Weddings can move forward at Hewitt Oaks in Bluffton after retail license reissued.
The retail license at Hewitt Oaks near Bluffton has been restored a week after the owner was arrested for operating the business without a license, the South Carolina Department of Revenue confirmed Thursday.
After the Sept. 24 arrest of Bethany Boles Hewitt, 49, of Bluffton, some clients who had events booked at the venue contacted Hewitt Oaks, expressing concerns. Hewitt was charged with operating her business after its license was revoked Feb. 12 because of unpaid sales and use taxes.
Hewitt’s arrest, clients were told by staff, happened because of a filing error related to the new Hewitt House boutique hotel that opened on-site in May. Hewitt was criminally charged and spent less than four hours in jail before her release.
In an email to the Island Packet, Hewitt said the issue comes down to a filing mistake.
“We have cooperated with the state in every way and as a result of our swift action and their desire to also see us succeed, our license is fully reinstated,” Hewitt said in an email to the Island Packet with a copy of the license attached. “We worked hard to correct a filing error and are so thankful to our clients and community who have rallied behind us.”
Tim Smith, a spokesman for the South Carolina Department of Revenue, declined to comment on Hewitt’s explanation for the situation.
“We have no additional comment beyond what is listed in the warrants,” Smith said. The department was unable to share any details about payments made beyond what is listed in the state tax lien registry, which Smith said is updated regularly but not always immediately.
Despite the license renewal, some clients said they still have concerns. Court records show Hewitt and her business have previously faced—and resolved—both sales and use and accommodations tax liens from SCDOR and lawsuits from third-party companies.
Hewitt, her husband Christopher and landowner Wanda Wetherington were sued last year by Virginia-based Shoreline Construction and Development, which alleged it was not paid in time for work performed at Hewitt Oaks last year.
The Hewitts and Shoreline were also jointly sued by Virginia-based Eagle Fire Inc. for failure to pay after Eagle Fire installed a fire system. Liens for both lawsuits against the Hewitts have since been released, documents show.
Bethany Hewitt’s arrest last week was the first time she was charged criminally in Beaufort County.
A search on the SCDOR liens database shows 17 resolved liens filed against either Hewitt herself or Hewitt Oaks. The liens were mostly for unpaid sales and use taxes, but a few were for accommodations taxes. When asked if that was unusual, Smith said, “Every taxpayer is unique; there is no ‘typical’ taxpayer.”
Hewitt Oaks sits on 25 acres at the end of a dirt road in Beaufort County near Pritchardville. The venue is known for its Lowcountry vibe, its pink building and weddings held underneath draping Spanish moss trees. Hewitt Oaks also provides catering services and has relationships with local photographers and other stakeholders in the wedding and events space.
The business traces its roots back to 2002, when Bethany Hewitt founded her event planning and catering company, Southern Graces. The Hewitts met in 2005 at a catering conference in Las Vegas and opened Hewitt Oaks in 2018.
A wedding between Taylor Burris and Cody Parks was scheduled to be held at the venue on Friday, Sept. 26, according to the couple’s wedding website on the Knot. In general, if a business is required to have an SCDOR-issued retail license and conducts business without one, that is illegal, Smith said. But Hewitt said that the state worked with her to make sure none of Hewitt Oaks’ events were impacted by the license issue.
“We are fully operational again and thankful for the state’s willingness to work with us so that none of our events were affected,” Hewitt said via email Oct. 2. “We are grateful to our gracious clients and community for their encouragement and excited to enjoy the weekend’s events.”
Public records indicate that Hewitt is scheduled to appear in court on Oct. 23. Beyond that, the status of her case is unclear; Smith said SCDOR has no comment on the charges.
Bluffton Self Help’s annual Sips event is still scheduled for Friday, Oct. 17, Hewitt said. The venue is also hosting a Spooky Soiree ladies night out event on Oct. 30. Tickets start at $90.48.
“We are excited to continue creating magically lavish experiences for our wedding clients,” Hewitt said.
This story was originally published October 3, 2025 at 8:49 AM.