five planners, read on their own sites
planners in Bluffton And Palmetto Bluff
Planners on the May River side of the Lowcountry, including two who were wedding designers at Palmetto Bluff, plus Beaufort weddings.
The Area
Bluffton weddings lean toward open sky, tents, docks and old oaks, at places like Palmetto Bluff, Oldfield and the river clubs. Kelli Corn writes that she spent seven years as the wedding designer for Palmetto Bluff, and Ashley Rhodes Event Designs says The Inn at Palmetto Bluff brought Ashley on as a wedding designer in 2013.
Julia Noelle Weddings, Kapam Events and Kelsey Allison Designs also name Beaufort weddings on their sites, so this is the page for Beaufort couples too.
The Planners
- 01
Kelli Corn Weddings And EventsThe LowcountryA full service wedding design, planning and production company led by Kelli Corn, who spent seven years as the wedding designer for Palmetto Bluff.Read The Listing - 02
Julia Noelle WeddingsBlufftonA Bluffton planning, design and coordination business run by Julia Ferrigno, who came to weddings from project management and publishes her starting price.Prices PublishedRead The Listing - 03
Kelsey Allison DesignsBlufftonA boutique wedding design and coordination studio in Bluffton, founded in 2018 by a South Carolina native with over a decade in hospitality and events.Read The Listing - 04
Kapam EventsBluffton and Hilton Head IslandA small Bluffton and Hilton Head planning company led by certified planner Karla, which caps its calendar at 12 couples a year and publishes its starting prices.Prices PublishedRead The Listing - 05
Ashley Rhodes Event DesignsThe South Carolina LowcountryA luxury planning and design firm led by Ashley Rhodes, who has planned Lowcountry events since 2003 and worked as a wedding designer at The Inn at Palmetto Bluff.Read The Listing
No planner here lists that kind of help.
oyster factory park
the Town Park On The May River
Oyster Factory Park sits at 55 Wharf Street in Bluffton, with an open air pavilion and a view of the May River.
Source, townofbluffton.sc.govDaily rental east of Wharf Street is $800 for residents and $1,600 for non residents, and west of Wharf Street is $400 and $800, plus a $200 security deposit and cleaning fee.
Source, townofbluffton.sc.govA full day covers 7am to 10pm, and everyone is out by 11pm.
Source, townofbluffton.sc.govA paid permit does not make the park private, and Wharf Street stays open for boats and people reaching the river.
Source, townofbluffton.sc.govAlcohol is allowed only on the east side, which has the restrooms and the pavilion.
Source, townofbluffton.sc.govTents over 400 square feet need a Town tent permit, applied for 10 days ahead.
Source, townofbluffton.sc.gov
beaufort
waterfront Park In Beaufort
The City of Beaufort rents spaces in Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park downtown for weddings and receptions.
Source, cityofbeaufort.orgThe park runs along the Beaufort River beside the Woods Memorial Bridge, with a promenade on the seawall and garden spaces, near the shops and restaurants of the historic downtown.
Source, cityofbeaufort.orgThe City also lists Cannon Park, The Bluff, Washington Street Park and Whitehall Park among its parks for reservation.
Source, cityofbeaufort.orgReservations go through the City's Downtown Operations and Community Services department.
Source, cityofbeaufort.org
from the photographer
light, wind and Where Portraits Happen
The May River side of the Lowcountry is wide open sky over marsh. Docks and bluffs face the water, and the light at the end of the day turns the spartina gold for a few minutes before sunset.
Under the big oaks the light stays soft all afternoon. Tented receptions glow once it is dark, so ask your planner where the tent lights are and give me ten minutes outside it at blue hour.
Bluffton and Beaufort sit on tidal rivers, so docks and riverbanks change with the tide. Check the tide for your date if a dock portrait matters to you.
light and seasons
sunset by Month
Sunset in Savannah around the middle of each month, in local clock time and rounded to five minutes. Hilton Head, Bluffton and Tybee run within a few minutes of it. Work back from it to pick your ceremony time.
- January
- 5.40 pm
- February
- 6.10 pm
- March
- 7.30 pm
- April
- 7.55 pm
- May
- 8.15 pm
- June
- 8.30 pm
- July
- 8.30 pm
- August
- 8.10 pm
- September
- 7.30 pm
- October
- 6.55 pm
- November
- 5.25 pm
- December
- 5.20 pm
rain plans
if it Rains
Tents are the usual rain plan here, so ask your planner whether the tent has sides and where the ceremony moves if it rains. A tent that covers the ceremony and the dinner keeps the day in one place.
Porches and covered boardwalks are the quiet places for portraits in the rain. Walk them with your planner at the final walkthrough.
Your planner keeps the day moving. I keep the moments it moves past.
from the photographer
who wrote This Guide
I am Vitor Lindo. I have photographed and filmed 450 weddings in 14 years, about 400 of them here in the Lowcountry, from my studio at 1918 Howard Street in Savannah.
Photography and film are available together or separately, with one team planning both. That means one set of blocks on your planner's timeline, and nobody standing in the other one's shot.
questions
about weddings in Bluffton
Can we rent Oyster Factory Park in Bluffton for a wedding?
The Town rents it by the day, east or west of Wharf Street, with a $200 security deposit and cleaning fee. A permit does not make the park private.
Do we need a tent permit in Bluffton?
At Oyster Factory Park, tents over 400 square feet need a Town tent permit, applied for 10 days ahead.
Can we marry at Waterfront Park in Beaufort?
The City of Beaufort says spaces in Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park can be reserved for weddings and receptions.
When is sunset in Bluffton in September?
Around 7.30 pm in mid September, within a few minutes of Savannah.
the photographer's guide
Your Photo And Film timeline, built with your planner
Sunset, family photographs, travel time across the squares and twenty quiet minutes in the last light. Seven plain steps to hand your planner at the first meeting.
Photo And Film
Your planner runs the day. I keep it.
Tell me your date, your venue and your planner, if you have one. You will hear back from me, or call or text (404) 826-4156.