Your wedding day. Without a doubt, it's one of the most significant events you will ever experience - when you and the love of your life officially seal the deal and get married. On this day, your friends and family will gather to celebrate the next step in your life. Photographers will be running around snapping photos, catering plates delicious food for guests to enjoy, and the DJ sets the mood for a night of fun and libation. You've worked extra hard to make everything look perfect and run smoothly. You have examined every moving part down to the tiniest detail. At the center of all your effort is your wedding venue in Charleston, SC.
Your event space can mean the difference between an unforgettable event and an average occasion. Capturing your uniqueness as a couple is paramount to a memorable wedding. But, without the right venue location and staff, your unforgettable event can turn into a painfully average occasion. Fortunately, at Abney Hall, you won't ever have to worry about dingy reception spaces and crummy chow halls.
Constructed in Charleston, SC, in 1962, Abney Hall is 15,000 square feet and sits on 500 acres of land, making it a large wedding venue unlike any other. Abney Hall was originally the home of Mrs. Josephine Abney, a Charleston native who was a lifelong philanthropist. Mrs. Abney devoted much of her time and effort towards supporting charities, educational institutions, hospitals, and other noble efforts. Today, Abney Hall stands tall as a symbol of love, both in our community and for the couples who choose to get married here.
Abney Hall is an exclusive event experience unlike any other, surrounded by verdant forests and sparkling ponds. Our venue is a natural fit for several occasions, including:
The beginning of your life starts at Abney Hall. With our team by your side, we can create the fairy tale wedding you have dreamed about since childhood. Whether you have 100 guests or 1,000, our waterfront ceremony locations and French-inspired courtyard are perfect for your big day. Celebrate in luxurious style surrounded by shady magnolia trees, a private forest, large ponds, and the beauty of Mother Nature. While our venue location and aesthetic have been praised far and wide, so too have the practical aspects of Abney Hall. Looking for a relaxing, comfortable spot for your bridal party to get ready in? We offer an entire floor in the Abney Hall residence to get the bridal party ready. Want to make your groomsman feel extra-special too? We've got a private, plush house just feet from a sparkling pond that is a proper hangout spot for the guys in your group.
To make life easier on you, we also offer Abney Hall as your go-to spot for rehearsal dinners. Why book an expensive restaurant or travel to another location when unmatched beauty and convenience are right at your fingertips? Abney Hall is just the place for that very important dinner the night before your big day. We are also happy to host your bridal shower at Abney Hall. Our venue makes for one of Charleston's most unique bridal shower settings, where your family and friends can gather to give gifts and be merry before you walk down the aisle.
With such a large, magnificent house and a vast property, Abney Hall also makes for an unforgettable location for your bridal portraits and other wedding-related photography needs. Don't take our word for it - book a tour and see for yourself why so many new brides and grooms choose Abney Hall as their wedding venue in Charleston.
You've already found the person you want to spend the rest of your life beside. The next step? Finding the perfect wedding venue for your ceremony, reception, and celebration of your lifelong commitment to one another. Remember, the backdrop for photos, dancing, eating, and all other activities will be at your wedding venue. That's why we work so hard to set Abney Hall apart from our competitors - so you and your guests can focus on love and living your new life while we work with your vendors and photographers to make your magic night a reality.
Here are just a few reasons why guests choose Abney Hall as their wedding venue in Charleston, SC, along with some helpful tips from our experienced wedding venue staff:
Choosing the appropriate-sied venue for your desired guest count is a critical decision. A venue's capacity affects the number of people you need to consider having at your ceremony and reception. As you're first starting out, we recommend having a guest count in mind as you're searching for the right venue. Try to stick with that number. You may fall in love with a particular venue, but if its max capacity can't accommodate your guest count, it may be time to cross them off your list.
Keep in mind that this is your big day. You shouldn't feel obligated to invite the college roommate you shared a dorm with for one semester. At the end of the day, your wedding venue should be one that can accommodate those closest to you. Abney Hall is equipped for both small and large weddings, consisting of 500 acres of forest, ponds, and lush natural beauty. Whether you want an intimate wedding with only your best friends or a grand ceremony with hundreds of people, we have the right amount of room to make you comfortable.
