There are fewer more iconic wedding venues in Greenville (or even in South Carolina), than The Cliffs at Glassy Mountain Chapel. It’s a chapel that is instantly recognized for its earthy stone look and spectacular views. 

We recently had the opportunity to shoot an amazing winter wedding at Glassy Mountain Chapel. If you’re looking for a wedding venue and trying to decide if this stone chapel is for you, we are here to help. 

This review of the chapel is not only going to look at the views and feel of the venue, but also the practical side. While we didn’t get married there ourselves, we see some of the pros and cons that you might not see otherwise. 

Accessibility and Location

Of thing you’ll notice first about the Glass Mountain Chapel is it’s location. While the address says it’s in Landrum (outside of Greenville), it’s actually a bit of a drive out there. Some would call it “the middle of nowhere.” 

Now, this isn’t necessarily a positive or negative factor, but just something to be aware of. If you’re getting ready for your wedding day and you realized you’ve forgotten something, it’s not going to be a quick trip to grab it. You’ll have to drive around 20 minutes one-way to pick up a snack or get to a store. 

That shouldn’t keep you away from getting married here. They have a restaurant on site for food, and as long as you don’t forget anything TOO vital, this shouldn’t be a make or break. 

Getting Ready

Getting dressed and prepped is a huge part of the day. As photographers, this is something we think a lot about and as a bride, it’s something you should think about when you’re touring venues.

One slight inconvenience of Glass Mountain chapel is the lack of a great place to freshen up at the chapel itself. The Cliffs has a wonderful clubhouse with PLENTY of space for both the guys and the gals to get dressed. It’s only a couple minutes from the chapel, but once you leave to head to the ceremony spot, there is only a small room to hide away in until the big moment. 

Seating 

If you’re planning a big wedding, you will want to look somewhere other than this venue. The Glass Chapel has stunning views, but you won’t be able to share those views with 300 wedding guests. 

We’ve seen that the venue can hold up to 200 guests on paper, but be aware you’re going to be squeezing them in and those numbers probably include the pews and seating on the sides of the chapel. 

Reception Options 

All-inclusive venues are becoming more popular. Venues with everything included – ceremony and reception all in one place. That’s not what Glass Chapel offers. In fact, quite the opposite. 

In our experience with Glass Mountain Chapel (as both photographers and wedding guests), you and your guests will have a drive to the reception, and it won’t be a quick one. For the weddings we’ve photographed, there was arouna 30 minute drive after the ceremony (usually to downtown Greenville). 

Glass Chapel Mountain Wedding 

There are obviously so many things to love about this venue. The views alone are well worth the drive, but when you’re planning your wedding, there are so many things you need to think about, and we hope this post can help you along your way. 

If you have any questions about Glass Mountain Chapel, what it’s like to have a wedding there, or about wedding photography, feel free to contact us at any time. 

Even if you already have a wedding photographer, we would love to help you in any way that we can.