SUM KAI Creative

SUM KAI Creative Hilton Head Island Wedding + Portrait Photographer

From heartfelt speeches to getting down on the dance floor, Emma and Peter’s wedding reception at the Coosaw Point River...
09/10/2026

From heartfelt speeches to getting down on the dance floor, Emma and Peter’s wedding reception at the Coosaw Point River Club in Beaufort, SC was beyond special.

Their beautiful sailcloth tent sat marsh front filled with hydrangeas, personal details and the cutest Polaroid guest book. The evening kicked off with a romantic first dance as newlyweds followed by parent dances and sentimental speeches. After an overcast day, we were surprised with a vibrant sunset.

The best team helped create this beautiful day:

Planner & Catering Signature Catering & Events
Venue Coosaw Point
Rentals EventWorks
DJ - Veterans Pride Entertainment
Florals Maria Baldwin
Cake Bloom Custom Cakes
Lighting JLK Events
Transportation Kelly Tours
Linens Luxe Linen
Church - St. Peters Catholic Church
Dress Elegance By Roya - Old Town
HMU Destination Makeup Artist| PARIS + SAVANNAH GA
Stationary C Lorraine Design



Candid wedding photography, Beaufort wedding inspiration, marsh front wedding, Charleston wedding photographer, Hilton head island, SC wedding photographer

Attuned to the nuance of emotions when color is drained from the storyline. Static on the vinyl and Super 8 film running...
08/03/2026

Attuned to the nuance of emotions when color is drained from the storyline. Static on the vinyl and Super 8 film running through a camera sounds in my ears. Echos of home and anticipation of adventure. Curiosity, coquetishness, and contentment held in the same breath. A hope to be understood and interest in understanding - an unsevered string to our humanity.

This storyline nods to where it began, with no doubt to where it is going.

A collection of black-and-white engagement photos of two very loved people in Savannah, GA.

Stephanie Sekula
The Douglas

Keywords: engagement photos in Savannah Georgia, film photos, nostalgic, love story, Hilton Head Island, SC, wedding photographer, Charleston

Jill & Frosch’s engagement photos on Hilton Head Island, SC 🤍 Professional photos don’t have to be stiff and awkward. Le...
07/02/2026

Jill & Frosch’s engagement photos on Hilton Head Island, SC 🤍

Professional photos don’t have to be stiff and awkward. Letting your personalities shine and your dynamic tell your love story is the best type of gallery.


35mm film, Hilton head island photographer, HHI photographer, Hilton Head wedding photographer, Charleston wedding photographer, beach engagement photos, engagement photo inspo, summer engagement photos

Stripping it down to what matters most. Letting the love you and your partner share be the sole focus of your marriage i...
06/26/2026

Stripping it down to what matters most. Letting the love you and your partner share be the sole focus of your marriage is a part of what makes elopements so special.

Brooke & Austin started their elopement under the oaks where they met for a first look. We took some time to soak in the serenity of the Spanish moss and the age old oaks. After that, we headed to the beach for a simple marriage ceremony.

I asked Brooke and Austin if there was anything they would change about their day and they said no. It was perfectly aligned for them and when they simplified their plan they were able to enjoy every moment like reading their vows on the beach in the morning before they got ready.

If you’ve been looking to tie the knot in a stress free and intentional way, I’d love to explore documenting your elopement via the link in bio.

Bouquet — Old Town Bluffton Flowers
Couple Brooke Deskewicz & Austin

During a consult call, someone asked me, “What is your favorite photo to take on a wedding day?” This had me pause and ...
06/25/2026

During a consult call, someone asked me, “What is your favorite photo to take on a wedding day?” This had me pause and smile to myself for a moment. I spend hours connecting, coordinating, and creating alongside my brides, yet my favorite photos are the shots and moments I could never have predicted. The shots that feel lived in and take you right back to the day your forever began.

This beautiful spring wedding was in Beaufort, SC. Emma and Peter spent the morning getting ready with their friends and family before heading to a local church to tie the knot. Their wedding day felt regal and romantic.

After their ceremony, they headed back to Coosaw Point River Club for a serene cocktail hour, marsh side. The lively ceremony kicked off with dances then flowed into heartfelt speeches full of laughter.

They danced all night to mostly 90’s music and got the whole crowd on the dance floor. It was such a special day and their intimate connection made it so easy to capture natural photos throughout the day.

If you are looking for a wedding photographer who is going to deliver on the classics and has a keen eye for candids, I’d love to connect via the link in bio.

Planner & Catering Signature Catering & Events
Venue Coosaw Point
Rentals EventWorks
DJ — Veterans Pride Entertainment
Florals Maria Baldwin
Cake Bloom Custom Cakes
Lighting JLK Events
Transportation Kelly Tours
Linens Luxe Linen
Church — St. Peters Catholic Church
Dress Elegance By Roya - Old Town
HMU Destination Makeup Artist| PARIS + SAVANNAH GA

Day into night with Alex & Trent on their spring wedding day at Kirk’s Mansion in Bluffton, SC. Planner Kelsey | Event P...
06/19/2026

Day into night with Alex & Trent on their spring wedding day at Kirk’s Mansion in Bluffton, SC.

