William Aiken House

The William Aiken House is a mansion built in 1807 on Upper King Street in Charleston, South Carolina, and is a National Historic Landmark. Behind its gates you will find ballrooms on two floors with covered piazzas, formal dining rooms, a drawing room and a study filled with antiques and fine art, along with gardens, two courtyards, lawns, a pergola and a reflection pool. A magnolia tree around two centuries old sits at the heart of the grounds.

Why it suits LGBTQ+ couples

One in-house team runs catering and bar service, so you plan the day with a single point of contact. Guest suites in the carriage house mean you can get ready and stay on site. This suits couples who want a classic Charleston setting with outdoor space for the ceremony and a mansion to move into for the party, without coordinating a long list of outside vendors.

Ceremonies

Outdoor ceremonies on the lawns or in the courtyards can seat around 160 guests, with the magnolia and pergola as natural backdrops. If you prefer to marry indoors, the ballrooms seat around 64. The covered piazzas give shade and shelter close to the action.

Receptions and food

Outdoor receptions suit around 160 seated guests, with larger numbers sometimes possible for an open-air cocktail reception. Indoors, the ballrooms and dining rooms seat around 64. Food and drink are handled by Patrick Properties Catering Team, the exclusive caterer, which builds menus and bar packages around your plans. Amplified music is allowed outdoors with some restrictions.

Staying

Two guest suites sit in the restored Gothic-style carriage house, which works well for the two of you or close family. For everyone else, downtown Charleston has plenty of hotels within walking distance.

Getting there and the area

The house is at 456 King Street, on the upper stretch of the main shopping and dining street in Charleston, a short walk from Marion Square and the historic district. The American Theater, run by the same group, is a few doors away, and Charleston International Airport is a short drive north. The property is wheelchair accessible.

Good to know

• Outdoor events seat around 160 guests.
• Catering and alcohol are in-house only.
• Food and beverage minimums apply on peak dates.