Hawaii Elopement Packages

How to elope in Hawaii

There’s a certain kind of magic in the atmosphere when you visit Hawaii, making tropical paradise somehow feel like home. Maybe it’s the locals who radiate positivity, or perhaps it’s the long, sun-soaked beach days that feel endless. Any way you slice it, eloping in Hawaii is nothing short of heavenly. If you’ve been dreaming of reciting your I-do’s on a beautiful Hawaiian beach with the waves crashing in the backdrop, you’re in luck: figuring out how to elope in Hawaii isn’t all that difficult if you follow these steps. Whether you’re considering the adventurous Big Island, the iconic island of Oahu, or the ultra-romantic island of Maui, we’ll explain how to elope in Hawaii in a few basic and easy steps.

When is the best time to elope in Hawaii?

Choosing your date is the first step to making it all happen for you and your partner. Whether you’re escaping the cold of winter or taking a stellar summer vacation, the average temperature year-round in Hawaii is 80 degrees Fahrenheit, so you can’t go wrong with any time of year! Even their rainy season isn’t all that rainy – but if it does happen to rain on your wedding day, we’ve got you covered! Determining the time of year can also dictate some of your expenses, as prices tend to be higher during tourist season, which lasts from mid-December to mid-April and June-September.

Once you and your partner have chosen when you’d like to elope in Hawaii, it’s time to begin the process of choosing your location. There’s no shortage of epic backdrops here: whether you’re looking at one of Hawaii’s white-sand beaches that are perfect for sunset ceremonies or its mountaintops overlooking the Pacific ocean, there’s a special location that will feel like a perfect fit for you. And, much like love, once you find the right spot, you’ll just know. This is all about you and your love, so take your time with choosing what kind of backdrop you want to set the tone for your day.

Choosing the right Hawaii elopement package

After you accomplish the crucial step of choosing your date and elopement location, finding an elopement package that suits your needs is the proverbial cherry on top. What do you envision for your big day? Do you want an out-of-this-world photographer who will document your day, giving you tangible memories for years to come? Does the thought of a lush, tropical bouquet make your heart beat faster? Does the idea of getting glammed up with a hair and makeup artist sound like the perfect way to get ready for your elopement? Figuring out what vendors are a priority will help guide you towards selecting which elopement package is a perfect match for you.

What do I need to elope in Hawaii?

The Aloha State requires a few things in order to elope in Hawaii. First, you’ll need a marriage license in Hawaii (more on making your Hawaii elopement legal in the next question!), but no witnesses or blood tests are required. Second, you’ll need a registered officiant, pastor, or celebrant to perform the ceremony and file the license. After your wedding, it takes about 3 weeks for the license to be processed and mailed to you. The state actually quotes a delivery of the marriage license of 40 business days.

How to make your Hawaii elopement legal

Every state has different requirements for applying for and receiving a marriage license, and the State of Hawaii is simple in some ways, but not-so-simple in others. In order to apply for your marriage license, you’ll need an ID – state issued or a passport works – and a copy of a divorce decree if either you or your partner have previously been married. You can begin this process online, but you’ll still need to make an appointment with a license agent to validate your information and obtain the physical copy of your marriage license.

The state of Hawaii does not require a waiting period nor a witness (so if you’re planning on eloping alone, you don’t have to worry about finding a kind stranger to witness your big day). The total application fee is $65.

It is crucial to receive your marriage license prior to attending your ceremony, otherwise your union will not be legally recognized as a marriage! Set an alert on your phone; write it down in your daily planner; do anything and everything you can do to remind yourself to bring your license! To make an appointment with an agent to receive your marriage license, please click here.

How to prepare for the day of your elopement

Planning an elopement is enough to give anyone the pre-wedding jitters. It’s a big, important moment that you’ve likely been waiting for, so if you’re got a bundle of nerves, don’t worry – we’re here to help.

We’ll send you an itinerary of your elopement details prior to your ceremony, which ensures everyone is one the same page for details concerning time, location and series of events. Be sure you’re clear on where you’re meeting and where you intend to hold your ceremony. Your team can always make suggestions if you’re unsure – that’s what they’re here for! Always ensure to bring the hard copy of your marriage license with you, as all parties present will sign.