On your big day, you're likely to have friends and family traveling in from other parts of the state or country. These folks will need a place to stay during and even after your wedding. Accessibility and ease are important factors when it comes to choosing your wedding venue for both you and your guests.
Located in Charleston, SC, Abney Hall is situated in a memorable, natural setting, giving your wedding a private vibe in the midst of Mother Nature. While we pride ourselves on having a secluded wedding event space, our venue is within an easy driving distance of hotels and vacation rentals.
When you contact us for a tour, make sure to speak with our experienced venue manager about nearby hotels and shuttle service options. We understand that your guest's comfort and convenience are important, and we're happy to work with you to figure out the best way to get your guests to Abney Hall.
At Abney Hall, our staff has earned its reputation as one of the industry's most friendly, accessible teams. We will provide you with a purpose-minded point of contact that can help answer questions relating to timelines, preferred vendors, and every aspect of your wedding. When you tour our wedding venue in Charleston, SC, for the first time, we want you to feel like you have all the information you need to make an informed purchasing decision.
At Abney Hall, our goal is to be your first resource when it comes to setting up and coordinating the details of your wedding day.
When it comes to your wedding's decor, you probably already have a few ideas in mind. We love it when our brides and grooms have a vision in mind because one of our greatest joys is turning that vision into a reality. At Abney Hall, our team is available to help you and your decorator fit, accent, and accommodate your fairy-tale wedding - whatever that may be.
Are you looking to dress up your wedding with decorations galore? Just want to add a few accents that tie into your preferred color palette? Abney Hall is versatile and ready to help however we are able.
If you're thinking about bringing in your own greenery, lighting, floral pieces, and more, we recommend discussing your vision with us on your initial tour of our event space. That way, we can get a head start on making your big day exactly how you envision it.
10 years from now, when you and your spouse are celebrating your anniversary, you will pull out photographs from your wedding and will reminisce about the unforgettable time you spent at Abney Hall. Your wedding photos will be with you forever, and as such, we work closely with you and your photographer to suggest extra-special photo op spots that you can only find on Abney Hall grounds.
From the grand staircase and French-inspired courtyard to our manicured gardens and lovely pond, there is no shortage of photo-op locations for your photographer to choose from. As one of the most popular wedding venues in Charleston, SC, we have worked with dozens of photographers over the years.
Our experience has allowed us to cultivate a list of preferred photographers - all of whom have the talent to take your pictures to the next level in a setting they're familiar with. We encourage you to check out our gallery to get a sense of the scope of our wedding venue and gain inspiration from other happy couples.
The gallery on our website is extensive but be sure to check out our Facebook and Instagram pages as well. We keep our social pages updated with recent wedding photographs, giving you an incredible resource that you can use for your own photography purposes.
Abney Hall is known across the United States for our stunning weddings, but we also play host to some of the largest corporate events in South Carolina. Why choose a bland, lifeless meeting space when you can enjoy the beauty of Mother Nature coupled with a professional atmosphere? If you have an important team-building event or corporate conference that you have to coordinate, look no further than Abney Hall.
The epitome of class and style, our corporate event space is large, lavish, and chock-full of onsite amenities for you and your co-workers to enjoy. If your team needs a morale boost, don't bring them to the local Olive Garden for a cheap lunch. Treat them to a refreshing experience in our main dining room, where we can work with you to incorporate your catering options with the goals of your event.
When the hard work is done, and your team needs a breather, what better way to relax than with a quick dip in our pool? To burn off a little steam, head over to our brand-new tennis court - the perfect place to get some exercise in an ultra-private setting while you enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. Don't forget to bring your fishing poles for a couple of hours of fishing. There's even an opportunity to go hunting if you wish.
If you're ready to learn more about Abney Hall as your wedding venue, don't hesitate to reach out. We would love to hear more about your plans, your vision, and your needs. We know that planning a wedding isn't easy. It takes time, attention to detail, and a whole lot of patience. Our goal is to help provide you with all the info you need to learn more about our venue. Once you decide on a date, we'll work closely with you and your vendors to craft a wedding experience that you will treasure for the rest of your life.
Our available dates for your big day are going quick, especially during peak seasons like spring and fall. We look forward to hearing from you soon!
