About
Portfolio
Weddings
Engagements
Branding
Blog
Oklahoma Wedding with a Twist
Rebecca & Tristan’s Wyche Pavilion Wedding
Hailey & Wes’s Outer Banks Wedding
Reserve at Lake Keowee Wedding
The Graduate Hotel & Palmetto Club Wedding
Springtime Wedding at Westin Poinsett & Furman
Clemson Wedding Moved to Kingstree
Brunch Wedding at Cliffs at Glassy
About Face: 180 Days of Content

USC Horseshoe & 701 Whaley Wedding – Jena & Kelly

701 Whaley Wedding Photography Columbia SC wedding photographer melissa brewer photography OCF off camera flash bride and groom portrait

Jena and Kelly’s wedding at Rutledge Chapel on the University of South Carolina’s Horseshoe, followed by an amazing reception at 701 Whaley’s Marketplace, was the perfect way to begin 2017’s wedding season! This year was off to such a roaring start that I never even took a break over the winter; between finishing up my December weddings, going to WPPI in Las Vegas (can’t wait to share about this), and then MOVING, there was no rest in the off season, but I thank God that those things all took place when they did! God’s timing is always perfect, and just as our move was getting underway and we had found a new home, Wedding Season 2017 kicked off with the Rutledge Chapel & 701 Whaley wedding I’m sharing here!

Jena contacted me about a year ago about hers and Kelly’s wedding and, though we played a bit of phone tag, once we got on the phone, we couldn’t stop chatting! Their engagement session was a blast last fall (you can see it here if you don’t remember it), and as the wedding date approached and Jena updated me on their plans and vendors, I knew this was shaping up to be the kind of wedding day I wanted to be every part of!

For starters, while many couples tend to let the groom “off the hook” for most of the day, this couple made sure the guys got as much pampering and attention as the girls, which I think is wonderful! It’s great to start a marriage off with neither side feeling less important than the other! As soon as I stepped into Frank’s Gentleman’s Salon, I was a bit jealous, and couldn’t decide if I’d rather send my own husband here as a treat or if I kind of wanted to take part myself. They definitely know how to cater to the boys!

Frank's Gentlemen's Salon Columbia SC wedding photographer wedding photography groom groomsmen getting ready details pre wedding photography Frank's Gentlemen's Salon Columbia SC wedding photographer wedding photography groom groomsmen getting ready details pre wedding photography Frank's Gentlemen's Salon Columbia SC wedding photographer wedding photography groom groomsmen getting ready details pre wedding photography

Just check out that dark wood, humidor, and collection of men’s grooming accoutrements, and tell me if you don’t think every guy deserves to feel like Humphrey Bogart, Cary Grant, or Clark Gable once in a while!

After getting a quick tour of Frank’s, I ran to the Hilton to catch up with the girls and greet my second shooter while they the bridal party got ready. This is when I get to capture the pre-ceremony photos and little wedding day details that might go unnoticed if not documented, even though every aspect of a wedding is the result of endless hours of care and preparation!

Like every wedding, the day went by in a blur, with my second photographer and I capturing all of the action and keeping things on schedule with a detailed timeline (even when there’s planner or day-of-coordinator, your photographer should have a timeline — I’ll talk more about this in a later post)!

Enjoy the highlights from Jena and Kelly’s gorgeous wedding with art deco details, DIY decor (that hanging centerpiece Jena made was to DIE for!), and some of the best dancing, fun, and food I’ve ever had the honor of capturing!

We REALLY lucked out with gorgeous weather! The forecast had said it was going to rain all day long and be freezing cold, but it held off just long enough for us to photograph the wedding party (separately, since they opted out of a First Look) in the Horseshoe. USC’s Horseshoe next to Rutledge Chapel was really showing out for us, and since the very next day brought on a freeze that killed many of the blossoms, our timing could not have been more perfect! USC wedding University of South Carolina wedding Rutledge Chapel wedding 701 Whaley wedding bridesmaids spring wedding purple bridesmaidsUSC wedding University of South Carolina wedding Rutledge Chapel wedding 701 Whaley wedding bridesmaids spring wedding purple bridesmaidsUSC wedding University of South Carolina wedding Rutledge Chapel wedding 701 Whaley wedding bridesmaids spring wedding purple bridesmaids Jo Lins bridal eyebrow junkie makeup Jamie Tran makeup artistUSC wedding bridal portraits university of south carolina horseshoe wedding photographer bridal portrait 701 whaley wedding springtime spring wedding columbia scA few moments into bridal portraits, I FINALLY figured out who it was that Jena reminded me of: young Elizabeth Taylor! You see it, right? Her classic dress, hair, and makeup just cemented her as Liz in my mind!  Kelly’s face when he saw Jena coming down the aisle was just priceless! That is pure joy if I ever saw it!

