Looking to plan iconic Charleston Sailboat Engagement Photos? Here’s what you need to know:
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If you’re anything like me when I was newly-engaged, I’ll be willing to bet you already have a long list of ideas planned for your engagement photos. But I’d also be willing to bet that you have absolutely no idea where to start when planning them all out! One of my absolute favorite ideas for a unique couples session has been Charleston Sailboat engagement photos.
You might have seen gorgeous images of couples sailing on Pinterest and immediately ruled out the possibility for your session, but I’m here to tell you it’s a lot simpler to plan out than you’d think. Shall we dig into everything you need to know about planning your Charleston engagement photos? Let’s do it!
First, let’s get the sailboat!
If you’ve ever driven through Rainbow Row or the peninsula of Charleston, you’d see that it is basically surrounded by marinas! One of which just so happens to be the home of the Charleston Sailing School. (Yes, I understand that you aren’t interested in learning how to sail for your engagement session!) In addition to it’s sailing academy, the Charleston Sailing School also offers captained outings to provide their students additional sailing hours to obtain their certifications.
Through the school, you can book your Charleston Sailboat engagement photos by hiring a private chartered yacht for your session! With plenty of different boat options available, you’ll be able to easily choose the sailboat you’ve been dreaming of for your photos! (Just remember, there is a two hour minimum when booking the boat!)
Picking Your Date for Charleston Sailboat Engagement Photos
You’re definitely going to want to mention to your engagement photographer that you’re thinking of hopping on a sailboat for your engagement session to allow for a little flexibility when scheduling your photos! Sailboats won’t go out into rough waters or during inclement weather, so unlike a typical engagement session you aren’t going to just be able to wait it out if it rains!
The Charleston Sailing School also has a bit more flexibility during the week for changes in schedule, so if you’re hoping for Charleston sailboat engagement photos you may want to opt for a weekday affair!
OOTD: What to Wear For Your Sailboat Photos
Absolutely, whatever you’d like!
But seriously, my only suggestions are to take in to consideration that during your Charleston Sailboat Engagement Photos there is a good possibility of wind! So if you’re eyeing a flowy mini dress for your photos, you should definitely wear some cute undies and be comfortable showing a little leg throughout the sail.
I always love when my couples lean into the nautical aspect and rock a super cute swimsuit or go all out in cocktail yacht attire! It’s so fun to act like you’re in the Great Gatsby and pop a bottle of Veuve in a gorgeous gown while taking in Rainbow Row from the sea.
All Aboard: Planning Out Your Entourage
Unless you have access to a privately owned sailboat or yacht for your Charleston Sailboat Engagement Photos, you’ll be a bit limited on space during your session! Most private yacht charters allow a maximum of six guests to set sail (not including the captain, of course!) so you’ll need to keep the guest count tight.
There will be the two of you, your photography + video team, and the possibility of 2-3 other individuals. Who should you bring along? Some couples choose to have a hair and makeup artist available for touchups, a friend or two to hype them up, or even parents if thats more your style!
Choosing a Photographer with Sea Legs!
Make sure whomever you choose has experience with the limited space atop a sailboat and doesn’t get sea sick throughout your session.
With space being limited and 2 hours of time being a minimum, you’re going to want to choose an experienced wedding photographer you can trust to capture your gorgeous Charleston Sailboat engagement photos AND have a great time at sea!
Obviously, I would love to chat with you about scheduling your sailboat session so definitely get in touch! I’m always bringing that champagne pop energy to your session and down to set sail whenever you’re ready.
Need a little more inspo?
These gorgeous Charleston Sailboat engagement photos were featured on Bajan Wed! You can see more here.
For this session, Alexandra + Ben chose to rock a casual outfit that fit them as a couple before going all out and donning attire from Yeaggy Bridal, Charleston Tuxedo, a bouquet from Charleston local Petaloso, and accessories from ShopMoss. It was so much fun to see them express so much personality throughout their session and go all out for their engagement photos.
If you’re looking for a little more Charleston engagement photo inspiration, you can check out these posts below:
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i'm danielle
I'm a Virginia-based wedding & portrait photographer capturing photos that look like actual ART.
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