Contact us today for a FREE initial consultationThe work continues to move nearly 200 James Island residences from septic tanks to sewer lines.JAMES ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - The work continues to move nearly 200 James Island residences from septic tanks to sewer lines.Officials are now sharing a rough timeline of the over $10 million project and what residents can expect will be installed in their yards.James Island Public Service District officials said the projected investment for this project is around $52,000 per property or $10.3 million total.They said the m...
The work continues to move nearly 200 James Island residences from septic tanks to sewer lines.
JAMES ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - The work continues to move nearly 200 James Island residences from septic tanks to sewer lines.
Officials are now sharing a rough timeline of the over $10 million project and what residents can expect will be installed in their yards.
James Island Public Service District officials said the projected investment for this project is around $52,000 per property or $10.3 million total.
They said the majority of the cost per property will be covered by a combination of federal, state and local funding, but the big question within the affected neighborhoods is: what will each homeowner have to pay out of pocket?
“You know the cost is going to be everybody’s concern and mine as well,” resident John Gerlow said. “There’s going to be a tipping point for a lot of people, where is that tipping point, is it $1,000, $2,000? Is it $5,000?”
Gerlow said despite the anxiety about the unknown cost, he thinks the benefit to the James Island Creek will be worth it.
“That’s why everybody loves the Lowcountry right? Because of the beautiful waterways. And if we can’t go out there and swim and fish and have a good time then we’re really not experiencing the low country,” Gerlow said.
DHEC named James Island Creek an impaired waterway over three years ago, and James Island officials said septic tanks leaking into the creek is a primary cause of the bacteria.
The District Manager of the James Island Public Service District David Schaeffer said as the sea level rises, septic tanks will continue to become less effective, and cause more pollution in waterways. He says now is an ideal time for homeowners near the creek to switch off septic.
“This is the time to do it because the federal dollars, the state dollars, the local match dollars are all there,” Schaeffer said.
Schaeffer said the Service District hopes to have the engineering and construction contracts by the end of 2024, and to begin hooking residents into the sewer system by the third quarter of 2025.
The Service District will work with each homeowner to install these grinder pumps into their yards to connect them to sewer.
He said the “tap and impact fee,” or what residents will have to pay out of pocket, is still unknown, however--
“We want to be able to minimize those financial burdens on each one of the customers,” Schaeffer said. “And we’re going to be working with other localities and continue to pursue all the funding sources available.”
The Mayor of James Island, Bill Woolsey, said although there’s been a mixed response from residents, they have no choice but to move forward with the switch.
“If the town and the city and the county do not take action to clean up the creek, this could be like million dollar per day fines,” Woolsey said. “So, we are obligated to do something.”
Schaeffer said affected homeowners can expect a letter the week of June 12 with more details and says to be on the lookout for community meetings in the coming months.
Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.
Malaysian restaurant Makan, currently based in D.C., is actively exploring a second location in the Lowcountry. “I grew up in South Carolina, have family in Charleston, and have always loved the city’s warmth, beauty, and history,” says Makan chef James Wozniuk, “The last few years it has become such a versatile food city full of people who just love trying new things and having a good time.”Wozniuk thinks that there is a...
Malaysian restaurant Makan, currently based in D.C., is actively exploring a second location in the Lowcountry. “I grew up in South Carolina, have family in Charleston, and have always loved the city’s warmth, beauty, and history,” says Makan chef James Wozniuk, “The last few years it has become such a versatile food city full of people who just love trying new things and having a good time.”
Wozniuk thinks that there is a place for Malaysian cuisine in Charleston. “It’s both unique and very approachable,” he says, “There are influences from China and India that people will recognize and super-cool things people won’t, but all of it is delicious.”
His obsession with Malaysian cuisine began on a research trip while he was a chef de cuisine at Cambodian and Taiwanese cafe Maketto, also based in D.C. After a 15-hour layover in Kuala Lumpur, on the way to Hanoi, he found himself going back multiple times to research and eat. He went on to open Makan in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of D.C. in 2020.
