Charleston Elopement Cost Breakdown — What $1,275 Actually Includes (2026)

Is Hampton Park or Cypress Gardens the cheaper Charleston venue?

Charleston pricing is set by venue: Hampton Park is a public park, and Cypress Gardens carries a venue-rental fee, so its packages cost more. Here's the full price grid as of 2026:

What every package includes

• Venue access. Hampton Park needs no permit from us; at Cypress Gardens the venue-rental fee and parking arrangement are paid by us as part of the package. No parks-department paperwork for you.
• A licensed South Carolina officiant. A professional officiant fully licensed to legally perform marriages in SC. Pre-ceremony consultation included — you'll speak with the officiant in advance to design the ceremony structure (traditional, religious, secular, vows-only, whatever fits you).
• A professional Charleston wedding photographer. Full ceremony coverage with edited high-resolution images delivered in a private online gallery. Gallery counts range from 100 to 200 photos depending on package length.
• Ceremony coordination. A dedicated planner runs the day — vendor arrival, timeline and license logistics. You just show up.
• Charleston County marriage license guidance. Step-by-step walkthrough of the Charleston County Probate Court application, what documents to bring, and how to time the 24-hour South Carolina waiting period so the license is in hand on ceremony day.

What's NOT included (and what it costs separately)

We're transparent about the few line items not bundled in:

• Marriage license fee: $70 paid directly to Charleston County Probate Court by the couple. Charleston County's application is online — no visit to the court — and must be on file 24 hours before the license is issued; the license arrives by email two business days after you apply. We coordinate timing.
• Videography (optional add-on): $675 on Getaway Plus, $1,075 on Friends and Family or the Weekend Package, $1,475 on Friends and Family Plus. A cinematic ceremony film, 2–3 minute highlight edit plus full ceremony cut.
• RAW photo files (optional add-on): $200 on Getaway Plus, $250 on Friends and Family or the Weekend Package, $300 on Friends and Family Plus. The unedited RAW files in addition to the edited gallery. Most couples skip this unless they plan to color-grade or print at very large sizes.
• Florals and hair and makeup. These are vendors you book independently, and we can recommend trusted Charleston-area options. Budget around $150–400 for a bouquet and $200–400 for HMUA. There are no chairs to rent: Hampton Park ceremonies have no seating.

How much does a traditional Charleston wedding cost?

The average Charleston wedding in 2025 cost between $35,000 and $55,000 according to The Knot's annual Real Weddings report. The breakdown looks roughly like this:

• Venue: $8,000–18,000
• Catering: $10,000–18,000
• Photography + videography: $4,500–8,500
• Florals: $3,500–7,500
• Music/DJ: $2,000–4,500
• Coordinator: $2,500–5,000
• Attire, hair/makeup, paper, transportation: $4,500–10,000

An all-inclusive Charleston elopement covers the venue, officiant, photographer, and coordinator pieces at a fraction of the total — typically 5–10% of a full Charleston wedding budget. Couples save the bulk of their money on catering, florals, music, and attire that scales with guest count.

Why couples pick Charleston specifically

Three reasons keep coming up in our pre-booking calls:

1. The Lowcountry aesthetic. Spanish moss, live oaks, cypress trees rising out of black water — Charleston produces a specific visual that's instantly recognizable in photos. Couples want the family albums to show somewhere obvious, not a generic field somewhere.
2. It's a destination without being inaccessible. Charleston has a major airport (CHS), is a 4–6 hour drive from most of the Southeast, and has enough hotels, restaurants, and activities to turn the elopement into a 3–4 day mini-honeymoon.
3. South Carolina's license process is simple. $70 fee, 24-hour waiting period, and Charleston County takes the whole application online — neither partner appears in person. We handle the timing.

How to book a Charleston elopement

1. Pick your venue — see the Charleston packages page for the side-by-side comparison of Hampton Park and Cypress Gardens.
2. Submit an inquiry with your preferred date — we'll confirm venue availability within 24 hours.
3. Once booked, we schedule a planning call to walk through the ceremony structure, license timing, and any add-ons (videography, additional guests, etc.).
4. About 30 days before the ceremony, we send you the Charleston County license application checklist. Both partners submit the application online (about 15 minutes, no visit required) and upload a photo ID.
5. On ceremony day: show up at the venue. We handle the rest.

Related reading

• All Charleston elopement packages compared (side by side)
• Cypress Gardens venue page — the Heirloom Garden venue
• Hampton Park venue page — the oak-canopy venue
• How to Elope in Charleston — License, Venues and Rules

See every venue, guest limit and price on the Charleston elopement packages page.