Since the coronavirus has spread throughout the United States, thousands of couples have had to adjust or change their wedding’s plans in an effort to keep themselves and those they love safe. Alisha and Stephen are one of those couples directly affected by the coronavirus and the virus’s spread throughout the country. I’m excited to share with you their beautiful Columbia SC wedding images from a day that looked very different from the celebration they had originally planned, but was still beautiful and perfect in it’s own COVID wedding way.

Alisha and Stephen decided to hold onto their original wedding date and vendors, and worked with their incredible planner, Ashly of By Invitation Only, on adjusting their wedding day from the grand affair they had planned to a small backyard celebration. The couple invited only their immediate family members, got married in the groom’s mother’s backyard, and celebrated with a seated dinner with the family to wrap up the evening.

Photographing their Details

Even though Alisha and Stephen did not have the day they planned, I did my best to ensure that the galley they received from this celebration looked as close to any other wedding day gallery would, COVID wedding or not. I wanted to make sure that COVID-19 did not affect their wedding photos too much, and to do that I started with photographing their details like I would any other wedding day! Alisha invested in some really cute little pieces for me to photograph with her details, and I really enjoyed started off their wedding day with a sense of normalcy.

Getting Ready for their Ceremony

The bride got ready in a room across the house from her groom with one of her best friends and her mother, while Stephen prepared for his wedding day with his mom and other close family members. The couple decided not to see each other before the ceremony, and it was so sweet to see Stephen‘s reaction to his bride come down the ‘aisle’ during their intimate ceremony.

Intimate, Backyard Wedding Ceremony

The couple shared vows in front of their immediate family members in short, intimate ceremony. I absolutely love the photos of them recessing down the aisle after their ceremony because you can just see the joy on their faces! These two literally danced their way down the aisle as husband and wife!

COVID Wedding Portraits

Wedding Portraits with their Pup

After their ceremony, I took some time with a couple to photograph them together, separately, and with their four-legged fur baby. I knew Alisha and Steven were a beautiful couple from their Columbia South Carolina engagement session earlier this year, but let me tell you about these wedding portraits!!! Whew! Some of these frames are my favorite couples photos I’ve taken this spring!! Even COVID-19 couldn’t stop the gorgeousness and pure joy of Alisha and Stephen.

Outdoor Seated Dinner Reception

After we wrapped up photos of the couple together, they joined their family for a outdoor seated dinner designed by By Invitation Only and catered by Southern Way Catering. Something Special Florist did an incredible job with all of the florals all day to ensure that Alisha and Stephen’s COVID wedding was just as beautiful as another other spring affair.

We ended the night with a staged sparkler exit to ensure that the couple received the exit photo they had always wanted from their wedding day.

Columbia SC COVID Wedding

I hope you enjoyed looking through these Columbia SC wedding photos from Alisha and Stephen’s COVID wedding. I am so proud of these two for prioritizing themselves and their families by moving forward with a day that turned out to be absolutely perfect for them.

I hope this post and these images encourage more couples to move forward with their dates with just a few adjusted plans. Just because we are in the midst of the pandemic does not mean that love is canceled. In fact, love is not canceled. Your big celebration with 250 guests may have to be adjusted, but love? Nope. That’s not going anywhere. Alisha and Stephen are here to prove it to you!

Vendors:

Venue: Family Home

Bride’s Apparel:  New York Bride and Groom Columbia

Groom’s Apparel: Men’s Wearhouse

Florist:  Something Special Florist

Wedding Cake Vendor: Cake Collection Boutique

Wedding Coordinator/Planner:  Ashly Gregor, By Invitation Only 

Makeup Artist: Cece Tillmon

Catering Company: Southern Way Catering 

Paper Products: Minted

Furniture Rentals: Party Reflections