If you have never been to any of the Hawaiian islands, planing an elopement in Hawaii from far awayit can be a bit daunting. Tapping into modern technology and wedding and elopement planners can greatly alleviate much of the stress. Below I talk about some of my key advice and suggestions when it comes to planning your elopement in Hawaii.
Planning for your elopement in Hawaii
A. Pick your island
When picking your perfect island for your day of elopement in Hawaii, you need to factor in the backdrop that you want in your photos and the type of nature that surrounds you. If you want to get married on a white sandy beach at sunset, you can pretty much pick any island. You will get those perfect Hawaii beach wedding photos! However, if you are looking for something more or planning on stopping at more than one or two locations to really soak in the diverse landscape that Hawaii offers, then you might need to do a bit of research.
There are SO MANY options!
Sometimes people ask me for mountain views on the Big Island and I know exactly what they usually have in mind. Maui, Oahu, and Kauai may be more your jam for those views espcially if extra hiking isn’t something you planned on doing! Thanks to the internet and the handy geotagging technology, you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your own house to check out possible locations. I highly recommend Instagram and your favorite Hawaii photographers’ blog when researching locations.
B. Find an elopement planner and/or photographer
Secondly, and trust me on this one. Find someone local and knowledgeable of the islands! This will save you a lot of stress. They can do a ton of leg work on location research so you don’t have to! An elopement planner can help you navigate your location options and connect you with the best and trusted vendors in the state. A local photographer can help you with location and time planning as well. The best thing is in the rare chance that you get into some weather trouble (crazy wind or tropical downpours), these people will be your best asset in figuring out a solid Plan B and Plan C!
C. Get all your legal paperwork ready
Make sure your major vendors (officiant, planner, and photographer) are registered, licensed, and insured. Together, they will ensure that your event is legal and will have all the proper paperwork for the state. The worst thing that can happen during your wedding ceremony is to be checked for proper permits. The fines are enormous!
Last but not the least, please make sure you are not trespassing private property to get to some secluded, adventurous spot on any of the islands. It doesn’t matter if someone else has done it and posted it on Instagram 😉 Some locations are not legal for commercial activity, and yes that includes weddings and elopements!
Still a little overwhelmed? Reach out to me and let’s start talking about your day! To see some of my elopement work, head on over to these blog posts!
Rob and Jordy’s Wedding at Hapuna Beach
Pololu Valley Sunrise Elopement
as seen in