Eater D.C. lists Makan as one of its essential restaurants, stating:
At this Malaysian restaurant in Columbia Heights, chef James Wozniuk navigates a balance of pungent, spicy-sweet, and funky umami flavors that vary in intensity but never veer out of control. Wozniuk’s condiments — sambal made from bird’s eye chiles, palm sugar, tamarind, and fried anchovies; appetite-piquing pickled limes with prune and golden raisin; and peanut-based satay sauce — assert themselves in an array of rice and noodle dishes. The bar mixes complex tropical cocktails, like a blackstrap rum and pineapple Jungle Bird, that vie for attention.
“I fell in love with Malaysia over a decade ago and it was so amazing to bring that to D.C. when we opened Makan there,” says Wozniuk, “I just hope we can bring the same love into Charleston and be a part of that natural hospitality the city’s known for.”
In preparation for a second location, Makan is doing a pop-up at Chasing Sage (267 Rutledge Avenue) on Sunday, June 11, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., with reservations available on Resy.
DuPont and two of its spinoff businesses have agreed to pay almost $1.2 billion to settle litigation over toxic chemicals that contaminated water systems across the country, days before a high-stakes trial is scheduled to get underway in Charleston.The deal was announced June 2, as lawyers met with a judge in a federal courtroom on Broad Street to receive instructions about the proceedings set to begin next week.DuPont de Nemours Inc., Chemours Co. and Corteva Inc. said they reached an “agreement in principle” to se...
DuPont and two of its spinoff businesses have agreed to pay almost $1.2 billion to settle litigation over toxic chemicals that contaminated water systems across the country, days before a high-stakes trial is scheduled to get underway in Charleston.
The deal was announced June 2, as lawyers met with a judge in a federal courtroom on Broad Street to receive instructions about the proceedings set to begin next week.
DuPont de Nemours Inc., Chemours Co. and Corteva Inc. said they reached an “agreement in principle” to settle claims over a class of man-made substances known as “forever chemicals.” The $1.18 billion payment will go into a compensation fund.
The companies and other big-name manufacturers such as 3M Co. are facing more than 4,000 lawsuits that have been assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Richard Gergel of Charleston. Many of the complaints allege that the toxic substances leached into public and private water systems, triggering a host of human health ailments, ranging from cancer to fertility issues.
DuPont, Chemours and Corteva denied the allegations in their joint statement Friday. They said that they expect by next month to submit a formal agreement that will require Gergel’s approval.
It would mark the first major settlement among the mountain of cases that have been transferred to federal court in Charleston over the past four years.
The companies said they “will continue to assert their strong legal defenses in pending litigation” if for some reason the deal isn’t finalized.
The settlement excludes personal-injury lawsuits and water-contamination complaints that some states are pursuing on their own against DuPont, Chemours and Corteva. The companies said they “will continue to assess and defend the cases” that aren’t being resolved.
The deal does not exempt other defendants from the litigation.
“This settlement by DuPont, in our mind’s eye, deals with really just a fraction of this contamination,” Michael London, lead counsel for one of the law firms that has been filing the cases, told the Associated Press.
At the core of the litigation are “perfluoroalkyl” and “polyfluoroalkyl” substances that have been used for decades in a variety of consumer products, from Teflon-coated cookware to waterproof clothing to stain-free carpeting. They earned the “forever” moniker because they don’t break down easily.
The trial scheduled in Charleston next week centers on the use of the chemicals in a firefighting foam developed in the 1960s that allegedly contaminated the water system in Stuart, Fla., after being sprayed repeatedly on the ground for years during training exercises.
The coastal beach community north of West Palm Beach is seeking $115 million from 3M to pay for various expenses, such as new water-purification equipment and the removal of polluted soil. Bloomberg News reported Friday that the Minnesota-based company is considering a minimum $10 billion settlement to end its role in the foam case, citing unidentified sources.
“Our take: We are excited that 3M appears to be making progress, but more is needed before we think we’ll see a real clearing event for the name,” Sanford C. Bernstein analysts wrote in a note. “We also emphasize the report of ‘at least’ $10B in settlement and believe ultimate settlement will end up significantly higher.”
3M declined to comment on the settlement report.
Earlier in the day, Gergel said he expected “a multiweek trial” that would begin after the jury is selected. He also set down some ground rules, such as requiring that facemasks be worn to avoid “a petri dish” environment.
