Not every bride can be a Beaufort bride, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t incorporate the bucolic Lowcountry into your wedding festivities. Annie, who married her high school beau, Alex Thirkell, in their hometown of North Augusta this March, realized that while she longed to tie the knot in the place she had fallen in love, she simply could not resist the natural brilliance of the Beaufort backdrop for her Bridal Portraits. “I saw one of my friends who had taken her bridal portraits at the Old Sheldon Church and fell in love. My photographer had done a shoot there prior and jumped at the chance to do another.” The newly minted Mrs. Thrikell’s enthusiasm prompted a Sunday trip a few weeks before her wedding to both the historic grounds in Yemassee and downtown Beaufort.
When reflecting upon her shoot, Annie mused, “I think a bridal portrait is a kind of a rite of passage for a woman. It is your remembrance of yourself as you step into the new path of your life.” Putting aside the anxiety of seating charts and thank you notes for one day to focus on the excitement of wearing your pristine white dress may be the perfect way to embark on the last leg of your wedding journey. It is a reminder to slow down and enjoy the being a bride.
Choosing the ideal location for your bridal portrait may seem overwhelming, but Beaufort offers a variety of venues in close proximity. You can capture yourself wistfully by the water or regally on one of many grand staircases in the course of one afternoon. When contemplating your own portraits, reflect on what you value most about your own identity and interests. Ellen Stribling, mother of the bride, was thrilled that Annie chose Beaufort for her pictures. “Annie comes from a family that takes great pride in their Southern heritage. As we were contemplating exactly what and where she wanted to do her bridals, we talked about how her pictures should make a statement about the woman she has grown up to be.” Thinking back on the shoot and looking at her portraits, I can concur that Annie accomplished her desire to embody a beautiful and strong Southern woman. Ellen adds, “Beaufort exudes the essence of the South. Its beauty and its quiet gentleness were exactly the statement we wanted to make.”
In thinking back on my own wedding experience, I can say that despite the many events and parties that preceded my shoot, I did not really feel like a bride until the day I took my portraits. As I watched Annie walk around the fantastic grounds of the Antebellum home where she finished her day of pictures, I could tell that she was having a similar experience. She looked radiant, confident, and most undoubtedly, like a Beaufort bride.
Should you be interested in exploring the Lowcountry as an avenue for your own portraits but are having trouble pinpointing exact locations, feel free to contact us here at Beaufort Bride for some helpful suggestions.
Photos by: Arann Weatherman Photography