If you’re eloping without a coordinator, a great way to make sure you’ve not forgotten anything is by creating a checklist for yourself. Your checklist should include things like your marriage license, your vows, any additional details you want your photographer to capture, and gratuity for your vendors. We know that Aloha time is a very real thing, so make sure you leave plenty of time in between each portion of the day to ensure you don’t stress about running late!

Whether you’re still figuring out the beginning stages of how to elope in Hawaii or if you’ve already got your plane tickets book, having all of this information at the ready will help make you feel less stressed and more focused on what really counts – the person you’re choosing to spend forever with.

Article written by

Karen Norian

Karen Norian is an elopement photographer and has photographed over a hundred elopements. Karen has also worked as an elopement planner for Simply Eloped, as well as a writer, editor, and content strategist.

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Read the real stories of couples that eloped in Hawaii!

Kat + Daniel

Kat and Dan are the kind of couple that felt eloping just made sense to them. Not wanting to sort through all the little details of a traditional wedding, the pair wanted the focus to be solely on their love and knew that eloping was the perfect option. They have a huge passion for traveling and wanted to experience something extra-special for their big day – and what could be more special than a dreamy sunset elopement in Hawaii? Their first trip as a couple was to Hawaii – but they both had never traveled to Big Island, so they instantly knew that’s where they wanted to celebrate their wedding day! On March 8, 2020, Kat and Dan were married at Pine Trees Beach and had the ceremony of their dreams. Read all about their love story and their Hawaiian elopement experience below!

How did you meet? What was your first impression of one another?

Kat: We met on OKCupid. Our first date consisted of meeting up at Starbucks in the freezing cold one random day in March. Dan ended up getting an iced coffee, and I thought he was insane! Somehow, Dan roped me into seeing a movie with him, whereas the date was only supposed to consist of a coffee date! I thought he had a great toothy grin, and loved to talk about things that were important to him. I was just glad I wasn’t the only one who had to speak! After the movie ended, we went our separate ways. I declined dinner (the date was already extended as is!) and called my mother. I never called my mother after dates, but this felt different. Dan thought I was cute, and loved that we had very similar interests. Our personalities based on our conversations seemed to balance each other out, but also brought out the best in one another.

Dan:We meet with the help from a dating app and her taking the first step. From the first date, I knew she had a strong drive and she knew how to get what she wanted. On our first date, she didn’t judge me for my iced coffee on a cold winter day. We just clicked.

When did you first fall in love? How did you know?

Kat: I believe I started falling in love when we started going up to Dan’s family country house in Massachusetts. We would go hiking, cook together, and explore the surrounding area. The fact that we went on our first overnight away trip 5 weeks into the relationship seemed to be a good sign! I also saw how selfless he was (i.e. stopping in the middle of the road to move a tree branch so no other car would need to stop, or going to hang out with his elderly neighbor for a drink to make sure that he wasn’t lonely after his wife passed away). Most importantly, it was the little things. He made sure I was laughing. I think I realized I was in love with him coming back from a bar one night and walking along the beach. He’d always reach for my hand and would constantly be making me giggle.

Dan: I first started to fall in love with Kat after our first trip to a family house in a rural area. We went on a hike and had an amazing time, and we just clicked. Our conversation was unique and we acted like we’ve been together for a long time.

How did you propose or accept the proposal?

Kat: I had no idea the proposal was coming that night! I had an inkling it would happen that weekend as we’d barely get away on weekends due to our jobs. We had gone out to dinner earlier, and we had to stop by a store to get ace bandages because I had ended up fracturing my foot. He bandaged up my foot in the parking lot and we drove home. He asked me to stay in the car as he went to turn on the deck lights for halloween. He then carried me out of the car, (almost dropped me), and set me down. He asked me to take a photo of the deck, and as I went to take the photo, he got down on one knee! I was in shock! We talked about it, but I didn’t know it was going to happen that night! I started crying and asking him if he was sure. While we were both laughing and crying, I definitely said yes.

Dan: Hilarious story. Kat loves Halloween and I had just bought some inflatable dragons and set them up on the deck! Her real ring didn’t come in yet because of a delay while customizing it, so I ordered a costume ring that looked close to the real one. When the [costume] ring arrived, we went out for dinner. I had the ring in my pocket the entire dinner. Kat couldn’t walk because of an ankle injury, so when we got home, I carried her across the lawn laughing. I gave her my phone to take the picture of the Halloween decorations as I bent down to propose. The picture didn’t come out, but she started to cry from happiness. She said yes, I put the stand-in ring on, and told her there was a catch: the real ring isn’t here yet! It was so “us” because we are very spontaneous, in-the-moment people and we don’t get hung up on material things. We just enjoyed the moment!

