December 03, 2008 News+Opinion » Features

Photogs turn away brides over beach business ban 

IOP Hearts Amateurs

by Greg Hambrick
Photo illustration by Scott Suchy
  • Photo illustration by Scott Suchy

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Kelli McKinney vacations on the Isle of Palms every year. With an engagement ring on her finger, the North Carolina stylist was set on a small beach wedding and shelled out thousands of dollars for a house. She found local photographers online with hundreds of beautiful beach weddings. Then she tried to book one to shoot her nuptials. No dice.

Isle of Palms has had a ban on any business on the beach for several years, but recent warnings by police and a stiff $1,100 fine has photographers turning away offers for weddings and family portraits on the island.

"I was like, 'Are you kidding me?'" McKinney says. "I'd rented this house and just wanted to walk out on the beach and have a simple wedding."

The ordinance states that "no person shall sell or rent, or offer to sell or rent, any goods, merchandise, or services, or solicit any trade or business, on the beach, beach accesses, public parking lots, or the Breach Inlet bridge, except pursuant to a franchise granted by city council, or pursuant to a city-sponsored activity or event."

The ordinance has done what it was intended to do, says acting Mayor Carol Rice — it's kept the beach vendor free.

"What we don't want is an atmosphere of a lot of business on the beach," she says. "It's very hard to draw a line in that sand, so to speak."

McKinney called the town hall and the local police and was told by both that it was illegal, but that a "family friend" could take the pictures without worry, as long as no money was exchanged on the beach. After several calls back to photographers, McKinney was able to find a "family friend" willing to shoot the wedding.

Douglas Kerr, the town's building director and the man in charge of codes enforcement, says the town hands out about two tickets a year to business owners violating the beach ban. Typically they go to surf instructors or people trying to rent out beach chairs. He doesn't know of any fines to photographers.

McKinney notes that a few photographers she contacted suggested that she relocate the wedding to Folly Beach, which doesn't have a similar ordinance. Bill Nixon, who runs a photography business with his wife, Kelli Nixon, warns potential clients on his website to avoid the Isle of Palms.

"If you have not rented a home on the Isle of Palms yet, choose Folly Beach instead," it reads.

The Isle of Palms isn't concerned about losing that tourism revenue if weddings are relocated to other beaches, Rice says. The town doesn't claim to offer prospective brides anything more than the sun, sand, and surf.

"We're not a catering venue," she says.

Nixon says that his wife was warned while trying to take a family portrait on the beach, and they're not going back.

"We shouldn't have to worry about something like this," he says. "If you work out there with a professional camera, you're at risk."

Milton Morris, a Florence photographer who shoots in Charleston several times a year says he has photographed weddings on Isle of Palms before, but he'll likely avoid them now. His past experience with municipal hurdles elsewhere has taught him that, in some cases, photographers are better off not knowing the rules.

"It's one of those things where you don't ask and you might get by with it," Morris says.

Comments (6) RSS

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I have spoken with Sullivan's Island as well. They have the SAME STUPID LAW.

This means that if you want a "legal" portrait on the beach or your beach wedding photographed by a professional ( and who wouldn't) you need to go 40 minutes away to Folly Beach!!!

Imagine coming down as a visitor ( after seeing the Isle of Palms own advertising) to spend a week at the beach. You decide "Hey wouldn't it be great if we could save these memories with a professional portrait family picture right here on this great beach!", SORRY can't do it!!

No allowed because it......well, ....it is.....ahh, .....I have no idea why not!!!

Posted by peterf55 on April 2, 2009 at 10:14 AM | Report this comment

Do not and I mean DO NOT spend any of your hard earned money on IOP. Go to Sullivans or go to Folly. If you think this law is stupid then wait till you deal with their police dept who will write you a ticket for anything. Tickets and fines make up a good part of the islands revenue so if you are against supporting these types of tactics, do NOT Vacation on IOP or spend your money there. A popular pub on IOP was just forced to shut down because the IOP police would sit in the parking lot and pull over customers leaving the establishment in hopes of scoring a DUI. Tourist beware!

Posted by Wexler on March 31, 2009 at 10:48 PM | Report this comment

Take your brides, your weddings and your business away from IOP.

This is a wrong law, period. It protects no one. Rent your home for your beach wedding anyplace except the Isle of Palms.

Spend your money where you are welcome. Wake up IOP.

Posted by peterf55 on March 31, 2009 at 3:09 PM | Report this comment

I truly CAN NOT BELIEVE what I just read. Our family is spread out all across the US. So we try to vacation together every couple of years by renting a beach house where we can all be together. Since this doesn't happen very often, we ALWAYS hire a professional photographer to capture the memories and create a beautiful group photo of the family. These images are priceless because they preserve this special time in our lives, introduces new family members when someone has a baby, and include grandparents who may not be with us much longer! Denying us these portraits is a violation of our civil liberties!

Posted by Chris Smith on December 17, 2008 at 8:57 AM | Report this comment

While the object of the ordanance is clear, the result of trying to enforce it is not. A simple way to get around it is to lie...a professional photograhper can simply state that he or she is a family friend or that the services they are providing are donated. IOP officials seems to want to preserve their tranquil setting and don't mind biting one of the hands that feed them in an effort to keep from being bitten by their constituants. I would avoid the IOP as there are many other options just as beautiful and a whole lot more friendly.

Posted by Dale Wherry on December 8, 2008 at 1:33 PM | Report this comment

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