Magnolia Plantation and Gardens

The Drayton family has held the land at Magnolia since the late 1600s, and the romantic gardens laid out by the Reverend John Grimke Drayton in the 1840s have welcomed the public since 1871, making this one of Charleston's first tourist attractions. Weddings here borrow all of it: blooming gardens in every season, the Long White Bridge, and live oak allees, about 10 miles up Ashley River Road from downtown Charleston.

Receptions center on the Carriage House, which hosts up to 150 guests with an indoor dance floor or up to 250 when dancing moves out to the patio and lawn. The standard wedding package covers a five-hour venue rental plus setup and breakdown, tables and chairs for 150, two hospitality suites for getting ready, complimentary on-site parking, an hour of golf-cart service with a driver, a ceremony rehearsal, and pre-wedding photography access to the gardens for engagement and portrait sessions.

Couples planning something smaller can book a weekday elopement for up to 30 guests at the Live Oak Lawn and Pavilion or the Long White Bridge; the two-hour reservation includes garden admission, parking, and photography access. Pricing is quoted on inquiry through the events office.