Wedding planning is a task that takes a lot of work and can be intimidating, especially when you don’t know where to start. A wedding in Hawaii is almost every bride’s dream and it’s easy to see why. The islands offer such a beautiful backdrop for weddings, plenty of venues, and great weather for outdoor celebrations with your family and friends. Whether your’e a local or a destination bride, our Hawaii wedding planning guide can help you plan out your dream Oahu wedding from start to finish.
Choose a reputable Hawaii wedding planner or coordinator
When planning a local wedding, we usually advise brides to scope out a wedding venue first. For destination weddings, every bit of advice is valuable and important. Especially from someone local. Put together a list of prospective wedding planners in Hawaii, talk to them, and find one you’re most comfortable with. Trust is important when planning a destination wedding and you need a wedding planner with a proven track record. A wedding planner can also help you determine your wedding style. Weddings in Hawaii tend to be on the semiformal side and aren’t very formal, so a good planner can help you find the right balance of dressy while still incorporating the relaxed island vibe Hawaii is known for. If you’re local and would rather do a lot of the planning on your own, a wedding coordinator is a good idea so you can focus on enjoying yourself on your actual wedding day and have someone capable execute your plans.
Hawaii wedding dates and venues to consider
You already might have your heart set on a specific location. If so, you can go ahead and inquire with them and book your preferred date. If not, you can ask your wedding planner for recommendations or take look at wedding venue directories to find a venue you like. Be sure to communicate your preferences if working with a planner so they can provide you with referrals that are perfect for your vision.
There are plenty of wedding venues on Oahu offering a variety of spaces. Indoor, outdoor, garden, beachside, you name it. Beach weddings, of course, are one of the most popular wedding themes on Oahu. But the island does offer plenty of ballrooms, barns, private estates and gardens for wedding ceremonies and receptions. Even better, these locations even offer amazing views of the island from windows and patios.
One thing to keep in mind is that certain holidays and festivals can draw crowds to the island, making it the least ideal time to have a wedding, due to traffic and high prices. While the weather is great year-round May to June, and September to November are the best months for a Hawaii wedding due to lesser crowds and lower costs.
The ideal budget for a wedding in Hawaii
Setting a wedding budget is a wedding planning standard. It’s even more important for destination weddings. Though Hawaii is not one of the top 10 most expensive places to hold a wedding in, it can still get pricey. The average cost of a wedding in Hawaii is at $30,000, so thorough budgeting is important. As you work on your wedding budget, talking with your partner and agreeing on your must-haves is a great practice. This allows you to be able to prioritize the aspects of your wedding that are important to both of you.
Work on your guest list
Weddings in Hawaii typically don’t have a large guest count and Hawaii weddings have a somewhat relaxed dress code for guests. However, it’s totally possible to have weddings of varying sizes in Hawaii. There are plenty of options for intimate weddings and large functions. Your guest count is dependent on your projected wedding cost and how personalized you want the experience to be for you and your guests.
Send out your save the dates and invites as early as possible
Destination weddings on Oahu also require a bit of planning on the guests’ part as well. It’s important to give them plenty of leeway so they can budget for their attire, flights, hotels, and get time off work. Make sure you give them enough time to save up for your wedding and find the best deals on flights to Oahu, as these can get costly. A good rule of thumb is to send out save the date 10 months in advance, and the invitations 5 months in advance.
Book local Oahu vendors for a smooth experience
Start doing your wedding vendor research. Find out what is included in your venue’s wedding package and list down everything else you need. You can ask your planner for vendors they have worked with and highly recommend. You can also find Oahu wedding and event vendor listings to help you narrow down and shortlist your dream wedding vendors. There are some that you can get in your city or state such has the tuxedo, wedding dress, and rings. For others, such as Hawaii wedding photography, catering, Hawaii wedding videography, and rentals, it would be better to find vendors on the island who are familiar with the area.
There are plenty of other considerations when selecting your vendors. Be sure to check on seasonal flowers with your florist. If you would like to include some traditional Hawaiian dishes to your wedding menu, feel free to ask your caterer, as they likely have an option for this. You can also consider a hearty luau feast. Plenty of Hawaii wedding vendors offer traditional island touches to their services and the options can be interesting and fun. Florists can also advise you on what tropical flowers are seasonal on the date of your wedding, and also create Hawaiian haku and leis especially for your wedding ceremony.
Book your airfare and hotels on Oahu
Make sure to book your airfare and hotel rooms! Book as soon as you have a wedding date and venue confirmed. For hotels, you can try to negotiate a group discount if you reserve a block of rooms with your guests and wedding party. The discount will help your guests and also make them feel more comfortable, being near people they know while in the area. If you’re getting married at a hotel wedding venue on Oahu, you can ask the venue manager if they provide couples with group deals for reserving blocks of rooms as well.
Consider an engagement session on Oahu
Do you plan to have an engagement session on Oahu as well? While this incurs additional costs, it’s also a great time to visit your wedding venue, meet your wedding planner in person, and plan out other activities leading up to the day of your wedding.
There are plenty of beautiful engagement photography session locations on Oahu, and having an engagement session on the island can help solidify your wedding theme. While this is optional, visiting the island before the wedding and meeting your vendors can also make you feel more confident and build trust with your wedding team, especially your Hawaii wedding photographer. This can help you feel more relaxed as your resume planning your wedding from a different location.
Hawaii wedding license and legalities
Marriage licenses in the state of Hawaii are valid for 30 days. You can apply and pay for a wedding license online, but need to appear in person to finalize your application and claim your license. Make sure to set aside enough time for this upon arrival, and make sure you have all the documents needed to complete your Hawaii marriage license application.
Create an island welcome bag for your guests
It’s a good idea to consider creating a welcome bag with island essentials for all of your guests. Items such as sunscreen, flip-flops, some local delicacies such as chocolate covered macadamia nuts or Kona coffee beans will add a nice touch. Make sure to include directions to your ceremony and reception sites as well. You can ask the hotel to distribute the welcome bags in the rooms before the guests check-in to their rooms.
Planning out some activities with your guests is a good idea as well. While a handy guide can be included in their welcome bag, it would be plenty of fun for your and your guests to be able to spend some quality time together.
Plan a rehearsal or welcome dinner
The rehearsal dinner is a great way to welcome out-of-state guests before the wedding. Chances are, you will be very busy during the wedding day itself, and will have limited time. The welcome dinner is a great way to spend time with everyone and get the chance to catch up before the big day.
Get married!
All your efforts have finally paid off! Soak it all in, relax, and bask in the joy of getting married in a tropical island paradise!
Keshia is a lifestyle writer and the Studio Manager at HNL Studios helping couples enjoy their special day. When she isn’t playing futsal on the beach of Bali, you can find her at home watching epic Bollywood movies or playing The Legend of Zelda on the Nintendo Switch with her hubby Billy. She is in avid fan of fountain pens and have used them exclusively as her writing tool of choice since 2013. Follow HNL Studios on Instagram at: @HNLStudios