What do you love about your partner?

Kat: I love how Dan is always trying to make me laugh and to make sure that we are both having a great time. He goes out of his way to do the little things … He helps anyone he can, even if it gets him home later at night. But most of all, I love how when he touches my hand or we snuggle up, I forget all my stressors in the world.

Dan: Kat’s lovely smile when she sees cute little animals and her little squeaks when she sees the smallest of insects. She has a strong will and has the ability to reel me in when my ego gets the best of me when I do something amazing at work. Our debates about our professional lives bring some interesting stares from our waiters and I wouldn’t trade that for anything in the world. At the end of the day, she is my snuggle bunny.

What is the greatest strength of your relationship?

Kat: Dan and I are very similar in what our values are and our interests, but we are also very different. We are both supportive of what each other does, but at the end of the day, we make sure that we make ourselves the priority. We have been told that we flow so well that people assume we’ve been together for forever.

How did you find Simply Eloped?

Gotta love Google!

How did you know Simply Eloped was the right fit for you?

We knew Simply Eloped was the right fit for us because it had everything we were looking for. Flowers, hair, make up, officiant – all the work was done for us! I’d email asking crazy questions where to get married, or which location was better, and they helped me through it all. The price also allowed us to put the money away where it really mattered: a home for our future.

What attracted you to the venue you eloped at?

Dan and I have always loved adventures and travel, and we really LOVED Hawaii. Our first trip as a couple was to Hawaii by coincidence. We had never been to Big Island before (it was the last island on our Hawaiian to-do list!) and we decided, why not! Let’s do it! It was thrilling to plan something knowing there were going to be surprises (although sometimes stressful), but chatting with Simply Eloped helped! We wanted a wedding that was about us, but not a beach or a traditional wedding. Pine Trees Beach gave me a lava aisle to have my father walk me down, and the photographs were beyond amazing.

What activities did you do before the wedding? How did you prepare? How did you feel leading up to the moments of your elopement?

We did the typical snorkeling with Manta Rays, eating everything and anything to our hearts content, as well as traveling all over the island to soak in the views. The day of the wedding, we all went out for breakfast overlooking the ocean. After breakfast, we drove down to the beach and just enjoyed the views. We had considered spending the night apart, but we realized that yes, while it was tradition, nothing about us was traditional. We began house hunting before we even became engaged! Once we got back to our rental, Dan went to get ready with his brother and mom, while I stayed with my parents and got my hair and make up done. The make up artist did a phenomenal job! She made sure I knew what was going on, and that it was part of my vision (lets be honest, i just asked for flowers in my hair!). She gave me the most amazing updo, and the make up I still wish I could recreate to this day!

Tell us about your experience with Simply Eloped leading up to and on your big day!

Simply Eloped was great at having everything all in one place. Hair? Check. Flowers? Check. Make up? Check. Paperwork? Check. They were fabulous at responding to emails, and are great at choosing an “Instagram photo-worthy” location.

How did you celebrate after?

After taking fabulous and adventurous photos with our photographer Lei, we drove up the Island to Merriman’s, one of Hawaii’s best restaurants, to celebrate with the few people that attended our wedding: my parents, his mom and his brother. We had ordered a wedding cake from a fabulous baker, and had it delivered to the restaurant. While it wasn’t the typical traditional wedding, it was perfect for us.

What words of encouragement do you have for those considering eloping?

Getting married is about you and your partner. We wanted to honor our families in our engagement, so we had an engagement dinner that was a fraction of the cost, but also a fraction of the stress! Remember, it’s about you. Make sure that the both of you are happy, as it’s your life. We found out who really cared for us and how supportive they were when they let us do “us.”

Why did you decide to elope?

Kat: I did not want to pay for a big wedding and still have someone [at the wedding] be upset. I also did not want to choose silly details such as napkin colors, etc. We wanted a small affair that was about us and who we were, instead of focusing on what everyone else thought should happen. We also loved traveling, so we wanted to incorporate that into our wedding.

Planner: Simply Eloped
Officiant: Tom Fernandez
Photographer: Lei Conradt
Big Island Hair & Makeup
Flowers: Nicco Designs

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