We’ve got another post coming at you for the Greenville Wedding Venue series! This time, it’s one of our favorites, Pretty Place Chapel! It’s officially called the Fred W Symmes Chapel at YMCA Camp Greenville, but around here we call it Pretty Place Chapel for obvious reasons!

With stunning mountain views, this DEFINITELY has that “wow” factor you want for your wedding. Seriously, when you get up here it is magical and it takes your breath away! Right in the center of the view is a wooden cross and across the top is a passage from the Psalms that says “I Lift My Eyes Up to the Hills…”

This is a magical, awe-inspiring place to get married. Sunrises here are out of this world. If you’re brave enough to have a sunrise wedding, you will not regret it! It’s seriously incredible.

Timelines at Pretty Place

Pretty Place usually books weddings in 2-hour time slots, and they are really strict on the time limit! We have to work quickly when we are here. But we always make sure to grab couple portraits in front of the cross and with the mountain view!

One thing to keep in mind when having your wedding at Pretty Place is that guests often underestimate how long it will take them to get up the mountain. Out of the five times we’ve been here, most of them have started their ceremonies a few minutes late to give people time to arrive.

Also, keep in mind how much time you will have! We recommend having a second location for portraits, if possible. Usually a timeline at Pretty Place will look like this:

• Pre Ceremony: 30 Minutes (waiting for guests to arrive; getting ready candids)
• Ceremony: 30 Minutes
• Family Portraits: 30 minutes
• Bridal Party Portraits: 15 minutes
• Couple Portraits: 15 minutes

15 minutes is not a lot of time for couple portraits! But if you want group photos, family portraits really do take 30 minutes. If you want to cut down on time and have more time for couple portraits at the chapel, you can plan to have just the most important family portraits taken at Pretty Place and do the rest at a second location.

Second Location Options

You can also plan to have a second location in mind for Couple Portraits! We can do these at your reception venue. Or, if you have a first look, we can do them earlier in the day. A couple of our favorite spots nearby are Bald Rock, Table Rock, and Dupont State Forest.

Wedding Day Miracles

I have seen some incredible wedding-day miracles at Pretty Place. Twice now I’ve showed up and the entire view has been obstructed by fog. But I’m not kidding – when it was time for the ceremony the clouds parted and we got to experience the grandeur that is Pretty Place!

We love photographing here! Now, it’s time to share some photos with you! If you’re planning a wedding at Pretty Place, we’d love to photograph it for you!

Contact us to learn more information about our wedding photography services!

Reception Locations Near Pretty Place Chapel

One question we get asked A LOT is where to have a reception after a Pretty Place Wedding! Here are a few ideas our brides have used:

Charlyn Farms – Easley, SC – Click Here for the Real Wedding Post

The Upper Room – Greenville, SC – Click Here for the Real Wedding Post

Green Valley Country Club – Greenville, SC

Brevard Music Center (Straus Auditorium) – Brevard, NC – Click Here for the Real Wedding Post

Portrait Locations Near Pretty Place Chapel

We also get asked a lot where we would recommend taking photos nearby Pretty Place! Here are our favorites:

Bald Rock Heritage Preserve

Table Rock State Park

Dupont State Forest

Caesar’s Head State Park

Contact us to photograph your Pretty Place Wedding today!