Sure, Charlie and I are newlyweds…but that’s not all. We’re also two best friends who just conquered two years of an international long-distance relationship. So, naturally, we were feeling more ready than ever to enjoy some much-needed time to ourselves, dedicated to exploring and celebrating the next chapter of our life together. When we stumbled upon Charleston as an option, it was immediately calling our names as the perfect destination for our honeymoon. On a sunny day in April, we said our vows. The next day, we packed our suitcases, grabbed our Kodak Charmera* to take pictures with, and jumped in the car to begin our journey from Saint Augustine in Florida to the Holy City.
*Kodak is name from the past but it never died. What many people don’t know is it’s the company which invented digital photography but never progressed their invention. They were also the first company to produce a point and shoot disposable camera. The Kodak Charmera is a tiny keyring camera designed to be simple and easy to use. If you’re interested in megapixels then this isn’t the camera for you – it doesn’t have many! Aperture and shutter speed control isn’t an option either. But to capture a moment in an instant they are fun to use. But back to our story…
Charlie’s from England, and this was his first time he remembers travelling outside the state of Florida. He went to California when he was still in a toddler, but was too young to remember that! So, all being new to him, we had to take a few pit stops on our way—one to Georgia Peach World, and another to a cute coffee shop nestled into a campground just a short detour of the road to Charleston. It was all very new and novel, but he started to feel right at home once we made our way from the highway to the quintessential Charleston brick houses and cobblestone streets. As for me: I was just happy to finally be out of the city and surrounded by so much vibrancy and character.
When we pulled up to our destination at Hotel Bennett, the awe of American grandeur began to creep in—but with just enough of that good ol’ Charleston charm to make us feel both right at home, and like royalty. It was the perfect combination. The second we walked in with our arms full of candied pecans and half-full iced Americanos, we were greeted with champagne and warmly congratulated on our marriage. The staff were so friendly that we even had to cut conversation short just to make it to our dinner reservation!
We toasted, we unpacked our suitcases, and we were off to Indaco: home of the best handmade pasta and balsamic agnolotti we have EVER tasted. Our waiter, Johnny, was nothing short of spectacular. AND we were sent home with a handwritten card signed by all the staff, congratulating us on our marriage!
The next day, we finally started to truly unwind from the hustle and bustle of wedding season. We opened our curtains to a beautiful view of old churches and historic buildings. We allowed ourselves a slow start to our day, with breakfast in bed: eggs Benedict and Greek yogurt panna cotta. YUM. Then, we ventured out to the Charleston Tea Garden—have I mentioned Charlie is British? According to him, he just had to see how his “native beverage” is made. Me? I’m a caffeine addict, so I couldn’t imagine a better day. We took a trolley ride through the plantation and learned all about tea as we sipped it. We left with energy, and a whole lot of new knowledge about tea!
The day ended with another delicious dinner—this time at Anson, where we tried wagyu beef for the first time and window-shopped for desserts on the way back to the hotel. The trip was just getting started, but we already felt right at home.
By our final days in Charleston, we had a highlight reel of some of the best memories we’ve ever made. There was the day I convinced Charlie to go shopping at a few favourite stores I’d spotted down King Street and Market Street. The buzz of the city was a nice break from all our relaxing, though it didn’t stop me from coming back to the room with a few bags of clothes.
We settled back into tranquility with a swim in the rooftop pool before resting up for dinner at Wild Common, where we enjoyed an exquisite tasting menu we still can’t stop talking about. There was afternoon tea at Hotel Bennett, an afternoon at the South Carolina Aquarium, and Babas on Cannon (my personal favourite). There we shared a caviar sandwich and whipped honey iced espressos under a movie-like soundtrack of perfect weather.
As the trip wound down, we found ourselves reflecting on all of it; sad that our time in Charleston was coming to an end – it seemed to fly by – but so grateful this beautiful city had been ours to call home, even if just for a few days… a few days which gave us a perfect start to our new life together.
A huge thank you to John and Kourtney from the Charleston Tourist Board for the help with organizing our stay at Hotel Bennett and the amazing suggestions for things to do. It was a magical honeymoon.
Chamera images © Katie and Charlie Coe. Other images Chris Coe