Hawaii Elopement Packages: Guide For Oahu, Maui & Big Island

Last Updated on March 15, 2024 by Karma Hill

Hawaii Elopement Packages are a great way to get everything you need for your Hawaii wedding in one easy-to-book bundle of services.

Each year, thousands of couples elope in Hawaii. Its breathtaking natural beauty, heavenly tropical climate, amazing wedding vendors, and laid-back atmosphere make for the ultimate destination. Depending on the elopement package booked, most packages include location, minister, photographer, bouquet, planner, and onsite coordinator.

8 Steps for Booking Hawaii Elopement Packages

Hawaii elopement packages can be an extremely affordable option versus a traditional wedding with multiple guests, a large venue, and a big wedding party. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about booking wedding packages in Hawaii.

1. Choose a Hawaiian Island for Your Elopement

Your first step when planning an elopement in Hawaii is to choose the perfect island. All of the islands are vastly different. From Oahu, which is very busy, but full of nightlife and dining, to Kauai, which is more relaxed and full of natural beauty. Read below to find out more about each individual island.

Big Island

The Big Island is the ultimate hidden gem among Hawaii’s elopement package destinations, emerging as a rising star in Hawaii. It boasts some of Hawaii’s most stunning resort venues and a diverse range of natural marvels, from active volcanoes like Kīlauea to exquisite black sand beaches. With a mix of amazing wedding options and honeymoon opportunities for exploration and relaxation, Big Island is truly a 10 out of 10 perfect elopement destination choice.

The primary wedding areas on the Big Island started taking shape in the late 1980s, evolving from lava fields along the Kohala Coast. Despite its incredible offerings, the Big Island has been somewhat overshadowed by the popularity of Maui and Oahu over the years. Surprisingly, Hawaii Island features astonishingly affordable and spacious accommodations, easy-to-navigate traffic, and an international airport. From luxury resorts to small and large Airbnbs, with an endless amount of beautiful scenery, Hawaii Island has it all.

Maui

is an iconic Hawaii destination wedding location, perfect for couples seeking a blend of luxury, adventure, and natural beauty. With some of the most calm and easily accessible beaches in Hawaii, Maui offers an array of epic beach-elopement locations. From the white sands of Baldwin Beach on the North Shore to the golden sands of Maluaka Beach in Wailea, there is no shortage of epic elopement locations on Maui.

While beach weddings are paramount for elopements due to cost, there are breathtaking and affordable venues for elopements as well. For couples with larger budgets, the Four Seasons and Wailea Beach Resort are exceptional venue choices. These locations offer amazing beachfront lawn settings, perfect for dreamy wedding ceremonies and after-parties.

Oahu

From the iconic shores of Waikiki Beach to the historic significance of Pearl Harbor, Oahu stands out not only as an epic elopement location but also as a captivating place to explore. The island offers a diverse range of experiences for everyone, making it an ideal choice for couples seeking a blend of breathtaking nature, rich Hawaiian culture, and vibrant city life. Oahu’s elopement packages often feature unique locations, such as the Paradise Cove Luau or the scenic Waialae Beach Park.

For those enchanted by lush green mountains, Oahu’s landscape paints a mesmerizing picture. The island’s scenery, where scenes from Jurassic Park were filmed, creates a magical backdrop for your elopement. Moreover, Oahu’s coastal charm extends to encounters with majestic sea turtles, adding a touch of natural wonder to your celebration. While Oahu is Hawaii’s most touristy island due to its bustling city life and diverse accommodation options, it remains an enchanting choice for couples seeking a dynamic and unforgettable elopement experience.

2. Determining Your Elopement Budget

Establish Your Priorities

Before you start crunching numbers, decide what aspects of the wedding are most important to you. Is it the location? The photography? The decor? The food? Be prepared to allocate more funds to your favorite areas.

Research the Cost of Hawaii Elopement Packages

Look up the average cost of an elopement ceremony on the Hawaiian island of your choice. This will give you an idea of what to expect for the cost of beach or venue elopement package options. Below, we offer three Hawaii elopement companies, one on each of the major islands, to start your elopement planning.

