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Beach Weddings in Hawaii – Beachwed
Ten things to remember when getting married in
Hawaii
- Holidays & Traffic: The Honolulu Marriage License Office is open only during
normal business hours, but not on the usual 13-14 State holidays.
With a population of 900,000 and over 800,000 vehicles registered on
Oahu, traffic & parking can be quite a challenge. Plan to get going
early, check out your site before your scheduled day and make sure sure
you keep to our schedule to avoid overtime fees or conflict with other
events for which the minister & other performers may be obligated.
Keep holidays in mind when choosing your Hawaii wedding date.
Valentine's Day is a hugely popular date for weddings in Hawaii and
while it might seem romantic, you may change your mind after waiting in
line for a minister. New Year's Eve is another busy wedding day in
Hawaii. It's also party central for tourists, which means your
out-of-town wedding guests may have trouble finding a flight or a hotel
room unless you book well in advance. Keep in mind that reception sites
may also be booked solid during these holidays. Weekends at popular
parks can cause parking delays of more than 30 minutes, so beware! Get
there early or let us get you there in a luxurious limousine.
- Weather:
Hawaii has beautiful, sunny weather most of the year. However, even
though the summer months are popular for weddings, the weather here can
be hot and humid so would be uncomfortable if you're dressed in a tuxedo
or a long, heavy gown. The sun can melt everything from the bride's
makeup to the icing on the wedding cake. Hawaii temperatures can top the
90 degree mark, but this is not the usual case. Temperatures are
pleasant at night, so you might want to think about a shady site or a
late afternoon ceremony during the summer. During Spring &
Fall, rain may be more common, but showers are usually brief and
centered over the mountains and windward sections. Most beaches are
exposed with no shelter from wind or rain. We provide umbrellas if
needed. Windward beaches tend to have
more wind. We get lots of
rainbows so maybe you'll be lucky to have one on your day! Check the
weather for
current conditions in Honolulu.
- Sunsets on O'ahu: As the sun makes its journey
North of West in the winter & South of West in the summer (due to
Earth's tilt), the view of sunset at any particular beach changes
daily. As viewed from shore, the sun sets a little farther to the
right every day until the end of June, then a little farther to the
left until end of December. Most beaches in Areas 4 & 5 (closest to
Waikiki) face South so the sun will go down to the right as you face
the ocean. This means that the winter months offer the best
opportunity to view the sun setting over water from some of these
beaches, not all. During the summer, you'll need to get to a beach
facing West (Areas 6 & 7) to be sure to see the sun setting over
water. Want to do your own calculations? Go
here.
-
The dress: Since
Hawaii has no waiting period for getting married, spur-of-the-moment weddings are a common occurrence. So, where can you find a wedding dress with only a couple of hours notice?
Many brides simply purchase a beautiful aloha print dress or simply
come dressed in your bikini top and sarong. Check out our favorite
shop: Hilo Hattie. -
Legal: Even though
Honolulu is known for quickie marriages, that doesn't mean you can just waltz
in off the street into a chapel and get married. There are legal requirements you must meet before being issued a marriage license. Check out our section on the
legalities of
getting married in Hawaii. Rumors that public beach weddings are not
legal in Hawaii is wholly false. For other legal questions, check with
the State Health Dept. Same-sex marriages are not legal in Hawaii, but
we do perform very meaningful romantic services for gays, renewals &
non-binding commitments. Marriages in Hawaii are generally accepted in
most nations of the world. Check your local office for legalities
regarding marriage in the United States. An Apostil is available with
your copy of the license from the State for $1.
- Witnesses: If you're one of those couples who decide on a
last minute wedding, you might not have any guests in town, which brings up the question of having a witness at your ceremony. Not to worry --
Hawaii does not require a witness. That said, since most couples hire
our professional photographer to shoot the ceremony, he will serve as a witness for your happy
occasion at no extra charge.
- Time: If you have your wedding
on one of the hundreds of beaches around Oahu, don't expect a long ceremony or a lot of quality time afterwards.
Many beaches are crowded with people and it may be difficult to find
a really "secluded" beach. You'll probably opt to get back
into the limousine and cruise the coast, or drive to another site for your
reception. The most popular time of day is sunset, so be well
advised to book early to secure a minister and site for sunset,
which only occurs once per day in Hawaii and is not fully visible
from every beach. Ask for recommendations according to your
expectations. Check our link to the sunset
chart and
remember the sun goes down in the West!
- The official:
Wedding officiates, ministers, in Honolulu offer only a religious ceremony.
Only a magistrate can perform a civil ceremony. Keep in mind that
prices vary widely among ministers that perform the religious ceremony.
Our
prices are among the best!
-
Unusual
weddings: If you come to Honolulu to get married, you don't have to have a traditional
ceremony in a chapel. Why not make it a wild and crazy experience?
Our ministers offer custom services that cater to your special
needs. You can get married in a rainforest under a waterfall, on a
hilltop overlooking the vast Pacific Ocean, or even have a naturist ceremony.
-
Hair and makeup: If you're from out of town and you're in
Honolulu for your wedding, you will probably want to find a hairstylist to help you prepare for the big day. Many hotels have salons or spas right on property. You may also want to try a local salon
in Waikiki. In either case, be sure to book your appointment well in advance and keep those holidays and weekends in mind. The salons can get booked up fast. There are also some services in town that will come directly to your hotel room to fix your hair for your wedding.
On our frequent windy days, especially on windward beaches, you may find your hair blowing all over
the place, so style accordingly.
- Lastly: Our ministers handle collections (whenever fees are due
to be paid) after the ceremony. They do not accept checks or credit
cards without prior approval, or make change. Keep this in mind as
you gather your things to go to your wedding site -- remember to bring your
license, rings, & money. Military and some other couples
need to present a copy of their license to their personnel officers
to begin family benefits back home. We do not supply a photocopy of your license
at any time. Copies may only be obtained from the State of Hawaii
Office of Vital Records. Check with your finance officer if our
Marriage Certificate will suffice until the certified copy comes in.
The State charges a fee of $10 to expedite copies that may normally
take 4 months to get.
Other Articles & Resources to Help Keep Your
Occasion Happy:
Planning Your Wedding
Who Pays for
What?
Prenuptial
Agreements?
Money Issues? d |
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