The Parker Wedding at 701 Whaley
Meet the Parkers! Anna and Dylan are high-school sweethearts and share a passion for baseball/softball. They had a great story, which is probably why The State newspaper also featured their wedding. Since they both played in high school and college, we thought it would be awesome to do a baseball-themed engagement shoot! Prior to the wedding we also did some bridal portraits at 701 Whaley, and got absolutely amazing results.
The ceremony was at Holland Avenue Baptist Church in Cayce. Of course this would be the day that Hurricane Matthew hit Columbia lol! Luckily, it was just some moderate rain, and both the ceremony and reception would be indoors. And it allowed us to make some great "rain" images! The church is beautiful, and unlike many churches, had a great bridal suite for Anna and the girls to get ready. After Anna was dressed and ready, we did a first look in the courtyard of the church, in the rain! It was a beautiful moment, and the setting was priceless. That also allowed us to do a lot of the formal portraits before the ceremony.
After the ceremony everyone made the short trip across the bridge to 701 Whaley, one of my favorite Columbia wedding venues. The bridal party was announced in, and we went straight into the first dances. The dance floor was buzzing all night, the food was spectacular, and I even ate some cake, which is unusual, because it looked so amazing (and was). I love the picture of Anna throwing the bouquet, because only a softball player has an arm like that! Bride and groom photos were very important to Anna, so we walked around in the courtyard of 701 Whaley for some intimate portraits. And we used 701's famous elevator for a cool shot also. Thanks to Anna putting such a priority on those shots, they gave us plenty of time to get some great images.
We capped the night off with a sparkler exit during a slight drizzle. The rain did not stop this bride and groom from having the day of their lives, and in fact I think it added to the experience, story, and images. So let that be a message to all brides-to-be, do NOT be bummed if it rains on your wedding day. Anna was one of the most relaxed brides I've ever worked with, and her amazing attitude made the day go smoothly and allowed us to make amazing photography. Thanks to her and Dylan for allowing my team to be a part of this milestone of their lives. It was truly an honor, and I hope you and your family cherish these images for generations!
Thanks for reading! I'm Trevor Mercer, a wedding photographer from Columbia, SC. I've been photographing weddings for over 10 years, and as a second-generation wedding photographer, I literally grew up in the business. I'm now providing wedding photography and videography for weddings in my state and well beyond, and I'm a 2016 & 2017 winner in the Knot's Best of Weddings. I decided to start a blog and share everything I've learned about weddings through the years, and I hope it helps make your wedding planning a little easier. Please subscribe, share, and comment with your input or questions! See everything about me at www.TrevorMercer.com
