The Top 15 Questions We Get Asked About Getting Married in Hawaii
Are you planning a wedding in Hawaii!? We’re sure you have a long list of questions about what it’s like to get married on the islands. So, we decided to do everyone a favor and put together our ultimate list of frequently asked questions about getting married in Hawaii. We hope this list can provide you with some basic answers and good insight into what it’s like planning a wedding in Hawaii!
1. Which Island is the Best Fit for Me??
All the islands offer something different and something truly special! We believe there is an island for every couple, wedding style, and personality.
Here is a brief breakdown of the 4 main islands for weddings:
Oahu
The most densely populated and touristy of the islands. It has a little bit of everything from beautiful beaches to breathtaking mountains to a solid infrastructure, with nightlife, resorts, restaurants, salons, shopping, and multiple hotel options. This island is the Hawaii Wedding industry Epicenter- many vendors base themselves out of Oahu and are willing to travel across all islands. Getting married on Oahu will give you the widest range of choices in vendors and venues.
Maui
The second most populated island. It doesn’t necessarily have major cities like Oahu but you are still able to get pretty much everything you need! This island is gorgeous and has a little bit of everything which has led it to become a hot spot for resorts and weddings. Like Oahu, it is possible to “get away” from the busy, tourist areas and really get lost in the beautiful nature of the island. Maui has a group of world-class vendors for your choosing.
Kauai
The Garden Isle. Kauai is the least populated and quiet of the main islands. Its nature is absolutely breathtaking. We recommend it for couples who want a little more of a low-key wedding, love nature, and love that local feel. The vendors on Kauai are a very special close-knit Ohana feel between them!
Big Island
On the Big Island, you will find black sand beaches, lush green jungle, snowy mountain tops, active volcanoes, and fields of black lava rocks. Nature wise it literally has everything, so take your pick for your wedding location. Not as much infrastructure or resources are easily available. This island and its vendors offer the quintessential Hawaiian cultural elements.
2. What time of year is best for a wedding in Hawaii?
One of the many reasons why we love it in Hawaii is that the weather is pretty perfect year-round. This means it’s best for weddings YEAR ROUND! The warm weather and breathtaking nature make it a prime destination wedding location. The peak wedding season is typically March-August during the “summer”. There is somewhat of a “winter’ from October – January which means slightly cooler temperatures and more frequent rain. There is also a peak in tourism in the middle of the summer as well as around the holidays, so the islands are much busier. More or less, it is always wedding season in Hawaii!!
3. What does a wedding in Hawaii usually cost?
The average cost of a wedding is $30,000 to $60,000, depending on the island and guest count.
4. What if it Rains!?
Hawaii is a string of tropical islands, so it is bound to rain at least a little pretty much every day. How much it rains and how long it lasts depends on the season. Weather apps and forecasts can give us an idea of what’s to come but we are still on a tropical island and all in all the weather is pretty unpredictable.
Our recommendation is to be prepared with a backup plan. If you are having an outdoor ceremony, organize somewhere you can move it undercover need be or allow a little fluff time in your timeline in case you need to just wait for an afternoon shower to pass. For outdoor receptions, we always urge couples to rent a tent. It is also always good practice to either provide or recommend guests bring an umbrella just in case!
Don’t forget, in Hawaii the rain is a blessing from the Gods – it embodies growth, unity, and even fertility! Outside of Hawaii, rain on your big day has been said to symbolize the strengthening of “the knot” you’ve just tied. Have you ever tried to untie a wet knot? Almost impossible! So a little sprinkle on your special day isn’t the worst thing.
5. What time should I have my ceremony?
Ceremony time is decided based on a few key elements but primarily dependent on sunset time! What time of year it is will be a big factor. We typically recommend at least 2-3 hours before sunset time.
Other elements that will help determine the best ceremony time are: How many program elements you wish to include, type of dinner you will be serving (buffet vs. 3 courses plated, etc), how many hours you have your photographer booked for, and what you want them to capture.
6. What if I don’t want to get married on the beach?!
Getting married in Hawaii does NOT mean saying your vows ON the beach. While beach ceremonies are extremely beautiful and popular there are TONS of amazing venue options. Hotels and resorts offer ballrooms, private beach access as well as beautiful ocean-side lawn areas. Estate weddings are our personal favorites, whether it be beach houses, ranches, or old plantation houses.
7. What are some key questions to ask my vendors?
In general, here are a few great questions that you can ask all of your vendors:
- Have you worked at my venue before?
- Are there any special needs you have that we need to account for (ex. Rentals, power outlets, overhead covering, early set up time, etc.)
- Who will be present on the day of? (This is important for understanding either a team dynamic or knowing who specifically will be helping out with your wedding!) Plus, this helps to know how many vendor meals you will need to provide
- Is there anything that you do not take care of? (When at the beginning of the process, it’s important to understand the general do’s and don’ts of vendors so you can assure all bases are covered)
- Are there any hidden/additional fees we would come across for services?