Determine Your Guest Count

The historic definition of an elopement is a ceremony between just the couple. However, currently, the definition is a small ceremony with fewer than 10 guests, often referred to as a micro-wedding. When considering guests, after-parties, or small wedding receptions, prioritize getting actual pricing immediately. Additionally, Hawaii’s costs can be substantially higher than mainland expenses, necessitating accurate budgeting rather than estimations.

Include Travel Expenses

When determining your elopement budget and factoring in travel expenses, carefully assess the costs of flights, accommodations, and transportation on the island of your choice. If cost is a significant consideration, it’s worth noting that the months between April and June, as well as September and mid-December, tend to be up to 20% less expensive, making them potentially more budget-friendly options for your elopement.

Create a Spreadsheet to Track Costs

Consolidate all your information by creating a comprehensive spreadsheet that encompasses every conceivable expense. This step not only brings all your details together but also provides a holistic perspective on costs. Moreover, it propels your planning forward by clearly identifying which items still require accounting for.

3. Choose a Wedding Planner For Your Hawaii Elopement

4. Choosing Between A Beach or Venue Elopement Package

Choosing between a beach elopement package and a venue elopement package comes down to privacy, amenities and cost. View the pros and cons of each type of package below.

Beach Elopement Packages:

Pros:

• Scenic Beauty: Beach weddings offer stunning natural backdrops with picturesque ocean views, sunsets, and landscapes, providing a beautiful setting for a romantic ceremony.
• Relaxed Atmosphere: The laid-back ambiance of a beach wedding often creates a more casual and relaxed environment, allowing guests to feel at ease and enjoy the natural surroundings.
• Unique Experience: Getting married on the beach can be a unique and memorable experience for both the couple and their guests, providing a different and more adventurous wedding setting.
• Natural Decor: With the natural beauty of the beach, minimal decorations are often needed, which can save on decor costs and effort.
• Photo Opportunities: The beach setting offers numerous photo opportunities with the ocean, sand, and sun, resulting in stunning and memorable wedding photos.

Cons:

• Weather Challenges: Unpredictable weather conditions like wind, sudden rain, or extreme heat can be a significant concern for a beach wedding, potentially causing discomfort for guests and affecting the ceremony.
• Permit Requirements: Hawaii beaches require permits for events, which can involve additional fees and administrative processes, and not all beaches are allowed for weddings.
• Accessibility: Accessibility for guests, especially elderly or disabled individuals, might be challenging due to sand, uneven surfaces, or distant parking areas.
• Noise and Crowds: Public beaches can be noisy and crowded, impacting the privacy and intimacy of the wedding ceremony.
• Limited Amenities: Lack of nearby facilities such as restrooms, shelter, or electricity can pose logistical challenges.

Venue Elopement Packages:

Pros:

• Controlled Environment: Comparatively, venues offer a controlled environment, typically equipped with amenities such as restrooms, shelter, electricity, and catering services, ensuring guests’ convenience and comfort.
• Weather Protection: Indoor venues protect against weather uncertainties, allowing for a worry-free celebration regardless of external conditions. Most Hawaii venues have a mixture of outdoor and indoor spaces for a rain backup.
• Customization: Venues often allow for more extensive customization and decoration options, enabling couples to personalize the space to match their wedding vision.
• Convenience: Wedding venues usually have ample parking space and are more accessible for guests of all ages and abilities.
• Professional Support: Many venues provide experienced staff, coordinators, and vendors, streamlining the wedding planning process and ensuring a smoother event.
• Privacy: If you are looking for a more intimate elopement celebration, most couples choose a venue. This ensures your special day is as private as it can be.

Cons:

• Cost: Venue rental fees can be higher compared to using public spaces like beaches, potentially increasing overall wedding expenses.
• Limited Availability: Popular venues may have limited availability, requiring early booking and flexibility in the wedding date.
• Less Natural Scenery: Indoor venues may lack the natural scenery and unique backdrop that a beach in Hawaii offers for photos and ambiance. Most planners will offer the option of heading to the beach for photos if your venue is close enough to the beach.
• Restrictions: Some venues have strict policies or limitations on outside vendors, decor, or music, limiting couples’ creative freedom.

