Pretty Place Wedding: Martine + Maurice

One of the most iconic views in this area is the beautiful setting for Pretty Place Chapel at YMCA Camp Greenville in South Carolina! I remember when we first moved here and we didn’t know every place or picture you would see online by name, and you would play that game where you try to describe it and people try to guess. You never have that issue with Pretty Place. After a brief description, everyone knows where you are talking about. Beyond being a scenic location, Pretty Place holds a special place in our hearts because of Martine and Maurice. They are the first couple whose wedding we’ve been a part of there and after getting to connect with them both via FaceTime and finally for their engagement session we knew we were going to be in for a special day! They were both so kind hearted and genuine you couldn’t help but absolutely love these two. Not to mention their love and belief in Christ was something we connected on from the start. You may remember these two when from when we featured their engagement session in Savannah in July! We knew they had unparalleled passion so heading into their wedding day we were excited about getting to capture that again, but what we didn’t anticipate was how strong of a bond they shared with all of those around them, friends and family alike. Friends were more like close brothers and sisters, and everyone we met had a story about Martine and Maurice. Looking back there were so many beautiful moments throughout the day, but I think our favorite was a few hours before the ceremony. Many of the special happenings we know about because the bride and groom will tell us about them in advance, or it will be something noted on the timeline, but this was one of those unexpected ones that for me, was one of the more powerful throughout the day and spoke volumes to the connection they share with their loved ones. After getting ready, Maurice called all of his groomsmen into the room and informed them that he had a special message from Martine for each and of them. It was a letter she had written to all of his best friends and his brother and while I won’t pretend to remember every single word, she thanked them all. She thanked them for helping shape, support, and love the man she fell in love with. She knew that each and every one of them had played a significant role in Maurice’s life and that role ultimately helped shape who he’s become as a person, a believer, and a soon to be husband. As Maurice read those words, tears soon formed and you could’ve heard a a pin drop as he was surrounded by all of his closest friends. As I looked at his friends, many of them had to wipe away tears as well. It was one of those moments that was a gut level reminder of why we do what we do. Yes, the florals are nice, the sunsets are cool, and the views can be quite epic, but getting to capture human connection at it’s most raw form is what it’s all about for us! We hope you see and connect with that as you journey with us on Martine and Maurice’s wedding day!