8. Are public beach ceremonies legal?
To sum up, Yes! With rules and restrictions of course….
- You must have a state permit obtained my your officiant or coordinator
- 2 hour time limit
- 30 guests maximum including vendors (additional guests require additional permits)
- No structures, furniture, or large decor allowed (ex. Arches, chairs, etc.)
- You may not “save” an area on the public beach prior to your permitting time, or ask beach goers to move for your ceremony
- Please clean up after your event to keep our beautiful beaches clean (loose flowers, petals, trash, etc.)
9. I want my guests to get a taste of Hawaiian culture at my wedding, what can I do?
We love when guests are interested in incorporating cultural items into their wedding celebration! These are our favorite suggestions:
Ceremony – Have a local Kahu (Hawaiian minister) perform your ceremony and include traditional Hawaiian elements like a lei exchange, Blowing of the Pū (conch shell), a traditional Oli (chant) or Hawaiian ring blessing
Lei – Gifting Lei (floral garland worn around the neck) to special guests and family members
Food– Feature traditional Hawaiian or Polynesian dishes on your reception menu!
Hawaiian/ Polynesian Entertainment – Fire Knife Dancers, Local Musicians, and Hula Performances
10. What type of style or theme should I go with? and, how do I ask my guests to dress for a wedding in Hawaii?
One of the many reasons we love weddings In Hawaii… any theme or style goes!!! While the most popular is a more relaxed, aloha style wedding we have also had extravagant formal events. We usually like to encourage couples to keep the weather in mind when choosing their style – a tux on the beach isn’t the best combo, but there is also nothing wrong with that. Our couples usually land somewhere in between a laid-back aloha style wedding and semi-formal, AKA “Aloha Crisp.”
11. How and when should I obtain my Marriage License? 5 easy steps!
- Find a licensed minister in the state of Hawaii
- Complete the marriage license application online (Recommended within 30 days of the wedding)
- Hawaii’s marriage license regulations fall under the authority of Hawaii’s Department of Health, So you must visit the DOH (on Oahu) or make an appointment with a marriage licensing agent to finalize the paperwork. This must be done together, in person, NO MORE than 30 days prior to your wedding – we recommend you take care of this as soon as you arrive on island, don’t forget to bring a formal ID!
- Bring the hard copy of your license on the day of your wedding (your coordinator will collect it and keep it safe!)
- After your ceremony, your officiant will keep the hard copy to log it online. And then… you are OFFICIALLY married!!! You’ll receive your mailed certificate within 3-4 weeks.
Check out our blog post here for more details!
12. How do I get my dress to Hawaii!?
Start by calling the airline you are flying with to ask how they deal with large, precious delicate items such as a wedding dress. Carefully pack up your dress in a garment bag, and carry it on! You can more than likely schmooze the flight attendants to let you keep it in the captain’s closet so it can hang during the flight. If not, place it very very carefully in an overhead bin. Look for an empty one or try to lay it flat on top of the other luggage. Once you arrive take it out of the bag to breathe! Pack a portable steamer, ask your coordinator to borrow one or arrange for it to be steamed once you arrive in Hawaii.
13. How do I get my decor to Hawaii?
There are a few options for this:
- Pack it up in suitcases (or bins) and bring it with you — you will likely have to pay extra baggage fees but this is just a cost that comes with a destination wedding.
- Ship it — we allow brides to ship us their decor or even order pieces from Amazon and have them sent directly to us to store for them till their wedding! We can start collecting shipped items within 1-2 months of the wedding day. Make sure you allow PLENTY of time for your items to arrive, just in case
- Rent it — consider renting items on island rather than purchasing (arrange this in advance) – in the end it could also save you a lot of money.
14. How many days should I come before the wedding day?
We recommend arriving no later than 3 or 4 days before your wedding. You will need enough time to pick up your marriage license, meet with your coordinator, have a rehearsal, and wrap up any last-minute details. Most importantly, you also need to take a few moments to RELAX and enjoy being in Hawaii before your big day!!!
15. Will you be there on the wedding day?
Yes!!! Our team will be the first to arrive and the last to leave! We take care of everything to ensure a completely stress-free wedding day.
This means on-site coordination of prep, set up, ceremony, reception, and breakdown. We work as a team to ensure everything runs smoothly from start to finish. Your lead coordinator will arrive first thing in the morning during hair and makeup to collect marriage license any final payments and gratuities to distribute on your behalf. The setup team will take care of and oversee the transformation of the ceremony and reception setup. The rest of the day we are there for timeline and vendor management and to be readily available for any questions that may come up. Our team will ensure everything runs smoothly and according to plan! Finally, we oversee a complete breakdown in a timely manner to avoid additional venue charges. Our primary goal is to eliminate any stress from the couple to ensure they have the best possible wedding day!
There you have it, our top 15 frequently asked questions about getting married in Hawaii!!
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