The Carters Creative

Jacob Carter shot his first wedding video in 2011, the same year Rachael finished her USC art education degree with a photography minor — though the two didn't meet until 2013, at a coffee shop on campus. Married in 2015 at The Farm at Ridgeway, they now run The Carters Creative as a husband-and-wife team with more than a decade in the wedding industry and over 200 weddings behind them.

The division of labor is clean: Rachael leads photography and portrait sessions, Jacob leads videography and doubles as second shooter, and trusted associates round out full-day coverage. Couples who want photo and video from one team — one contract, one shared timeline — are the studio's specialty, and most invest about $5,000 for full-day coverage.

Based in Columbia, they work throughout South Carolina and the surrounding Southeast, with a portfolio that includes 701 Whaley, Junction 800, Hampton Preston, Oakbrook Farms, and The Millstone at Adams Pond. Many clients come back for milestone sessions long after the wedding.