in hawaii
planning your destination wedding
planning your hawaii wedding
First of all, let me be the first person to congratulate you on this incredible decision! Getting married in Hawaii is one of the greatest ways to spend your special day.
A destination wedding on its own is such an amazing way to tie the knot. Big hometown weddings can so easily become about everyone around you, and things that simply just don't matter! Having a destination wedding is an incredible way to bring your day back to what truly matters, the two of you, your love and your life together.
And now that you've decided to have a destination wedding, your wedding day dreams can go crazy. You don't have to worry about fitting 200 people in a small space, you can get married on a cliffside or on the beach or in a jungle orrrr get all 3 in Hawaii!
Hawaii is not only beautiful and so unique in every way, but the culture of the islands is just the perfect place to tie the knot. Island culture is so laid back, and just the most relaxing and stress free environment. Throw in having the best day of your life with your most favorite people and you've got a recipe for something incredible!
so you want to
get married in hawaii
thinking about eloping?
check out my complete guide to planning your elopement here!
what we're going to cover
•which island is best for you
•marriage license information
•touristy things that are actually worth the money
•my favorite wedding venues on each island
•when to get married in hawaii
•choosing your vendor team
•first steps to planning your destination wedding
click on any of these to jump ahead!
Your photographer is the person that will be there for you every step of the way in your elopement! I like to be so much more than a photographer for my couples, a lot of the time with destination weddings it's just the three of us planning the whole day together! I'll be there for you every step of the way in your planning process, choosing other vendors and just a call away if you need any help with anything! I want to be a friend celebrating with you on your big day, not just a "vendor". So if you're looking for someone who will laugh with you, cry with you and capture every special moment, I'm your girl!
why am i the right person to photograph your wedding day?
We have to chat about it at some point… so what better time than now? I know things can get pricey, trust me - I’ve been there. When you put things in perspective, however, these photos are the only way to make your wedding day last forever. They’ll provide you with years worth of memories to enjoy together. Maybe one day, your favorite elopement shot will grace the wall of your future child’s home - or even grandchild! Now that’s something worth investing in, if you ask me.
why invest in
photography
hi, i'm mckennna!
get to know me
first steps to planning your destination wedding
1. Choose which island fits your dreams!
2. Decide what time of year you want to plan your wedding for
3. Book your elopement photographer & videographer
4. Together, we plan your perfect day!
5. Book your wedding venue
6. Apply for a marriage license
7. Book your travel
8. Have the best day of your lives!
click here for a free consultation with me!
island
your day
choosing which
is best for
choosing which
is best for
choosing which
is best for
choosing which
is best for
choosing which
is best for
choosing which
is best for
The major Hawaiian Islands are Oahu, Kauai, Maui, Hawaii (Big Island), Molokai and Lanai. Each Island is so unique and beautiful in it’s own way, so it’s important to know what each island offers before making your decision!
choosing which island is best for your day
Oahu is the most popular tourist island, and has the most hustle and bustle out of the islands. But I always tell my couples if you’re able to venture out of Waikiki oh my lanta it is so gorgeous. Oahu has the lush green mountains, waterfalls, rocky cliffs as well as gold sand beaches. Being one of the oldest islands you really can’t beat the sand here, as the island ages the sand becomes more and more fine so this island is really only beat by Kauai!
Kauai is the oldest of the Hawaiian Islands and the most untouched. It has the most beautiful green mountains scaling straight into bright yellow sand beaches. They also have Waimea Canyon which is one of the most gorgeous places on the islands to hike around and explore (or elope!). If you feel like going on an adventure the Na Pali Coast is also an unbeatable corner of this island, it is completely untouched and can only be reached by helicopter or hiking, but is a huge landscape of gorgeous views!
Maui is also a great option for an elopement! Maui has beautiful beaches, wide stretches of open fields and cliffs overlooking the ocean. Maui is also home to Haleakala National Park which is a mountaintop overlook on top of the clouds, and absolute must if you want to see all that Maui has to offer.
Big Island is one of my personal favorites (I may be biased since this is the island that I call home). Big Island has so much to offer, from black sand beaches to rolling green hills. Big Island is also home to Volcano National Park where you can witness actual lava flow! So cool. Big Island is also home to gorgeous beaches, volcanic rock cliffs with crashing waves, lush forests, and gorgeous mountain views!
Molokai and Lanai are the smallest and most desolate of the major islands. They both have incredible adventures to embark on and lots of rich Hawaiian culture within them. They both are relatively untouched and have incredibly beautiful landscapes to offer!
Let's Connect
oahu
kauai
maui
big island
molokai & lanai
Obviously you can’t go wrong with any of these islands, but I hope this helped you be able to see some key differences between the islands and decide which might be best for your day! And hey, if you really can’t decide between two of your favorites, let’s do both! Island hopping is a great option for couples who are wanting two totally different islands. Flights between the islands are relatively inexpensive and it’s pretty easy to start your day at sunrise on one island, and end at sunset on another. Let’s chat!
not sure which island will be best for you?
check out some elopement inspo here!
This is huge!! On wedding days, your vendor team becomes the people you spend the whole day with, they're there for every big and small moments.
As an wedding photographer I love being able to connect with my couples before any official booking even happens, which is why I offer a free consultation call with all of my couple’s before sending anything official over. I love being more than just a “vendor”, I want to be a friend celebrating with you on your day! Your photographer is usually the person that you’re planning your entire day with as well. So whether that’s me or someone else, make sure that you’re hiring photographer’s and videographers that you love and are excited to spend the day with!