5. Reserve Your Wedding Date

Once you have chosen the type of wedding you want—beach or venue—and have chosen your wedding planner, get your desired date reserved ASAP. Your wedding planner will contact the venue you are interested in to see the available dates. If you are set on a specific Hawaii elopement venue location, it is best to be flexible with your dates. Just remember that on islands such as Maui there are very few venue locations so they fill up fast.

6. Book Your Travel and Accommodations

Once you have reserved your wedding date, it is time to book plane tickets and accommodations. Try to book flights right away as soon as you know your date. Direct flights fill up fast, and you don’t want to turn a 6-hour flight into 18 hours of connections and layovers.

When booking accommodations, if booking a hotel, make sure to tell them that you are getting married; they will usually throw in a bottle of champagne and a room upgrade. Also, double-check that the area of the island you will be staying at is close to the wedding location. Many couples overlook that their wedding venue is an hour’s drive from their wedding venue or beach location. Just because the Hawaiian islands seem small, there can still be traffic or super slow speed limits to deal with.

7. Personalize Your Elopement Package

Once you have your wedding planner, the perfect location reserved, and the wedding package chosen, think about any additional details you want to enhance your elopement ceremony. Items such as additional florals, more photography time, musicians, a reception location, and a videographer can be amazing additions to your elopement package.

Popular Elopement Ceremony Add-Ons Are:

1. Additional floral items, such as custom bouquets, flower circles, flower crowns, and leis, are available for guests.
2. Additional Photography Time: Adding additional photography time may be a great idea if you have multiple guests and want multiple combinations or are getting ready for coverage. It is usually best to have more photography time than not enough. Consult your elopement photographer to judge just how much time is needed on your wedding day.
3. Musician: A guitar or ukulele player is a great addition to your wedding, adding additional ambiance while guests arrive and leave the wedding location.
4. Videographer: When having a destination wedding, a videographer is a great addition so you can capture your ceremony for family members and friends to watch later.
5. Reception: If you have an elopement at a venue, creating a reception can be a very easy process. With on-site amenities, venues can allow you to have dinner and a celebration steps away right after your ceremony. If you are having a beach wedding, a great idea is to reserve a private room at a restaurant. This can provide an exceptional, intimate wedding guest experience with amazing food and a great celebration location. This also makes having a wedding cake after the ceremony much easier.

8. Don’t Forget Hair and Make-Up

If you plan on booking a hairstylist and makeup artist, make sure to do so just after you book your flight and accommodations. There are some amazing local vendors who can provide amazing bridal hair and makeup services on each island, but the best fill up fast for future bookings. Make sure to enquire with your Hawaii elopement planner, as they will know the best choices across the state of Hawaii.

Final Thoughts on Hawaii’s Elopement Options

In conclusion, a Hawaii elopement package offers a stress-free and enchanting way to celebrate love amid the breathtaking landscapes and vibrant culture of the islands. Whether opting for the rising star of the Big Island, the iconic beauty of Maui, or the diverse experiences of Oahu, each location provides a unique backdrop for a memorable elopement.

Careful consideration of priorities, budget, and guest count, coupled with choosing between a beach or venue elopement package, adds a layer of personalization. Beach weddings, featuring gorgeous palm trees and stunning Pacific Ocean views, offer a relaxed and romantic atmosphere for couples to exchange vows. Some packages even include adventurous options like helicopter tours, adding an exhilarating element to the celebration.

Partnering with experienced wedding planners such as Simple Maui Wedding, Simple Oahu Wedding, and Simple Hawaii Wedding ensures a seamless and magical experience. These professionals guide couples through selecting the perfect Hawaii elopement location, arranging permits, and curating additional experiences like helicopter tours for a special day.

Reserving the wedding date promptly and personalizing the elopement package with thoughtful add-ons, from additional florals to a videographer capturing beach wedding moments or adventure elopements, enhances the celebration. Ultimately, Hawaii elopement packages encapsulate the beauty, romance, and adventure that makes the islands a dream destination for couples seeking an unforgettable wedding experience, be it on a gorgeous beach or during an exhilarating active volcano tour.

Top Hawaii Elopement Questions