Hawaii

Just got engaged....excited and overwhelmed. Where should i start?!

i recently got engaged and i am so excited to start planning my wedding. my fiance and i are a same sex couple so most resorts or hotels out of the country don't allow same sex weddings. that leaves me with places in the us so i think Hawaii is a beautiful place to host our wedding. the good thing about Hawaii is that our families can fly out and be apart of our wedding day and also see a new place. the only problem is i have no idea where in Hawaii. i would love an all inclusive resort but i am not sure Hawaii has any. how did you guys decide where in Hawaii to host your weddings? what are your favorite  hotels and islands in Hawaii?

Re: Just got engaged....excited and overwhelmed. Where should i start?!

  • fabutanfabutan member
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Welcome to the board and congratulations on your engagement!!  :)  I'm sure you'll love the board here - everyone is very knowledgeable and willing to share a wealth of advice!

    I don't think there are any all inclusive resorts on Hawaii - a bit different from other tropical destinations.  However, most resorts offer wedding packages, which include everything that you need.  On this board, private estates are very popular, where you would bring in all of your own vendors.

    I would start with reading some of the previous posts, which have had similar questions as yours (i.e. which island, venue reviews, etc.).  It all depends on your preferences, since Hawaii has so much to offer.  We chose Maui, since it had the right balance of island living yet having conveniences nearby.  It really depends on what you imagine your big day to be like!  Warm welcome again!!  :)

  • levellmagittlevellmagitt member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    thank you so much. i am reading thru this right now. hopefully it all comes together but yes so far i am learning a ton very quickly.
  • maui2011maui2011 member
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Welcome and congrats!!! Each island is beautiful and offers something different.  We decided on Maui...well it was my idea as my FI has never been to Hawaii.  My two faves are Maui and Kauai.  I've always only stayed in condos although this time we will also be staying in hotels.  Hawaii has so much to offer and with that comes a lot of really good options for accommodations and venues as well as vendors.  GL! J. :-)
  • levellmagittlevellmagitt member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    i think from the reading i have done that those two islands may be my top picks also. i would rather stay away from hotels....i am leaning more towards a rental property. 
  • maui2011maui2011 member
    500 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Are you looking at having your ceremony and reception on a rental property or at a separate venue?  BTW, have you set a date or have one in mind? J. :-)
  • levellmagittlevellmagitt member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    we have not set a date yet due to us still doing research on the best months  to visit Hawaii and the least expensive months. i know i want to be married on the beach in the sand but i read that they don't allow arches or chairs. i wouldn't mind a garden and the wedding being on the grass but i guess i am a little disappointed.  my fiance seems to think that a hotel would be better since we wont have a planner but i can hear the cachings rack up when it comes to food and stay per night. i am completely lost.
  • edited December 2011
    WELCOME and CONGRATS!! :)  Fear not ... it seems overwhelming at first, but you will figure out fairly quickly which sets of options work for you.  There was another recent thread about hotels v. estates that had some good discussion & input points that you might also find helpful.

    http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_hawaii_hotel-vs-private-estate

    Also, keep in mind you can always stay in a condo or lower cost option and just elect to stay at the hotel the night of the wedding (many places will even include a free suite if you have your ceremony or reception there). 

    We ended up getting married on waterfront grass.  Not beach, but the upside for us was that I could walk in heels, and DH's pants weren't dragging through the sand.  I think the first month of active planning was the most stressful...narrowing down the vision, locations, options, style, etc and making it match with availability & affordability.  BUT once you sort through most of that (and a scouting trip helps to cement it), the rest of it is just execution and that gets really fun.  :)  Try to enjoy this process and not get overwhelmed...it will all work out.

    Also, for sweeping generalizations, rainy season generally runs November through March, and as a whole Kauai seems to get more rain than Maui.  And even then, various parts of each island have their own climate patterns.

    Hope that helps!
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  • edited December 2011
    Congratulations!!! We are in the same boat! I am still trying to find the perfect venue in Maui for myself and my partner Jenny. Have you looked into The Maui Sunseeker and www.gayhawaiiwedding.com Again, congratulations and you will love it here... Everyone is awesome!!!
  • edited December 2011
    Welcome to the boards! Laughing
  • edited December 2011
    Congratulations!!! I tried to read all the posts before writing and I agree that each island has something special to offer. Maui is beautiful and a lot of brides are getting married there- i grew up in Oahu so I am pretty partial to this island. We are having our ceremony in Ko'Olina (which is like 40 min away from Waikiki) They do allow the ceremony arch, the whole nine years. Then, we are bringing the party back to the Hyatt Regency Waikiki- so then all guests can walk to their hotel. I think Hawaii is going to be a great place for you and your fiance =) We are only expecting 45 people so we decided to have our reception on the Na Lea Terrace at Hyatt, completely outdoors. It was reasonable and the catering manager is taking care of pretty much everything there- 

    Good luck planning! I would seriously start here...these girls/women are very knowledgeable and are talking from experience. Every hotel you inquire with will obviously sell their wedding packages but it may be a good idea to bounce ideas off the girls here. 
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  • edited December 2011
    the whole nine YARDS (not years) =)
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  • destiny1108destiny1108 member
    Sixth Anniversary 100 Comments
    edited December 2011
    Congratulations!    Lanikuhonua was our top choice, but we ended up at a private estate due to availabiltiy.  You may want to check out this site as well http://www.engaygedweddings.com/hawaii-gay-wedding.html
  • edited December 2011
    Congratulations and welcome to the boards!
    It was overwhelming for us how to start as well. Everyone here has been really helpful. So ask away. How many people were you two thinking and what are you comfortable spending? Also, do you want a beach wedding and how private do you want the wedding?
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