With the simple words "I Do", a family joins together as one.  For Cate and Andrew, their family of three traveled from Virginia o elope at White Point Gardens at the Charleston Battery on March 8, 2014.  
When Cate contacted A Charleston Event, she had one request - for her to enjoy this moment with her little family and to have no worries.  We accepted the request - everything from the location, the florals, the photographer, a wedding cake, and dinner reservations.  
We wish them much love and happiness on their marriage.

After the "I Dos," it is usually the wedding officiant or the planner that says - "let's go make this legal." There's a reason for that, because it is just a big party without it.  Just kidding...but not really.  What we are referring to is the signing of the marriage license.  
In order to get married in SC, you must have a SC marriage license.  Makes sense.  But to get the license, you must apply for it together at the Court House.  Remember to bring proper documentation - a valid driver's license, a passport, your original birth certificate, etc.  
There is also a $70 CASH filing fee that is to be paid at the time of applying.  A blood test is not required in SC but you do have to wait 24 hours after filing the application.  
The 24 hour waiting period is very important to remember because many couples come to Charleston thinking they can just pick up the license on the same day.  Every State is different so knowing this could save you a ton of frustration.  I always encourage couples to apply for the license at least a month or two in advance.  If you are a destination bride, plan on both you and your fiancé arriving on Thursday if your wedding is scheduled for Saturday.  The Court House is NOT open on the weekends.  
Once the 24 hours has passed, you are free to pick up the marriage license at the Court House and only one of you has to be present.  While there, take a moment to review and make any changes/revisions necessary.  They should be able to accommodate any requests.  
On the day of the wedding, make certain to bring all three copies to the ceremony.  Your wedding officiant will guide you through the signing process and make certain that all copies get to where they need to be.  
Now go and enjoy the reception!

For complete information of applying for your SC Marriage

Engagement season is in full-effect.  As reported by TheKnot.com, 40% of engagements will occur between the months of November and January.  (Very busy time for jewelry stores) 
The excitement of planning a wedding - the food, the dress, the rings, the vows, etc - can sometimes make someone forget what is truly important.  
Melanie Murray, a seasoned wedding officiant and owner of My Weddings Your Way had some advice to offer those brides planning a wedding. 

"Every bride dreams of the perfect wedding day but there are times that things don’t go as planned.  It is important to remember that everything happens for a reason.
Early one morning before for a beach wedding, I received a text from a bride informing me she had forgotten her cathedral length veil at home which was 3 hours away. Of course she was very upset so I advised her to call her florist and ask for flowers for her hair. No, this was not going to be the exact vision she had dreamed of for her “wedding day look” but it would all work out.
At times, couples forget that the most important part of the day is not the veil, the food, or the wedding décor.  It is the commitment of their lives to one another. What matters is their love for each other and their future happiness together. As long as the two of you are together at the alter, you WILL have the “Perfect Wedding.”
You want to know the best part? The outdoor beach wedding had 30 mph winds that day so a cathedral length veil would have been a mess for this bride! See, things DO happen for a reason!"


Special thanks to guest blogger Melanie Murray