Congrats to Mariko and Chris Beckham! Let me start by saying that Mariko is a dear friend of mine, whom I've known around 10 years. It was SO much fun seeing, hanging out, dancing, and of course taking pictures with tons of friends I don't see too often! The day started at the beautiful Sheraton in downtown Columbia. The bridal suite was gorgeous, and had beautiful natural light. The girls were pampered by the talented Victoria Gibson. After the girls got done we headed to St Andrews Lutheran Church for the ceremony. They put their finishing touches on, and were ready just in the knick of time! I loved Mariko's unique dress choice from Vintage Bridals in Augusta, especially the beautiful sleeves. We took formal portraits at the church before heading to 1208 Washington for the big party!

This was my first wedding at 1208 Washington Place, and I had been dying to shoot there! A friend and colleague of mine, Dee Lucas, helped decorate the venue and it was majestic. Also a special thanks to Megan and Thomas for all of their hard work planning and decorating. The cake was gorgeous, and especially tasty. Cameron from Big Time DJ's provided the DJ and lighting services, which not only kept the floor packed, but added an awesome flavor to the decor. There were some especially emotional moments, such as their daughter Maliyah's dance with Chris and her lovely speech. It literally had a few tears in my eye. We snuck out of the reception for some beautiful portraits of the newlyweds, utilizing the awesome downtown setting and the infamous vaults. Of course, almost every passing car gave the newlyweds a congratulatory honk!

We ended the night with a fun last dance, and then a snow exit provided by Big Time. While the weather was on the warmer side for January, it was so awesome to finish this winter wedding with my first ever snow exit. I can't wait to share the highlight film in the coming months. The love and friendship was so real, and so evident to everyone who knows them - which really shines through in the pictures. Enjoy!

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