantation is located a little south of Myrtle Beach in the Murrells Inlet area. This venue change ended up being for the best. The Kimbels in Wachesaw Plantation is one of the best venues in Myrtle Beach for photography. Sunlight filtering through the moss on the bank of the Waccamaw River is one of my favorite backgrounds for pictures.

I started out by meeting the bride at her nearby cottage on the golf course. My wife was assisting me that day and waited at the Kimbels for the groomsmen to arrive. I started with some pictures of the bride’s details. Not only did the bride have a large diamond ring, but the groom also had his own special ring. I loved the macro shots I got of the rings. I’ve learned to be very creative with what I have available. These amazing looking pictures are just the rings reflecting on the glossy surface of the dresser in the bride’s room. I put the flowers in the background to give some bokeh and reflection. I also photoshopped out some of the worse scratches on the surface to make it a bit cleaner.

Importance of off-camera lighting ( not natural light only ) for pictures

While the bride was getting dressed, the videographers and I were standing outside the apartment. The bride’s son was so cute looking out the door and checking out what we were doing. It’s always great if a bride can leave some extra time after getting in her dress for pictures. My wife was keeping Ronnie and the groomsmen hidden away on the golf course side of the Kimbels. I had time to get some amazing portraits of the bride by herself and then some with the bridesmaids.

We had a lot of fun at the Wedding Showcase at the Myrtle Beach convention center this past weekend. It was a little slow because they had to move the date due to Covid, but we still had a nice turnout. Even at this recent show, I keep hearing from potential clients that my pictures are clear, not overexposed, and washed out.

Ryan and Lizeth at the Wedding Showcase in Myrtle Beach

I was explaining to them that some photographers say they are “natural light only” or “light and airy.” This usually means they don’t incorporate off-camera lighting into their work. Using off-camera flash doesn’t mean the picture has to look like it’s using flash. I use my off-camera light to fill in the subject, brighten the eyes and face, and balance the lighting. In my pictures below, check out how well-lit and clear the bride looks against the bright background. Also, how well as how you can see the details of her dress.

Ceremony on the Waccamaw River and pictures on the Oak Allee

The ceremony itself turned out great. I had enough time to walk around and get some pictures of the couple’s expressions as they did their vows. I was limited in getting a full wide angle of the entire ceremony because of people standing in the back. After the ceremony, we took all the family pictures by the oak trees near the river. Next, the pictures with the bridesmaids and groomsmen all together. There isn’t a better background than that beautiful sunlight hitting all the moss in the trees near the river. It was also great working with Cayce at Steele Magnolia Events. She organized all the families into groups and told them where to stand. I basically got to stand back and take the pictures. That made things go a lot faster for me.

We had some extra time thanks to the quick family pictures, so I took the bride and groom to the Oak Allee. Sadly, the beautiful ivy-covered house that is the backdrop for these pictures had a truck parked in front. So we started on the far end of the Oak Allee and kept the house a bit more out of focus in the background. After the Oak Allee, we returned to the Kimbels for more sunset pictures by the mossy oaks. You can especially see the use of my off-camera flash lighting in these pictures. Balancing the subjects with the sunset in the background.

Nighttime long exposure pictures under the lights

The reception was a lot of fun. Everyone had a lot to drink that evening, so the dancing got pretty wild. Even the kids were on the dance floor showing off their moves. One little guy showed everyone how to floss properly.

I took the bride and groom out for some after-dark pictures under the lights hanging from the trees in front of the Kimbels restaurant in Wachesaw Plantation. I put a single flash behind the couple to separate them from the background, I think this turned out really nice. I also took out my tripod and did a few long exposure shots of the restaurant. I really love the way it makes the lights look by using a small aperture and long exposure. Also, the clean, low noise look from shooting at a low iso. It’s just necessary to keep the camera still for about 15 seconds.

I hope you enjoy these wedding pictures from the Kimbels at Wachesaw Plantation. If you are planning an event there, please let me know. I would be happy to help!