He said another one of his “peculiarities” is that he likes “to keep a speedy trial,” and that lawyers need to be sure their witnesses are outside the courtroom when called to testify.
“Not at Starbucks. Not having a cigarette,” Gergel said.
The first thing to keep in mind is that Eric Gallien had no control over how the Charleston County School Board came to offer him the job as superintendent. Regardless of what we think of the board or its search process, and assuming Dr. Gallien and the board reach an agreement for him to take over running the district, we should all be pulling for him to succeed.The second thing to keep in mind is that the secretive way the board handled the search was not technically in violation of state law — although it certainly violated t...
The first thing to keep in mind is that Eric Gallien had no control over how the Charleston County School Board came to offer him the job as superintendent. Regardless of what we think of the board or its search process, and assuming Dr. Gallien and the board reach an agreement for him to take over running the district, we should all be pulling for him to succeed.
The second thing to keep in mind is that the secretive way the board handled the search was not technically in violation of state law — although it certainly violated the spirit of that law when it refused to release the names of the three finalists until the search firm gave its blessing.
South Carolina’s Freedom of Information Act requires state and local governments to release the names and materials gathered about three finalists for government jobs. This isn’t simply so we can second-guess hires after the fact: It’s supposed to give the public a chance to vet the candidates and provide boards with information they might not otherwise have, in order to make the best selection.
Some state and local boards and councils embrace the requirement and would release names, bios and other information even if it weren’t required, and they would do so well in advance of making their choice, because they recognize they can reach a better decision if they know more about a candidate than what a search firm tells them.
The third thing to keep in mind is that the Charleston school board isn’t the first governing board that has refused to provide that open process, where the public gets a chance to weigh in and board members actually consider that input before making a decision. But it needs to be the last.
And until the Legislature takes action to prevent other state and local governing bodies from locking the public out of the hiring process, apparently we need to start scrutinizing the contracts between governmental entities and the search firms they hire to create a slate of candidates.
We already knew from the search that led to the University of South Carolina hiring Bob Caslen as president that search firms and, when they’re also employed, search committees can stack the deck by winnowing down the list of candidates to the one they want to get the job along with a few other candidates they know will be unacceptable.
What we learned in the local superintendent search was how search firms can give boards another excuse — not a legitimate excuse, but an excuse — to make sure the public doesn’t have a clue who the candidates are until a decision has been made.
The Illinois-based search firm BWP and Associates presented the school board with information about six candidates, the board winnowed the list to three, and then refused to release their names. The story’s a little convoluted from here, involving a leak of the three finalists’ names on social media while the district still hadn’t released the names, and two candidates dropping out because their names had been released before they expected. Which might or might not have been their reason and in any case isn’t relevant.
What’s relevant is that school board chairwoman Pam McKinney told The Post and Courier’s Sara Gregory that the board had a confidentiality agreement with the search firm. “Our understanding with BWP is that the information about the applicants is kept confidential and is the property of BWP until a finalist is decided by the board,” she said.
Which is astounding. Who in the world enters into a contract like that? Don’t answer; unfortunately, it’s not the first time a South Carolina governing board has agreed via contract to hide public information from the public and in some cases directly violate state law.
It’s more astounding coming from a chairwoman who as recently as December declared that at least when it comes to the superintendent search: “We’ve got to be more open. We will not go into executive session unless it’s required by law.” Yet the board has discussed the superintendent search multiple times in executive session — and never because state law required it to do so.
All this despite the fact that most board members were backed by — and some would argue propelled by — the lobbying group Moms for Liberty, which considers government transparency so important that it requires not only candidates it endorses but even parents who seek to join the group to pledge support for increasing transparency. And this board full of Moms for Liberty-endorsed members entered into a contract that allowed a private entity to dictate when and whether it complied with an important state transparency law.
School board members need to apologize to the public for the secrecy that has surrounded this search — and pledge to reform. Moms for Liberty needs to demand those changes — and hold its board members to account if changes aren’t forthcoming.
