Marrying in Charleston & the Low Country
Charleston is one of the most requested wedding destinations in America. The city's antebellum architecture, its working plantation houses, and the live oak canopy that lines every road in the Low Country create a visual language that is entirely its own. No other US destination offers this specific combination of historic grandeur and subtropical landscape.
The plantation wedding is the defining format here. Properties like Lowndes Grove (1786, waterfront), Middleton Place (1741, the oldest landscaped garden in America), and Boone Hall Plantation (the Avenue of Oaks) provide ceremony and reception settings that feel genuinely historic rather than themed.
Kiawah Island, 30 miles south of the city, adds a resort dimension. The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort is one of the most decorated wedding hotels on the East Coast, with 255 rooms, multiple ceremony lawns, and a private beach. The island's subtropical character is distinct from the formal city but shares the same coastal light.
Charleston's food culture has become one of the best in the South. The combination of Gullah Geechee culinary heritage, excellent local seafood, and a new generation of serious chefs means wedding catering here operates at a genuinely high level.
The seasons
- Best
- Quieter
5 Star view Our reading of the wedding year, from the months below.
- Best months
- March to May and October to November
- Shoulder season
- October to November
- Peak season
- April and May
Spring and autumn are the ideal windows. Summer in Charleston is extremely hot and humid with afternoon temperatures regularly above 95 degrees and heat index above 105. Hurricane season runs June through November; most serious storm risk is August to October. Winter is mild and uncrowded but many outdoor venues are quieter.
Daylight and sunset
The bar runs from sunrise to sunset on the 15th of each month. A ceremony is usually timed an hour or two before the sunset shown.
Calculated From the coordinates of Charleston & the Low Country, local time, for 2027.
Ramadan and Eid
For couples and guests who observe them, the dates to plan a wedding around.
| Year | Ramadan | Eid al-Fitr | Eid al-Adha |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | 8 Feb to 8 Mar | 9 Mar | 16 May |
| 2028 | 28 Jan to 25 Feb | 26 Feb | 5 May |
Calculated From the Umm al-Qura calendar. The observed dates follow the sighting of the moon and can fall a day either side.
The areas of Charleston & the Low Country
Historic Charleston
The downtown Peninsula, with William Aiken House, The Governor's House Inn, cobblestone streets, antebellum row houses, and the Battery. The most concentrated historic district in the American South, walkable and visually consistent.
The Plantation Belt
The Route 61 corridor west of the city, including Middleton Place, Magnolia Plantation, and Lowndes Grove. A 20-minute drive from downtown and the heart of the plantation wedding format.
Kiawah Island
A private barrier island 30 miles south of the city. The Sanctuary resort anchors the luxury wedding offer here. Entirely self-contained, with a distinct subtropical beach character.
Johns Island
Rural, agricultural, and more intimate than the main plantation belt. Legare Waring House is the anchor venue. A quieter register, suited to smaller, less formal celebrations within driving distance of the city.
What venues are like
Plantation House Buyout
Full hire of a working plantation property, typically including the main house, grounds, and outbuildings. The signature Charleston wedding format, at properties including Lowndes Grove, Middleton Place, and Boone Hall.
Avenue of Oaks Ceremony
Live oak-lined allees at properties like Boone Hall and Lowndes Grove. Among the most photographed ceremony settings in the country. The canopy of Spanish moss creates a natural arch that no installed structure can replicate.
Downtown Historic Mansion
William Aiken House, The Governor's House, and similar properties within the Historic District.
Resort Grand Wedding
The most logistically complete format in the region.
Airports and transfers
- New York John F. Kennedy (JFK)
- Newark Liberty (EWR)
- New York LaGuardia (LGA)
- Los Angeles (LAX)
- Orange County John Wayne (SNA)
- San Diego (SAN)
- Santa Barbara (SBA)
- Palm Springs (PSP)
- Boston Logan (BOS)
- Miami (MIA)
Charleston International Airport (CHS) is 15 to 20 minutes from downtown and 45 minutes from Kiawah Island. No direct UK flights; connections through New York (JFK, LGA, EWR), Charlotte (CLT), Atlanta (ATL), or Washington (IAD).
