Charleston SC Engagement Photos at Sullivan’s Island

Couples

Charleston SC engagement photos don’t get much better than this. From the windswept dunes to the glowing shoreline, Emma and Chandler’s session on Sullivan’s Island was full of sun, salty breeze, and laughter. The kind of shoot where I’m smiling behind the camera the entire time.

These two embody everything I love about engagement sessions, completely themselves, up for anything, and naturally full of joy. And as a Charleston SC engagement photographer, it’s sessions like this that make me feel like I have the best job in the world.

Couple holding hands and walking down a wooden boardwalk surrounded by greenery, captured by a Charleston SC engagement photographer.

Romantic moment on the boardwalk as the couple leans in, holding hands and smiling at each other during their Charleston SC engagement photos.

Bride-to-be looking back over her shoulder with a big smile while walking with her fiancé near the Sullivan’s Island lighthouse during their Charleston SC engagement session.

Close-up of an engagement ring on her hand resting against her partner’s striped blue shirt during a Charleston SC engagement session at Sullivan’s Island.

Couple dancing near Sullivan’s Island lighthouse during Charleston SC engagement session.

Black and white photo of the couple sharing a kiss while holding hands, a timeless Charleston SC engagement photo.

Black and white image of the couple walking hand in hand along the Sullivan’s Island boardwalk, captured by a Charleston SC engagement photographer.

Emma & Chandler’s Love Story

Their love story started in such a 2020 way, through a Boeing internship (it was virtual due to Covid). During that summer, they spent countless hours on the phone, completely professional and platonic, until Chandler asked for Emma’s number on the last day. (Love a bold move!) A week later, she “just happened” to be visiting a friend in Charleston and got to meet him in person. The rest, of course, is history.

They’re a couple with a kind of ease that comes with being so well-matched. This shoot felt like a true reflection of their relationship, playful, affectionate, and completely at home in one another’s presence. I cannot wait to shoot their downtown Charleston wedding next May!

Couple sitting barefoot in the sand dunes at Sullivan’s Island, forehead to forehead, captured by Charleston SC engagement photographer.

Romantic kiss on the sand dunes during Charleston SC engagement photos at Sullivan’s Island.

Man wraps arms around his fiancée from behind, both laughing, during Charleston SC engagement session.

Close-up of the couple smiling while running hand in hand along the beach dunes, captured by a Charleston SC engagement photographer at Sullivan’s Island.

Why Sullivan’s Island is Perfect for Charleston SC Engagement Photos

If you’re looking for the ideal backdrop for your Charleston SC engagement photos, Sullivan’s Island checks every box. You’ve got sweeping ocean views, soft sand dunes, sea oats that sway in the breeze, and that iconic lighthouse standing tall in the distance.

It’s relaxed, romantic, and effortlessly beautiful, just like Emma and Chandler. We had a warm, breezy evening which gave us soft light and just enough wind to create that carefree, lived-in look I love so much in photos.

As a Charleston SC engagement photographer, I always want the location to support your story, not overpower it. Sullivan’s Island gave us just that. With each step along the boardwalk or splash in the waves, these two made the space come alive.

Couple holding hands and smiling at each other during their Charleston SC engagement photos on Sullivan’s Island beach.

Close-up of the couple holding hands during their Charleston SC engagement session, showing off the bride-to-be’s engagement ring against the ocean backdrop.

Close-up of a couple walking barefoot along the shoreline during their Charleston SC engagement session, the bride-to-be holding her cream dress above the tide.

Bride-to-be walking along the shoreline in her cream dress with her fiancé blurred in the background, a romantic Charleston SC engagement photo on Sullivan’s Island.

Groom-to-be playfully wrapping his arms around his fiancée from behind as they laugh together during their Charleston SC engagement session at the beach.

Couple laughing and hugging tightly with ocean waves behind them, a fun and romantic moment captured during their Charleston SC engagement photos.

Black and white engagement photo of the couple laughing together as he dips her at the water’s edge on Sullivan’s Island, taken by a Charleston SC engagement photographer.

How to Capture Playful, Natural Engagement Photos

You don’t have to be naturally comfortable in front of the camera to get incredible engagement photos. Emma and Chandler were a little nervous at first (which is so normal), but they leaned into each other and trusted me to guide them through it.

We did lots of playful poses because that’s so them—always active, always laughing, and completely at home on the beach. Barefoot in the dunes, spinning on the boardwalk, splashing in the waves… every moment felt like a snapshot of the fun they have living life together in Charleston. The gallery tells their story in the most genuine, joy-filled way.

When couples relax into the moment and focus on each other, that’s when the magic happens. It’s less about “posing” and more about feeling and giving yourselves permission to have fun with it.

Woman riding piggyback on her partner’s back, both laughing as they walk barefoot along the beach at sunset.

Groom-to-be spinning his fiancée around in his arms as they laugh, standing in the shallow tide.

Fiancé holding hands with bride-to-be during playful Charleston beach engagement session

Couple running through the water together, the woman looking back and smiling at her partner splashing behind her.

Woman in a cream dress laughing while running toward her partner in a striped shirt across the shoreline.

Client Love

“This was the best email to pop up!!! Thank you so much! They are amazing.”

Playful moment of a man lifting his fiancée in his arms as she laughs, with the ocean in the background.

Romantic shot of a woman kissing her fiancé on the forehead as he holds her in his arms, with her hair blowing in the ocean breeze.

Woman wrapping her arms around her partner’s neck while he carries her on his back along the shoreline.

Couple embracing during Charleston engagement photos at the ocean

Playful moment of couple running through the waves together

Black and white photo of a couple holding hands while running together into the ocean waves.

Couple walking barefoot along the beach during Charleston engagement photos

The bride-to-be kisses her fiancé on the cheek during their Charleston SC engagement photos

The bride-to-be embraces her fiancé during their Charleston SC engagement photos

Planning Your Own Charleston Engagement Session?

Whether you’re newly engaged or just dreaming of documenting your love story by the water, I’d love to help you plan a shoot that feels like you. Charleston is one of my favorite places for engagement photos—there’s just something about the mix of charm, coast, and golden light that makes sessions here feel relaxed, playful, and timeless.

If you’re looking for a Charleston SC engagement photographer who will make you feel comfortable, give you gentle direction, and create space for real moments, let’s chat!