Beautiful courtyard pictures at 21 Main Events in Myrtle Beach

It’s almost time again for the busy season in Myrtle Beach, so I wanted to make one last blog post about a unique wedding last summer. This wedding was on July 3rd, 2022, at my favorite wedding venue, 21 Main Events at North Beach. This wedding was unusual in that we did everything in the courtyard. I usually take at least the bride and groom down to the closeby gazebo and beach, if not the whole wedding party. Because of the circumstances and timing of this wedding, we only took pictures in the courtyard. This gave me an even better appreciation for the fantastic images that can be captured without leaving the venue.

Lots of details, getting ready pictures, and a first look with the bride’s father

I had my life Lizeth assisting me on this wedding. The groom Taylor and the other guys hadn’t started getting ready, so she helped me with the detail shots and pictures of the dresses. I was working with Eyecon Films this day. We always help each other set things up and get great photos and video clips. I especially liked the ring box that was monogrammed and filled with flowers and elegant, modern table decorations. Everything had muted earthy colors with flowers and dried grasses.

After this, I started taking pictures with Kayla and the bridesmaids as they got ready, and my wife went with Taylor and the groomsmen. The remodeled getting-ready room for the bride has a lot of mirrors that I always make use of. The hard part is clearing the room clutter, so it isn’t distracting in the reflections and keeping myself out of the mirrors as well. It’s a beautiful room with great lighting, white walls, and a cute couch for pictures with the girls.

Taylor wanted a special first look with her father in the courtyard. There were a lot of emotions from dad as he turned around to see her in the wedding dress for the first time. After this, we got everyone back inside as the guests arrived for the ceremony.

Emotional Ceremony in the Courtyard

You can see the happiness on Taylor’s face in the pictures below as he watches his bride walk towards him. Kayla even had to wipe some years away from his eyes. I always like to walk around and get different angles of the bride and groom looking into each other’s eyes during the ceremony. With such a large bridal party, it’s a little more difficult to sneak around, but I got some great shots. I also always keep in mind the videographer when a wedding has one, and I try to stay out of his cameras as much as possible. You can see us getting up close and personal for shots of the first kiss. It’s nice to work with a videographer I know well. If you are looking for one, let me know I can give you great suggestions.

After family pictures, I would typically take the bridal party and the bride and groom to the gazebo and beach for photos. With the wedding schedule, this wasn’t going to be possible. The courtyard at 21 Main Events has a lot of beautiful plants, columns, lights, and brickwork, so even without the beach, it’s an excellent spot for pictures. The summer sun was still intense, so we tried to stay in the shade for bridesmaids and groomsmen pictures. I knew Taylor and Kayla planned to return later for sunset pictures, so I took just a few with them before going into introductions and first dances.

Sunset pictures of the bride and groom in the 21 Main Events Courtyard

As I mentioned, with all the greenery, lights, and columns, the courtyard at 21 Main Events is stunning for pictures. I would typically have the bride and groom down at the beach at sunset time. It’s beautiful beside the ocean at this time, which you can check out at my previous weddings. Sometimes limitations end up making my photography better, and it pushes me out of my comfort zone. It’s one of the reasons I like shooting with prime lenses. Not being able to zoom forces me into different angles and close-ups that improve my pictures.

Taking all the bride and groom portraits in the courtyard gave me a new appreciation for how pretty it can be. I loved where I had them positioned on the stones in the grass, the green plants on the sides, and the walkway between the columns fading off behind them in the distance. All the bridesmaids even returned for more fun pictures we didn’t have time for earlier.

Fun reception dancing and after-dark courtyard pictures

I always love working with Eyecon Entertainment at weddings. He is a great DJ, giving the reception a club-like feel with pulsing lights and great mixing. Everyone had a blast during the reception, and I got a lot of fun dancing pictures. I even took the bride and groom back out for a few more after-dark courtyard pictures under the hanging lights. I like to set up a flash behind the couple for rim lighting on the hair, and it gives a separation from and lights up the background.

Tyler and Kayla did a private last dance at the end while everyone lined up for a bubble exit. Please let me know if you are planning a wedding at 21 Main Events at North Beach. I’ve done many weddings there and would be happy to help you with suggestions and planning. I usually recommend going to the gazebo and beach for pictures, but even if that doesn’t fit the schedule, you can have beautiful pictures like Taylor and Kayla right in the courtyard.