Nice To Meet Me Monday Series | Charleston Wedding Photographer
Charleston. Where to begin about my home away from home. I can’t wait to live here one day. For now I will have to appreciate my quick weekend trips and beach weeks! This trip was our second Cooper River Bridge Run race. This 10k is a fantastic run and my first ever 10k course. I will link it HERE if you want to join me for the next race!
James and I are not as avid runners as my parents but we “try our best” and have fun with it! We beat our times from last year which was honestly the only goal. My parents run marathons and have been running in races for years. So they waiting on us to finish for a little while. This race is one of the most fun and beautiful races I have been to. The atmosphere and fellow runners are always so happy and positive. It’s just a good time! So for this Nice To Meet Me Monday Post I wanted to share about our time this year.
Our place this trip had this cute little owl in our bathroom and of course I took a photo of it! I have an obsession of owls so this made me happy when I saw it!
Our first day there started with lunch at one of our favorite local restaurants. Vickery’s offers a great selection of seafood and classic southern food. James’ go to pick is their amazing flounder sandwich. Sweet tea is my go to drink for all of my meals down here because Charleston sweet tea is (in the words of Chris Traeger) LITERALLY the best. Also every time we go here my family has to order the appetizer spinach artichoke dip. It’s a crowd favorite for sure (except me…. but James doesn’t complain because he eats my share). We met mom and dad there before heading to the giant expo at the Charleston Area Convention Center.
Not all races have an expo but guys this one is amazing! There are so many incredible vendors and who doesn’t like racing swaaaaggg?? I found a new favorite beverage Waterloo Sparkling Water. I have been trying to cut out soft drinks and switching them out with sparkling water. So if you have the chance to try the watermelon flavor DO IT! It’s amazing! There are some amazing local companies represented at the expo too! James and I made some notes in our travel ideas for our trip this summer. After finishing up at the expo we hopped on over to our favorite shops in town The Tanger Outlets. This is truly a dangerous place for me… They have Polo, Coach, Old Navy, American Eagle, and so many more. We have stopped here every trip to Charleston the last several years.
We then headed to our adorable townhouse in Wild Dunes on the Isle of Palms. This little island has been our beach home since before high school. I have so many memories of lazy days at the beach reading a book, people watching, deep and inspiring conversations with mom while our chairs sink in the shallow water, bike rides, homemade ice cream, freshly baked cookies, binge watching seasons of 24, kayaking, boat rides…Gosh, is it too early to go back?? I have so many memories on this little Island and we have enjoyed our Wild Dunes community!
I love this shot so much!! Totally worth my struggle up the bridge!
So the day of the race starts really early for us. We ride buses over to the start line but you have to make sure you get there early enough to warm up and find your corral (Go corral D!!) So we woke up EARLY and made it to the start line about 6am. I am not a morning person so ya’ll know this took some dedication to be there. Dad starts with the hardcore athletes that finish this race in well under an hour. He has worked so hard on his running and I could not be prouder of him! Mom started with us in corral D and beat us by over 30 minutes crushing her own PR for that race (which is amazing!!! You go momma!. James and I walk/ran together which is super cute right? James is always so supportive of me in my business and in life so I appreciated him sticking with me!
Along the course, the Mount Pleasant and Downtown Charleston community are so supportive and friendly! They stand out there for HOURS holding signs, cheering on strangers, and provide fun music! I just love the environment! Once you finish the race you collect your well deserved medal and get more race swag! Poor James has yet to get his free Jim N Nicks BBQ. They always run out before we get there but maybe next year will be our year?? My favorite thing is the freshly baked Krispy Kreme Donut van. People grab donuts but the hand full and they never run out! I know that sounds weird to eat donuts after a run but its truly amazing and I always enjoy it more knowing I earned it!
All in all, this trip was so much fun. I always love spending time with James and my parents and this trip was great timing before the busiest summer yet for Emily Hancock Photography. No matter how long we stay, we always make memories in our home away from home. I can’t wait to share about my next trip to Charleston this August! Tell me your favorite thing to do in Charleston or your favorite beach! I want some inspiration for our next trip!
Love these two!
Until next time,
Emily
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