Kiawah Island & Seabrook Island Vacation Guide

Kiawah Island and Seabrook Island are some of the most pristine beaches on the East Coast. I lived on neighboring Johns Island for eight years, and my husband and I were married at the River Course on Kiawah Island. Beachwalker is one of our favorite beaches to take our dog on a long walk off-leash.

The Goatery at Kiawah River Farm

The Best Places to Eat

The Ocean Course is a public golf course on the far East side of Kiawah Island. It has incredible views of the Atlantic Ocean and is the place to be at Sunset. Be sure to grab dinner or a drink here during your stay.

https://kiawahresort.com/golf/the-ocean-course/

Wild Olive is a bit of a drive, but it's perfect for a date night and is one of the local's favorite restaurants for celebrations. Their crispy calamari is not to be missed, along with their extensive wine collection.

https://wildoliverestaurant.com/

Rosebank Farm is one of the oldest working farms on the Island. The Rosebank Farms Market on the side of Betsy Kerrison Parkway sells vegetables plucked from the fields, local shrimp, and make sure you pick up a key lime pie; they are out of this world good!

http://www.rosebankfarms.com/

Things To Do

Heron Park Nature Center is a great place to entertain kids. Learn about local animals like sea turtles, land turtles, bobcats, and snakes.

https://kiawahresort.com/recreation/nature/

Fresh Fields Village has movies and concerts on the weekends. This city center has outdoor concerts, movies, and festivals. Bring your beach chair and a plastic cup filled with wine. This is a great place to picnic and watch kids run wild.

https://freshfieldsvillage.com/

The Goatery at Kiawah River Farm is a new family-friendly experience where you can hang with goats, pigs, cows, donkeys, and chickens. Be sure to make an appointment, and you will get up close and personal with all the animals. If you're into yoga, don't miss goat yoga on Fridays and Saturdays. I tried it last summer and laughed through the entire class.

https://thegoateryatkiawahriver.com/

Folly Beach Vacation Guide

Folly Beach is the area of town I know the best. My family and I live close to this beach and have many friends on the island. My husband surfs a longboard at the pier most mornings. My three girls, ages 9, 7, and 1 spend hours playing in the sand on the weekends with friends.

Don't miss these Folly Beach Restaurants

Bowens Island Restaurant is a fried seafood and oyster dive restaurant with plenty of character and incredible views of the water and sunset. Look out for dolphins swimming by, and bring your bug spray.

https://bowensisland.com/

Taco Boy has a fun beach vibe with incredible food. It's a four-story restaurant with unique decor. I love their fried avocado tacos!

https://www.tacoboy.net/

Rita's Seaside Grille is authentically Folly. They have live music nightly on the patio. My kids love the chicken fingers served on a frisbee. My favorite is the tuna watermelon nachos.

https://www.ritasseasidegrille.com/

What to do on Folly Beach

Morris Island Light House Trail on the east tip of the island is an easy 1-mile walk to the ocean. There is graffiti everywhere along the path through the marine forest. There is a beach at this end of Folly, perfect for viewing the lighthouse or dolphin watching, but you do not want to swim here. The east end of Folly has deadly currents and sharks. Bring your bug spray as well.

http://savethelight.org/

Learn to surf with an instructor. I recommend taking a lesson at Shaka Surf School or Isla Surf School over renting a board on your own. A lot goes into reading the waves and popping up at the right time. Surf schools provide big foam boards that make it easier to stand up on the wave and safer when you fall.

http://www.shakasurfschool.com/

https://www.islasurfschool-charleston.com/

Visit Bert's Market on Folly for some incredible people-watching and snacks. This 7 Eleven style market got a facelift a few years ago and is a great place to grab a sandwich, shop for local beer, and buy some Doritos. Berts is the local's favorite place to shop; you will find beach bums, surfers, college students, and families running earns here.

http://www.thebusiness.company/bertsmarket/phone/index.html

A view of East Ashley Avenue from the top deck of Taco Boy

Isle of Palms and Sullivans Island Vacation Guide

The IOP, as it's better known, is one of my favorite beaches. I lived on the Isle of Palms after college for a few years. Its neighboring Island, Sullivans, is the most expensive location to live in South Carolina. Take a bike ride along Ion Avenue between Station 18 and 17, and you'll be sold too. 

The beach at Fort Moultrie overlooking the Charleston harbor

Don't Miss These Area Restaurants

The Sea Biscuit Cafe is an IOP staple. This cute Lowcountry cafe serves a homestyle brunch. I recommend the crab cakes benedict! If you're going with a group, be prepared to wait for a table or send a family member ahead to wait in line for the group. 

https://sea-biscuit-cafe.business.site/?utm_source=gmb&utm_medium=referral

Home Team BBQ on Sullivans Island is our family's favorite restaurant. We like the chicken wings with Alabama white sauce. This is also a great place to grab a beer and watch the game. 

https://hometeambbq.com/

Obstinate Daughter on Sullivans Island is a great place for the family or a date night. Their farm-to-table menu features Lowcountry dishes with a twist. Make sure you save room for ice cream downstairs at the Beardcat's Sweet Shop. 

