Westin Poinsett Wedding | Downtown Greenville SC

Westin Poinsett wedding photos | Gold Ballroom Reception

Ryan + Diane


Westin Poinsett hotel roof wedding photos


Downtown Greenville, South Carolina

I had a lot of difficulty writing this post.  You may already know why too…and it comes down to what the purpose of these posts are in the first place.  They are not a preview or sneak peak, they are a summary of the day itself.  After all, Ryan and Diane’s final images are already finished…all 800+ of them.  And therein lies the problem…how on Earth is it possible to summarize that much content into a limited-space blog where anything over 50 images makes people yawn and turn the page?

Ryan and Diane didn’t make it easy either.  Their wedding was just as exciting and exceptional as they are, and that’s saying a lot. When these two get together, a good time is instantly had by everyone lucky enough to be around them.  They don’t currently live in Greenville, so my only interactions before the wedding with them have been over email and Skype.  But after spending just 30 seconds with Diane and her bridesmaids was enough to make me feel like I had known them for years.  30 seconds with Ryan, his booming voice, and his general goofery was all it took for me to feel like joining them for bourbon shots.  For me, that’s pure gold…candid wedding photography is all about capturing the mood, feelings, and emotions of the day.  To me, there is no other purpose to wedding photography than to tell their story in a way that allows them to re-live it in the future as if it happened yesterday.  Nothing forced, nothing faked…All the happiness, all the stress and worries, and all the celebrating – that’s what I want to show.

So Ryan and Diane’s Westin Poinsett wedding was both the easiest and most difficult wedding I’ve photographed this year.  It was easy because they didn’t hold anything back, and I every time I clicked the shutter was another beautiful moment.  And it was difficult because I had to choose just 5% to put here.  So check below for some of my favorites from Ryan and Diane’s gorgeous wedding at Furman’s Daniel Chapel and the Westin Poinsett.

(Continued below)


Steaming a dress before wedding ceremony bridesmaids goofing off and getting ready for the ceremony Bride looking up at her wedding dress hanging in hotel room bride helping her bridesmaid with makeup maid of honor taking selfie with bride before wedding bridesmaids hanging out before getting dressed wedding dress hanging in the window of a hotel room bridesmaids getting dressed before wedding ceremony bridesmaid getting ready before ceremony bride having makeup applied before ceremony Dramatic photo of bride having hair and makeup done before wedding westin poinsett wedding photos bride nervously pacing in front of hanging wedding dress westin poinsett wedding photos wedding at the Westin Poinsett hotel in Greenville


Ryan and Diane both used the Westin Poinsett Hotel for both their getting ready and their reception.  It is always a favorite of mine, and it’s easy access and location right in the middle of downtown Greenville makes it a perfect choice for a wedding.


groom adjusting his tie in a hotel room Groomsman pouring bourbon shots before wedding groomsmen getting ready at the Westin Poinsett Groomsman with superman socks westin poinsett wedding photos Groom helping his father tie a tie before wedding groomsmen flash composite group photo


After everyone was ready, it was time for their ceremony,  held at Furman University’s Daniel Chapel.


ring bearer playing around in chapel before wedding ceremony bride walking into the chapel with her father for wedding ceremony Furman Daniel chapel wedding ceremony groom wiping tears off bride's cheek during wedding ceremony bride and groom walking down aisle together after ceremony furman university wedding ceremony photos groom hugging bride after ceremony daniel chapel wedding photos at Furman University


And back to the Westin for the reception.  For some reason, every time I photograph a wedding at the Westin Poinsett, it turns into a huge party.  A-Ok in my book, but Ryan and Diane’s was especially wild.  The fact that it lasted until midnight made me remember why I love all-day wedding coverage so much.  It is taxing on the body, but if they had opted for traditional photography coverage, I never would have been able to stick around for any of those crazy reception photos.  Ryan and Diane chose to put their time into what is most important to them, something I always recommend to my couples.  For them, it was the getting ready portion and the reception – my two favorite things as well.  So needless to say, we had a lot of fun that night, and I was happy to be a part of it all.


bride and groom's first dance Westin poinsett wedding reception first dances at the Westin Poinsett wedding reception westin poinsett wedding photos westin poinsett rooftop wedding photos  downtown greenville wedding photos at night night rooftop wedding photos  rooftop wedding photos at night wedding photos on the rooftop of the westin poinsett hotelreception dancing photos wedding guests dancing at westin poinsett wedding reception groomsmen dancing at wedding reception child dancing intensely at wedding reception Westin Gold Ballroom wedding reception speeches at wedding reception poinsett gold ballroom reception photos closeup of wedding guests dancing at reception guests dancing together at wedding reception reception uplighting wedding photos bride and groom dancing at wedding reception groom dancing with friends at wedding reception Next Level wedding band photos Mother of the bride dancing with bride at wedding reception groomsman having fun at wedding reception reception photos at Westin Poinsett groomsmen dancing together at reception wild reception photos at The Westin Poinsett Gold Ballroom bride and groom dancing together at westin poinsett wedding reception Horse and carriage wedding reception exit Sparkler exit at westin poinsett hotel


Special thanks to Next Level by the way – If you want a wild reception, there’s no replacement for a good live band, and Next Level was one of the best I’ve worked with.  Congratulations to Ryan and Diane!

Also check out some of the wedding vendors that helped make their day possible:
Reception venue: Westin Poinsett, Gold Ballroom
Ceremony venue: Furman Daniel Chapel
Officiant: Joshua Trammell
Hair and Makeup: Cotton Rouge and Company
Wedding cake: Holly’s Cakes
Florist: Twigs
Live band: Next Level Band

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top