And while we await the advent of porcine aviation, our Legislature needs to make it clear that public officials may not enter into contracts that are at odds with state law. It also needs to put more detail into the public vetting law. That could start with requiring state and local agencies to release the list of finalists a week before a vote, along with new penalties tough enough to get elected officials’ attention.
With a powerful yet vulnerable presence Willie Lee Kinard III opened Piccolo Spoleto’s Sundown Poetry Series on May 30, guiding listeners through the complex journey of growing up Black in the religious South.The series features multiple poets reading their work in the warm sunsets at Washington Square Park. With each poet vulnerably reciting art made from their own experiences, the Sundown Poetry Series is a must-see for anyone eager to learn what it’s like to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes.In coming day...
With a powerful yet vulnerable presence Willie Lee Kinard III opened Piccolo Spoleto’s Sundown Poetry Series on May 30, guiding listeners through the complex journey of growing up Black in the religious South.
The series features multiple poets reading their work in the warm sunsets at Washington Square Park. With each poet vulnerably reciting art made from their own experiences, the Sundown Poetry Series is a must-see for anyone eager to learn what it’s like to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes.
In coming days, festival-goers can enjoy these poets as the sun sets in the part at 80 Broad St. Signings and receptions will follow at nearby Buxton Books, 160 King St.:
Sharing an hour of his life through prose, Kinard read from work from across the years, some published in poetry journals, such as Poetry Foundation and Poetry Daily, while others came from his self-published book “Chroma.”
Every carefully dictated word dripped with emotion and determination, syllables neatly flowing into each other in lines such as “Yes, shaken does the body good” from “The Choir, or Chatteracks” — a reminiscing of his time in a gospel choir.
Ending each poem with a thank you, Kinard followed with a short retelling of what the work meant to him, maybe a joke about his grandmother or their upbringing in Newberry, S.C.
In the sonnet “Catfish,” Kinard combined Southern fish fry and the social media term for when someone pretends to be someone else, blending together tradition and the contemporary.
“I fed thousands of egos, served my body hot off the skillet and expected to still have feeling in it,” Kinard said.
In these words, Kinard described the struggles of hiding or changing themselves entirely in hopes of getting love in return, only to lose themselves in the end.
With an easily embraced and in-your-face style of poetry, Kinard set the ideal stage for the rest of the Sundown Poetry Sessions.
With a copy of her debut poetry collection “Thresh and Hold” in hand, Marlanda Dekine’s session of Piccolo Spoleto’s Sundown Poetry shared a look at the world through the lenses of sunflower-yellow glasses.
Starting in a world of chartreuse blades of grass with “Origin,” Dekine’s poems drew not only from the lived experience of an entire life, but from those which came before as well.
“I couldn’t escape the stories,” Dekine said, remarking on how the collection was never intended be as seemingly auto-biographical as it became. In “My Black, Rural, Queer Childhood,” the auto-biographical nature of the collection was apparent in more than just themes as Dekine seemed to touch on feelings of dysphoria and presentation with the feeling of wanting a body that isn’t referred to as such.
Bound together in the collection by recurring images of nightingales and shades of “collard-colored greens” and purples, tinted photographs of the mind intermingled with those more material vignettes, stories that her family had shared were seemingly exposed over a very different kind of life in Dekine’s words.
With no small amount to draw upon, the ways in which Dekine spoke about religion showed a deeper connection to it than many other queer poets, something used to incredible effect in “When The Preacher Was God.” Remarking on both her grandma’s violet church hat and her grandfather’s booming voice in the church, the imagery used was almost close to Genesis, even as Dekine invoked the more contemporary Sega version.
With a captivating use of language that Dekine remarked was fed to them “like grits,” Piccolo Spoleto’s Sundown Poetry has brought in works that are not only well-told and unique, but manage to push the boundaries more than written words can do alone.
IF YOU PLAN TO GO: 6 p.m. at Washington Square Park, 80 Broad St. on June 2, 6, 7, 8 and 9. Free admission. Receptions follow at Buxton Books, 160 King Street.
Timia Cobb and C.M. McCambridge are arts journalism graduate students at Syracuse University.
Love Best of Charleston?
Help the Charleston City Paper keep Best of Charleston going every year with a donation. Or sign up to become a member of the Charleston City Paper club.