Bachelorette Session | Isle of Palms



If you’ve ever walked down King Street on a Saturday evening, you know Charleston’s the “It City” for bachelorette parties. So when North Carolina native and bride-to-be Cristen decided to hold her own bachelorette party here, she wanted to make sure it was a standout event, and one that was well-documented. To do both, she enlisted photographer Charlie Martin to capture the weekend, an idea he loves. “Too often,” Charlie says, “brides are super focused on the wedding day and not all the days leading up to it. Every single day, event, and moment leading up to the biggest day of your life is worth being professionally captured for you to look back on and smile.” Cristen’s bachelorettes created the hashtag #VaughnVoyage for the festivities (Cristen’s last name is Vaughn, and the weekend was a chance to say “bon voyage” to her maiden name), and they decorated their Isle of Palms rental with palm leaves, pineapples, and rose gold accents to fit the theme. Read on for their weekend itinerary and score ideas for your own bridal bash.

Friday

Guests arrived at the beach house to find canvas welcome bags filled with personalized notes, bracelets, tattoos, candies, and, of course, some Advil. They mingled, munched on tacos, and sipped Mexican beer as travelers trickled in.

Saturday

The morning began with breakfast and a mimosa bar, followed by a quick change into matching monogrammed shirts before a DIY flower crown workshop. (This is when Charlie showed up to capture the midday fun.) The ladies (and gentleman) then changed for a night on the town, starting with a trip to the Historic Downtown Market, cocktails at The Cocktail Club’s rooftop bar, and then dinner at Stars.

Sunday

While many bachelorette weekends kick off with a lingerie shower, these gals (and guy) held Cristen’s on Sunday morning and dubbed it “Bagels & Bras.” Consider a similar idea for a low-key ending to your celebratory weekend.

Images by Charlie Martin Photography

The Wedding Row

September 18 2019
It’s hump day, and to help you get through the rest of the week—you. can. do. it.—we’re bringing you all the pretty (and then some) from Brynne and Alex’s Big Day at The Gibbes Museum of Art. Though...

September 16 2019

September 10 2019
We had a brief hurricane hiatus (ugh, Dorian), but we’re back in full action and bringing you the backyard summer soirée of your dreams. So, grab your drink and kick up your heels for this A-plus...

September 4 2019
Cue the “awwws” because we’ve got an endearing engagement shoot filled with love, nose boops, and … potatoes. Yep, that’s what Keely was seasoning one random Friday evening when Poole got down on one...

September 2 2019
We’re kicking off this four-day week with an ever-so glamorous wedding filled with southern hospitality, sequins, and more florals than a girl could ever dream of. Seriously. Erin and Andrew met one...

August 30 2019
Alrighty everyone, we’re kicking off this Friday on a fabulous note. There is so much goodness wrapped up in this waterside wedding and you will be amazed at every last detail. We certainly were....

August 28 2019
The day that Lee, Andrew, and their adorable son, Camon, all became one was for sure a day to remember. Check out the elegantly rustic greenery hanging above the space at The Cedar Room that the very...

August 27 2019
My, oh my. This Charleston engagement shoot has our wedding-loving hearts bursting at the seams. Historic downtown buildings, two elegantly blue-hued wardrobes, the breezy Folly Beach air, AND two...