https://theobstinatedaughter.com/

https://beardcatsweetshop.com/

What to do on the Isle of Palms and Sullivans Island 

Fort Moultrie is a Revolutionary War relic that is perfect for entertaining the kids for a few hours. It has a small museum and gift shop to breeze through. Then spend time exploring the bunkers, let the kids climb on the canons, and enjoy a great view of the cargo ships arriving in the Charleston harbor. 

https://www.nps.gov/fosu/learn/historyculture/fort_moultrie.htm

Go to the library! That's right; Sullivans Island Edgar Allan Poe Library is an underground bunker. It's a former Spanish-American War gun battery. 

https://www.ccpl.org/branches/sullivans-island

The Isle of Palms Marina is a great launching pad for getting out on the water. The beauty and charm of the Lowcountry are even more elevated by a day on the water. I highly recommend spending time on a boat. There are several different companies that take dolphin tours, fishing tours, and eco-tours, and some take you to neighboring barrier islands. 

https://nature-tours.com/

Rehearsal Dinner, Why you need to Hire a Photographer

Brides and grooms plan for wedding photography, but rehearsal dinner photography is usually an afterthought. A rehearsal dinner is just as important to document as the wedding. Here’s why:

You Can Actually Take Photos With Everyone

The rehearsal dinner guest list is typically pared down to your absolute nearest and dearest—often just your family members, longtime friends and wedding party. Use this opportunity to get photos with everyone, especially if you have a huge family.

You'll Document All Those Emotional Speeches

You'll have toasts and memorable moments at the wedding, no doubt, but rehearsal dinner speeches, given by any number of loved ones, including parents, friends and even the couple, are often slightly less formal and even more emotional.

Your Photographer Will Get to Know Your Family

When I have the opportunity to photograph the rehearsal dinner before the wedding I learn so much about the couple through the speeches. I also get to know the family and guest better and who goes with who. This knowledge helps me document your wedding day more thoroughly. 

Capture Less Formal Family Photos

It’s nice to have a few photos with your friends and family without boutonnieres and matching outfits. Guest usual look their best but are less ceremonial looking and show more personality at a rehearsal dinner. It’s also nice to have a different location in your photos. 

Finally, let's face it, a professional photographer will document the laughs, tears, and good times like no one else can!

Planning an Elopement or Intimate Wedding Ceremony in Charleston, SC

Elopements and intimate ceremonies are having a big moment this year. Luckily Matt and Lindsay planned their Waterfront Park Pineapple Fountain wedding several months ago. What a perfect outdoor setting it was! 

The couple wanted to do something memorable but low key. So they invited 20 of their family members and friends to celebrate with them at Waterfront Park in Downtown, Charleston, SC. 

The Pineapple Fountain was the perfect launching point for Downtown Charleston photographs after the ceremony. Congratulations to this beautiful couple!

5 Tips on Planning your Elopement in Charleston, South Carolina

DECIDE WHO YOU ARE TELLING

Most couples let all their friends and family know, but this is up to you. Make sure both of you are on the same page about when and how you’ll tell everyone about the wedding.

Pro Tip: Before you break the exciting news, decide who you will invite. The first thing loved ones will want to know is, “am I invited?” It’s best to be prepared with a well-thought-out answer.

DON’T FORGET TO CHECK THE LEGALITIES

Before you get caught up in researching beautiful venues and things to do, have a full understanding of the entire legal marriage process and timeline. Also, ensure your marriage document will be recognized back home.

Pro Tip: South Carolina requires each person to have two forms of identification, such as a driver's license, original birth certificate (or a certified copy), passport, or military identification. You do not need a witness or blood tests to get married in South Carolina. 

You can apply for a license at any South Carolina probate office, and it will be valid throughout the state. If you are getting your marriage license in Charleston you will need to go to the Probate Court at 100 Broad Street, Suite 469, Charleston, SC 29401 Your marriage license will cost you $70.00. 

RESERVE YOUR WEDDING LOCATION

Popular locations for elopements in Charleston, SC include the gazebo at White Point Gardens overlooking the Battery, The Pineapple Fountain at Waterfront Park, Hampton Park and Washington Square Park which is lined with towering oaks and runs along a picturesque cobblestone street. To reserve these locations, you need to contact the City of Charleston Recreation Department at 843-724-7327 at least 14 business days prior to the event. 

DON’T SKIMP ON PHOTOGRAPHY 

Seeing the exchanging of your rings and your first kiss is something you’ll want to have. Photo and video are all you’ll have from your wedding once it's done. Trust me, you don’t want to have wedding-day regrets when it comes to that.

Pro Tip: Make sure you hire a professional photographer who is familiar with your ceremony location. That increases the odds you will get the best shots possible.

KEEP THE GUEST LIST SMALL

Cutting the guest list is often one of the hardest parts of any wedding, especially for couples who have big families and wide circles of friends. Invite the people that have always supported, loved, and helped you - the ones you can’t do life without. Being at your wedding is going to be a milestone in their life, not just a fun event to attend.