Rutledge Chapel is a unique space; it’s historic and uncluttered — there are no adornments other than the crystal chandelier, beautiful white surroundings, and the pipes from their huge organ — but it is the epitome of classic beauty, and proves to give interesting opportunities for photos! See if you can tell which of the photos above were shot from between bannister railings 😉

Also, check out this gorgeous hanging centerpiece at 701 Whaley in their Marketplace venue: Jena totally DIYed this! I was/am beyond impressed!

wedding photographer in columbia sc wedding photographer 701 whaley wedding reception greenery decor dancing live band photographywedding photographer in columbia sc wedding photographer 701 whaley wedding reception greenery decor dancing live band photography wedding photographer in columbia sc wedding photographer 701 whaley wedding reception greenery decor dancing live band photography
One of my favorite things to do during a wedding reception is grab the couple for a few couple’s portraits in the dark. It really adds drama and shows off the gorgeous ambience of their reception venue. Plus, with the ceremony and family formals a distant memory, the couple is MUCH more relaxed, and this proved to be the case for Jena and Kelly as well! I adore these last photos.
701 Whaley bride and groom portraits wedding photographer in columbia sc south carolina wedding photographer melissa brewer photography off camera flash OCF bride and groom portraits 701 Whaley bride and groom portraits wedding photographer in columbia sc south carolina wedding photographer melissa brewer photography off camera flash OCF bride and groom portraits 701 Whaley bride and groom portraits wedding photographer in columbia sc south carolina wedding photographer melissa brewer photography off camera flash OCF bride and groom portraits

Jena and Kelly, THANK YOU for letting me be a part of your wedding story! Your engagements, your wedding, and all the planning in between were such a joy, and I wish you both all of the happiness in the world for your future!

Vendors:

Dress: Jo-Lin’s Bridal

Menswear: Britton’s of Columbia

Venue: 701 Whaley

Hair: Kim at Ashley’s Alley

Makeup: Jamie Tran of EyebrowJunkie

Catering: Travis Rayle

Band: Crystal Clear Band

Invitations: DPK Invites

Jewelers: Gibson’s Jewelers 

Share this story

Trinity Cathedral and Capital City Club Wedding in Columbia SC

Prev

Gorgeous Lowndes Grove Plantation Bridal Session – Brooke

Next
COMMENTS Expand -
  1. Laura says:
    April 20, 2017 at 10:54 am

    Wow!! Beautiful photos of a beautiful couple! Love how you captured the love & fun of the day! Absolutely stunning!

    Reply
ADD A COMMENT

Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Society tells us to hustle nonstop, but the Earth Society tells us to hustle nonstop, but the Earth tells us to take in all the amazing creations and beauty around us. They’re out there, for free! Take the trip, walk in the very cold ocean, talk to some strangers on the beach, sit in silence and soak in every bit of your experiences. Life is beautiful!
I am SO glad we decided to detour over to Palm Spr I am SO glad we decided to detour over to Palm Springs on this work vacay. I never wanted to leave! ALLLLL the bright colors filled me with so much inspiration, and we have 3 days in San Diego next 🙌🏻 #californialove #palmsprings
When you’re just trying to pick blog post images When you’re just trying to pick blog post images but you want to share all 800 photos…I’m about to burst to share this wedding! On another note, someone remind me that my next house needs a fabulous staircase and massive windows like these at @agapaeoaksweddings 😍
Just helping my second shooter nail her settings b Just helping my second shooter nail her settings before I brought the bride down these gorgeous stairs...you know, being my usual sweet self 😊 99.9% of the photos I have of me look just like this: behind the scenes at a wedding or shoot, hair in a ponytail, apron full of film, wearing all black, and probably a little sweaty. It's not exactly the kind of photo that fits on my About page or profile pic!

I have a feeling I'm not the only entrepreneur with this problem. Since modern problems require modern solutions, I think it's time we self-employed folks started prioritizing yearly or twice-yearly updates of our products, services, and headshots! Check out my "About Face" highlights for the branding offerings I have for you! 

As for me, I'm putting my money where my mouth is, and currently packing 2 large suitcases full of way too many clothes for next week's trip to California, because I'm overdue my own branding and headshot photos, and I am excited to SHOW UP for ME the way I show up for everyone I serve. Keep an eye on my stories this weekend through next week for tons of prep, wardrobe decisions, behind the scenes setups of photoshoots with clients and ourselves, and of course, plenty of shenanigans (because two photographers on a creative trip is just about the most fun a person can have)! See you there!
Load More Follow on Instagram

About
Portfolio
Weddings
Engagements
Branding
About
Portfolio
Weddings
Engagements
Branding
Blog
Oklahoma Wedding with a Twist
Rebecca & Tristan’s Wyche Pavilion Wedding
Hailey & Wes’s Outer Banks Wedding
Reserve at Lake Keowee Wedding
The Graduate Hotel & Palmetto Club Wedding
Springtime Wedding at Westin Poinsett & Furman
Clemson Wedding Moved to Kingstree
Brunch Wedding at Cliffs at Glassy
About Face: 180 Days of Content
Blog
Oklahoma Wedding with a Twist
Rebecca & Tristan’s Wyche Pavilion Wedding
Hailey & Wes’s Outer Banks Wedding
Reserve at Lake Keowee Wedding
The Graduate Hotel & Palmetto Club Wedding
Springtime Wedding at Westin Poinsett & Furman
Clemson Wedding Moved to Kingstree
Brunch Wedding at Cliffs at Glassy
About Face: 180 Days of Content
2023 Copyrights Melissa Brewer Photography
Back to Top