It certainly didn’t stop this wedding from being so pretty and SO FUN.

I am very happy for this fine looking couple!!!!

I was thrilled to be part of their fun wedding at Wild Dunes of course it was even MORE fun becuase I got to work with the one and only hunky DJ Rob Duren. That was great.

Not to mention as always the wonderful staff at Wild Dunes and the GORGEOUS flowers by Justin and JW Weddings and Events!!!

This wedding was really lovely, though. Kristin made so many great choices for her special day and you could really tell… from picking the right guy (so cute, Mr. Man) to having caring friends all around her and LOVING family. It was fun to be a part of!!!

That’s me, tugging on Randy’s tie. We became fast friends.

Later he would introduce me to the CUTE man he was dating. It would take me awhile to realize that I KNEW this man!!! We had grown up in the same church in Mt. Pleasant. His mother had taught me 4 year old kindergarten! What a small world.

When they asked me to photograph their wedding I could not be more excited and honored to do this for them and to see them happily married.

Randy said it best later that day in his toast to the crowd. He never thought he would ever see a day like this for himself and to have all his family and friends around him overwhelmed him with joy.

Me, too.

I believe in love. I believe that and two adults should be able to celebrate that love in the bonds of marriage. Gay or straight.

I hear people say that gay marriage threatens the sanctity of “traditional” marriage. Well, I for one, found my own love of my own hunky man strengthened watching these two lovely people vow to care for one another for their lives ahead. New love always has a way of reminding me of the vows I took and how much I still care about them today. MY life is better knowing these two can openly love each other… or any two for that matter.

All you need is love.

AND a smart one. Since they were having a formal 6pm wedding they knew that a first look was a great idea so they could make sure they could get some lovely portrait shots before it got super dark (and super COLD)!! I really love that part!!!

After that the pressure is OFF and the wedding was just fun and sweet… and FUN!!!

So, I thank you for making this my 4th year in a row to win!

Thanks Theresa!!

Marisa is so full of energy and fun! And of course, their adorable doggies!!!!!

Congratulations to you both. I had a great time!

I have always been in love with the history of Charleston SC, but it wasn’t until I decided to be a tour guide in 2003 that my studies would lead to to SO MANY of my own ancestors. My 10X great grandfather, Solomon Legare came to Charleston in 1690 to escape persecution of the Huguenots in France. His legacy in this town touches so many lives and other families and I found it fascinating to walk by houses they would have lived in and think of the people that they would have known.

As Liz Duren Photography really took off as a business in 2004 I left my love of walking tourist through the city behind and focused on all the great times this company has given me… and then one day it hit me… I CAN DO BOTH….

It was 2010 and my hunky husband, Rob Duren and I took took the kids on a week long trip to Disney. Now, it has been well established int he family that I am not allowed to bring a camera on vacation… kind of along the same lines as no cel phones at the dinner table… the focus is ON FAMILY. (not to mention that I could not stand the idea of not being totally hands free for rides and running around, who wants the burden of schlepping a camera?). So, I told my kids… no camera, BUT every single time there is an opportunity to see one of those park photogs we will STOP and get a picture so we have
1. the memories to look back on and
B. A FAMILY PICTURE. And we got one too…. (of course I had to run it through my own editing magic, you don’t get a shot like THAT from a Disney photog!)

And it hit me… wouldn’t that be great in a city as beautiful as Charleston! Get a great walking tour, make it personal with my own family stories and get some really cute pics of YOU on VACATION! I bet people who visit here go home with lots of window boxes and churches and stuff but what about EACH OTHER!

So, Say Charleston was born.

Of course, I do find that I tend to collect m own collection of NON people shots on these tours, and I’m happy to share tips and tricks to make your OWN shots better.

So, as friends come into town or if you need a fun way for your out of town WEDDING guests to spend their time in the city, don’t forget Say Charleston!

And then later during their dance…. awwwwwww…