Marrying legally in the United States
Applies to: Marriage law is set by each state
The United States has no single national marriage law. A couple obtains a marriage licence in the state where they will marry, through that state's vital records office or its county offices, and the licence expires between 30 days and a year after issue, depending on the state. Age, waiting periods, identification, witnesses and who may officiate differ by state, so the couple should check the state they choose.
- 1Before travelling
Check the state's rules
Contact the vital records office in the state where you will marry for its requirements, including the identification it accepts from non-residents and any waiting period.
- 2Shortly before the wedding
Obtain the licence
Apply for the marriage licence in the state of the ceremony. A licence expires within 30 days to a year depending on the state, so time it close to the date; if it lapses before the wedding, a new one is needed.
- 3The day
The ceremony
The wedding takes place in that state, and the licence is completed and returned for the certificate to be issued, as the state directs.
- Governing law
- each state
- Licence
- from the state of the ceremony
- Licence validity
- 30 days to a year, by state
- Travelling couple
- ESTA or visa needed to enter
Already married at home?5 Star view
Because the licence and law belong to the state, many couples marry legally at home or at a courthouse and hold the celebration here with a ceremony of their own choosing. A ceremony with no legal effect needs none of the steps above: the venue and the planner arrange it.
Who needs a visa
Travelling from the United States
American citizens travelling within their own country need no visa, ESTA or entry formalities: the usual identification for domestic travel applies, and the couple apply for a licence in the state where they will marry.
Travelling from the United Kingdom
British citizens need an ESTA or a visa to enter or transit the United States. ESTA is for travellers under the Visa Waiver Program, which allows stays of up to 90 days for tourism or business, and needs an e-passport; the passport must be valid for the length of the stay. You may not be eligible if you have been arrested, have a criminal record, have been refused entry or deported, have overstayed before, or were in certain countries (including Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen since March 2011, or Cuba since 12 January 2021); in that case apply for a visa. An ESTA does not guarantee entry.
Other nationalities
Citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries travel with an approved ESTA and an e-passport, for up to 90 days. All other nationalities need a US visa applied for through the US embassy or consulate in their country.
The state decides who may marry and how. The marriage law of the state of the ceremony applies, and the couple should confirm it with that state's vital records office.
Reference USA.gov: marriage licence guidance (usa.gov/marriage-certificate). U.S. Customs and Border Protection: ESTA and Visa Waiver Program pages. U.S. Department of Homeland Security: Visa Waiver Program requirements. gov.uk: USA entry requirements. All read 2026-10-21. Checked 21 October 2026. Rules change: confirm with the authority that will marry you before you book.
Accommodation
Charleston has strong hotel inventory in the Historic District. Kiawah Island is self-contained. Plantation venues mostly require guests to stay in the city and transfer.
At the table
Charleston's food scene draws from Gullah Geechee culinary heritage, coastal seafood, and a serious modern restaurant community. Wedding caterers here are excellent and regionally distinctive.
167 Raw
The city's best raw bar. Oysters sourced from local beds. Excellent for rehearsal dinners, with a focused menu and informal register.
Husk
Sean Brock's iconic Southern restaurant. Private dining room available for groups, with a menu built entirely from Southern-sourced ingredients.
The Obstinate Daughter
Sullivan's Island, seafood-forward, waterfront. A short drive from the city and one of the most requested rehearsal dinner settings.
Low Country Boil
Traditional Gullah Geechee seafood boil with shrimp, crab, corn, and sausage. Often offered as a rehearsal dinner format by Charleston caterers, and one of the most distinctive food experiences in the region.
What planners tell couples
Summer Heat Warning
A June or July wedding in Charleston without serious climate control planning can be genuinely uncomfortable for guests. Outdoor ceremonies in summer should be kept under 30 minutes with misting stations and shaded cocktail reception space. Evening start times after 6pm reduce heat exposure significantly.
Hurricane Season
Hurricane season peaks August to October. Wedding insurance covering weather cancellation is strongly recommended for any event from August onwards. Review policy specifics with your insurer.
Mosquitoes
The Low Country has aggressive mosquito activity from late spring through autumn. Quality event tent linings and perimeter treatment are not optional for outdoor summer or autumn events.
Carriage Permits
Horse-drawn carriages through the Historic District are a popular rehearsal dinner arrival. Permits are required and routes are restricted; book through a licensed Charleston carriage company at least 3 months ahead.