I also cannot recommend enough hiring someone that you LOVE their work! Photos and videos are the only thing that you’ll have left of your big day after the day is over, so make sure it’s coming from someone that you trust and who’s work and style you’ll love even 50 years from now!
Some other wedding vendors to consider are florals, hair and makeup, a wedding day coordinator and your officiant! These things are also ones that we can work on and find together during your planning process!
choosing your
vendor team
Kualoa Ranch has a beautiful green mountain backdrop and long fields of green grass, as well as white sand beaches along the shore right across the street! It really is the best of both worlds if you can’t decide between the lush green and the beach for your wedding day!
Waimea Valley is also a beautiful option if you're wanting to be immersed in the Hawaiian jungle. With greenery palm trees and even waterfalls as some of your options as the backdrop of your ceremony, you really can't go wrong with this gorgeous venue!
Let's Connect
Obviously you can’t go wrong with any of these venues, but I hope this helped you be able to see some key differences between the islands and decide which might be best for your day! And if you don't feel like any of these venues are just right for your day, there's so many more out there that I just didn't have room to mention! One more thing to consider is renting out an air bnb, depending on the size of your guest list. We've seriously barely scratched the surface of places to get married in Hawaii, and there's so much more worth mentioning. Let’s chat!
not sure which venue to go with?
check out some wedding inspo here!
The Steeple House is a beautiful venue with a sweet white chapel as well as lush green fields of grass and oceanside cliffs for photos! It's a gorgeous venue for any size wedding and a beautiful place for photos!
The Surf Club is another gorgeous venue on the north shore of maui. If you're looking for a perfect place for an intimate beach wedding, this is the place for you! It is right on the shoreline with the cutest little spot for a ceremony overlooking the horizon. Makes for the perfect sunset photos!
Common Ground Kauai is an amazing choice for your wedding! This is the most gorgeous venue in the forests of kauai, with a ceremony backdrop of those giant green mountains that Kauai is so famous for! Makes for the perfect Hawaiian jungle wedding.
Waimea Plantation Cottages is also a gorgeous place for your intimate Kauai wedding. It has the most beautiful banyan tree to get married under, and it borders a long black sand beach which makes for the most incredible wedding photos. It also has the cottages on the property to stay at after your wedding!
Kulaniapia Falls is such a GORGEOUS place for an intimate wedding! With lush greenery surrounding the venue and a gorgeous waterfall in the middle, it's the perfect place for a jungle getaway wedding. They also have all inclusive packages that include rooms for you and all your guests for the weekend. This is actually the only waterfall that you can get married at on the island, so if you've always pictured a waterfall wedding, this is the place for you!
Kahua Ranch is such a beautiful place to get married! Tucked in the hills of the country of Big Island, it's the sweetest secluded spot with the most incredible views of the whole island. It's a gorgeous place with lots of open land for any amount of guests and any sort of arbor setup or dreams you've had of your big day! It's really just a giant open canvas for whatever you want to make of it, I cannot recommend it enough.
kulaniapia falls
kualoa ranch
common ground
waimea plantation cottages
waimea valley
the steeple house
the surf club
kahua ranch
Big Island
Maui
Oahu
Kauai
my favorite wedding venues on each island
Getting a marriage license in Hawaii is relatively simple and inexpensive! The marriage license fee is $60, which can be paid online beforehand or in person! The great thing about these marriage licenses is there’s no waiting period, BUT the license will be void after 30 days, so make sure you have that in mind when applying. If your elopement is adventurous and you aren’t sure if you’ll be able to find a minister to hike around with you, one thing to consider is finding a photographer who is ordained! (Which I happen to be and would love to photograph and perform your ceremony!). Another thing you can do is go to the courthouse beforehand (at home or in Hawaii) and get the legal stuff taken care of so you’re free to enjoy your elopement day without having to worry about anything official!
how to get a
marriage license
Parasailing on Oahu is so cool! When you parasail from Waikiki you can see the entire coast line, diamond head and the entire city from the sky. If you’re interested in parasailing in your lifetime, this is the place to do it.
If you’re in Maui, you HAVE to do the road to Hana. It’s so beautiful and it can be a full day adventure or just be a couple hours! It’s the most beautiful drive filled with waterfalls. Hiking trails and coastal views that are 100% worth the windy roads.
Doing an atv tour through the jungle of kauai is SO FUN. So many movies have been filmed in areas on Kauai, and a lot of the time the tours take you through exact places where movies like Jurassic Park were filmed! It’s so cool to feel like you’re just in a giant green screen, and riding through the mud and forest is so fun!
I cannot recommend the manta ray dive enough, this is one of the only places in the world that you can do something like this and it’s so cool! You take a boat out just after sunset and swim in the ocean with gigantic manta rays, it’s the most incredible experience and even if you think you’re afraid of the ocean at night (like I did) just do it, trust me.
oahu
kauai
maui
big island
touristy things that are actually worth the money
so what do we think?
I hope you found this guide helpful in your planning process for your hawaiian adventure! This really just covers the basics, and we've barely scratched the surface on everything to consider before your wedding day! There's so many more incredible locations and activities to do and see on these amazing islands that I just didn't have room to mention but I would LOVE to talk to you and give you alllll my knowledge of this incredible place!
So let's get to chatting and create the day of your dreams!
let's connect!
