Charleston is a small, old city—famous for narrow streets, historic homes, courtyards and colonial-scale architecture. Big rooms are surprisingly hard to come by. The old Cigar Factory is the exception: an enormous industrial brick building with tall factory windows, worn columns, hardwood floors and enough open space for a genuinely large wedding.

It can hold a full ceremony, dinner and a big dance floor without making everybody feel stacked on top of one another. The main room currently accommodates up to 300 guests seated, with the courtyard providing another substantial outdoor space.

For photography, that scale is part of what makes it special. The windows pour light across the old brick during the day, while the room becomes warm and dramatic after dark. You get the history and texture people come to Charleston for, but in a space that feels completely unlike the city’s usual ballrooms, gardens and historic houses.

And if you want some colonial Charleston too, the French Quarter is only about a mile down the street. It’s not unusual for us to take a little field trip at some point in the day for waterfront portraits, cobblestone alleys, or some of the older streets downtown if those are high on your wish list.