Planner Kelsey | Event Planning + Design
Venue Kirks Mansion Bluffton SC Wedding Venue
Florals Tulips & Twigs Floral Design
HMUA GA/CO/DC/NY, Makeup/Hair Kimmy Messer
Catering Downtown Catering Company
Band EightPastMidnight
Rentals EventWorks
Coffee ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏꜰꜰᴇᴇ ʟᴀʙ
Cake Bloom Custom Cakes
Stationary Meredith | Calligraphy + Engraving | Coastal GA & Lowcountry SC
Couple Alex King Trent King

Tips for photos that capture the energy of your wedding day. I work with a lot of anxious brides who get overwhelmed eas...
06/18/2026

Tips for photos that capture the energy of your wedding day. I work with a lot of anxious brides who get overwhelmed easily but are intentional, loving and authentic at their core. If this sounds like you, here are my tips to cultivate your truest your energy for photos that feel like a reflection of how the day felt vs just how it looked.

Get ready earlier than you think. Nobody likes to rush around, especially on your wedding day. Building buffer time into your timeline to just chill creates space for fun and sentimental moments to create themselves.

Get to know your vendors and trust your gut. If you have beautiful wedding photos but your photographer made you feel rushed, stressed and uncomfortable, you will hate the photos no matter how beautiful they are to an outsider. Hair and makeup is another one I wanted to touch on. Lauren Norton has an amazing post on how to best communicate with your HMUA for the best results and her approach to making getting ready stress free and seamless. A great way to be proactive is to listen to your intuition on consult calls, makeup trails, etc. You only get one day, it’s not selfish to want it to feel peaceful.

Make sure you have a team of day of coordinators your trust so you can be present on your wedding day and not stress the logistics. It’s a great way to have a buffer between you and your guests, venue and vendors so you’re not answering all the little questions. Wedding planners do so much behind the scenes that you might not even think about until the day of and making sure you feel supported is huge.

Focus on what you can control. Put your effort towards your energy, your interactions and your presence. You can’t control the weather or if little things fall through the cracks. My favorite journaling activity for coping ahead is to draw a circle and write everything in your control on the inside and everything outside of your control on the outside to provide a little extra clarity heading into your wedding day.

If you’ve been looking for a photographer that cares about you and your partners experience and not just the photos, I’d love to connect. Link in bio to submit an inquiry.

“I don’t need getting ready photos” think again. This is something I hear from a lot of couples and I wanted to explore ...
06/15/2026

“I don’t need getting ready photos” think again. This is something I hear from a lot of couples and I wanted to explore it and shed some light on my approach to capturing the beginning of a wedding day.

I got engaged in November, and ever since then, I’ve been repeatedly asking myself “would I want this photo?”. Honestly, I don’t want the photo with half a face of makeup on and my hair flipped over my face while the hair stylist is perfecting my look.

What I do want is to remeber how I felt leading up to seeing my soon to be husband. Who was with me for my last moments as a fiancée and what my fiancée was up to while I was getting ready.

I’m very lucky to shoot with my talented fiancée, Christian, who has a special way of brining out the groom & groomsmen energy and incorporate a little fun into the photos like this shot at the poker table.

Another reason I’m an advocate for photos before the ceremony is here in the Hilton Head Island/Bluffton area, it’s hot in the spring time and everyone is going to look and feel their best when they are fresh faced.

Instead of thinking of it as “getting ready photos” think of it as capturing the energy before you officially start your life as newlyweds. It’s often the most special people who spend the morning with you and it’s so sweet to document this time together.

These photos are from McKenna and Conner’s recent wedding at Belfair in Bluffton, SC.

Venue Belfair
Florist New Beginnings Floral
Band Opulence Band
Planner - Kim Knatzer
Couple McKenna McFadden Conner Kinkade

The hug that hold three generations of love, your grandmothers ring that was gifted to you the night before your wedding...
06/10/2026

The hug that hold three generations of love, your grandmothers ring that was gifted to you the night before your wedding, your first time barefoot on the beach with your husband. Those are the memories I freeze in time for you to cherish for lifetimes to come.

There is so much effort put into planning a wedding and so little to hold onto when the day is done. Creating heirlooms while documenting the day as it naturally unfolds is the way I approach wedding photography.

A couple of shots from Madelyn and Chad’s wedding day at the Westin on Hilton Head Island, SC. So many sweet moments from this day that I can’t wait to share!

A wedding on a private island is iconic but it’s no walk in the park in terms of logistics. I want to shoutout for maki...
06/09/2026

A wedding on a private island is iconic but it’s no walk in the park in terms of logistics. I want to shoutout for making the day seamless for the couple, guests and vendors. I can confidently say that any wedding I’ve worked with Annie has been stress free, fun and absolutely beautiful.

Ellie and Louis got married on a gorgeous spring day on Buck Island right off of Hilton Head Island, SC. Guests departed from Harbor Town in Sea Pines and arrived on the Spirit of Harbor Town. The scenic walk from the dock to the tree lined ceremony site, set the scene for a beautiful day surrounded by the Lowcountry’s diverse beauty.

I’m going to be honest, this was one of the most fun weddings I’ve ever photographed. Ellie and Louis weren’t worried about anything being perfect, choreographed or rushed. They simply enjoyed the day as it unfolded and did things that felt true to them like the bubble guns & mini bottles to kick off the ceremony.

They ended the night by jumping in the pool which their guests quickly joined in on. It was a blast from start to finish and it was a great reminder to focus on the fun and not to stress the small stuff on a wedding day.

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Florist
Videography
HMU
Couple &
DJ
Catering

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Marianna Way
Bluffton, SC
29910

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+18434153425

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