Outdoor Weddings with Charleston, SC Charm
| By: Staff Writer, PremiereCharleston.com | 10/08/2009 |
Without a doubt, Charleston SC is a destination wedding hotspot in the eastern U.S. A destination wedding, roughly defined, is a wedding that occurs somewhere that neither the bride nor groom calls home. The destination, chosen either for its historical significance or natural beauty (or both) is often as important as the ceremony itself.
When it comes to history and natural beauty, a Charleston destination wedding is hard to beat. Couples come from all over to tie the knot on the beach, on a boat in the harbor, in a restored plantation house or on the veranda overlooking some historic garden.
Even Charleston’s city parks get in on the matrimonial action. Unlike some other towns, where city parks are often worn and unkempt, Charleston’s city parks provide natural beauty, history and convenience for any wedding party. What’s more, they are easy and relatively inexpensive to reserve for your wedding ceremony.
One Charleston city park stands out from the crowd: White Point Gardens at the Battery. White Point Gardens is located at the tip of the peninsula where the Ashley and Cooper Rivers meet on their way to Charleston Harbor and the Atlantic Ocean. It is a tranquil urban garden of palms, palmettos and live oaks with gently swaying Spanish moss. Natural beauty? Waterfront views? Check and check!
As for historic charm, White Point Gardens delivers! The space has served as a city park since the 1830’s, and it was a gun fortification during the Civil War (hence, the Battery.) Within the park, historic markers, memorials and statues salute the founders, heroes and villains of Charleston history. The entire length of the park, from East Battery to King Street, faces an impressive row of some of Charleston’s most beautiful, historic mansions.
The centerpiece of White Point Gardens, and the focal point of the wedding scene, is the Bandstand. Built in the early 1900’s, the Bandstand (also called the Gazebo) hosts about 200 weddings each year! Currently, however, the Bandstand is undergoing a much-needed quarter-million dollar renovation to restore it to its original dimensions and glory. Visitors to the Gardens are currently treated to the surreal site of a 100-year old gazebo roof suspended in place by naked steel beams.
The Bandstand renovation should be complete in time for the next wedding season, so get your name on the list now! Here is the contact info, and a few guidelines, as provided by the City of Charleston Recreation Department:
- Contact the Recreation Department at (843) 724-7327
- Make sure your date is available.
- You will receive an application by fax or mail.
- Return the form, with your payment (could be as little as $100 per hour.)
- This may take a couple of weeks to process
- Attendance is limited to 25 people (including the happy couple!)
Natural beauty, waterfront views, historical charm and a convenient location make White Point Gardens the perfect spot to tie the knot. Truly, it’s an outdoor destination wedding with Charleston charm!
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June 16, 2010
