Hawaii

What made you decide to have a DW?

FI and I have been back and forth about marrying locally. There aren't that many venues that we both really like or that are pocket friendly. We both have rather small families so its not like a huge wedding will be happening for us anyway.
I keep lurking on this board and the pictures look so amazing it makes me want to say "f-- it" lets just go to Hawaii. I can't tell you how many times I've said OMG from all the pictures I've seen so far lol
I was curious to know what was your deciding factor for choosing a DW? Was there a major cost difference between Hawaii and something local for you or was it something else completely?

Re: What made you decide to have a DW?

  • edited December 2011
    Ours was more about logistics than cost. I think we probably spent exactly what we would have if we'd done something where we live.

    My family is literally scattered from coast to coast across Canada. We're in Ontario and are the only members of the family here. My husband's family is all in England. Our friends are pretty much all over the place too. So, no matter what, the wedding was going to be a DW wedding. We just decided that people would have more fun if we went somewhere interesting.
  • kimmykupcakeskimmykupcakes member
    5 Love Its First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    We both have really big families that live close and we couldn't afford to do what we wanted to do for our wedding at home because of it.  We had our "F it" moment and just decided to go with a DW.  We are now having the exact wedding we want at a price we can afford.
  • edited December 2011
    Kimmy-

      Your planning bio is a godsend! I think, if FI and I give up searching locally, that this may be the best option.

    I do have a question..most of the venues, the plantation house for example,  don't accomadate for guests (unless I missed that somewhere).  I'm assuming then I'd have to find a hotel and transportation that's close to the wedding site.

    Have you seen/ know of any venues in your research that would be "one stop shopping"?
  • jtolyjtoly member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Hello, we planned a vacation to Hawaii then decided to just get married there. We were both married before so it just made sense. We are eloping though, it's a surprise but everyone knows we are engaged and will probably figure it out!
    ~jenn~ Photobucket Anniversary
  • kimmykupcakeskimmykupcakes member
    5 Love Its First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_hawaii_made-decide-dw?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:73Discussion:7ef4bd3d-1819-48fa-910b-931a172dee1dPost:7e3ceb90-0947-4d37-888c-6741817aa044">Re: What made you decide to have a DW?</a>:
    [QUOTE]Kimmy-   Your planning bio is a godsend! I think, if FI and I give up searching locally, that this may be the best option. I do have a question..most of the venues, the plantation house for example,  don't accomadate for guests (unless I missed that somewhere).  I'm assuming then I'd have to find a hotel and transportation that's close to the wedding site. Have you seen/ know of any venues in your research that would be "one stop shopping"?
    Posted by polishprincess4[/QUOTE]

    I'm glad it's been a help. :) 

    Many of the hotels have wedding sites. You should check into the hotels and see what they have to offer.
  • lorena224lorena224 member
    First Comment First Anniversary
    edited December 2011
    FI and I love traveling. He took me to Hawaii 2 years ago and I loved it and immediatley knew I wanted to go back there and get married when he proposed. 
    Anniversary
  • WinstonsGirlWinstonsGirl member
    First Anniversary First Answer First Comment 5 Love Its
    edited December 2011
    We wanted a small wedding, but had a huge guest list (75 or so).  It was an easy way of cutting down without offending distant family who would expect an invite, but who we hadn't seen in several years.  We also wanted something outside, and weather where I live changes every 5 minutes.  We wanted guarenteed (as close as possible) nice weather.  Hawaii worked as we've both been there, both love it, and we couldn't find a place in the Caribean that we liked/would work out for us.  

  • edited December 2011
    Almost every resort on island will allow weddings, and some even have specific hotel coordinators.  We met with the Mariott, Four Seasons, Grand Wailea, Ritz, and Fairmont on Maui and all have wedding coordinators and can definitely give you a one-stop shop for ceremony, reception, lodging, and rehearsal dinner / brunch options.  It depends on which island you would prefer, but just ask -- most resort type hotels will have something similar.

    We chose a DW because DH and I always pictured it that way.  Our heritage tends to have 300+ person affairs in gaudy ballrooms with gold lettering everywhere.  That was the exact antithesis of what we wanted, so we went in 100% the opposite direction instead!

    As for the cost difference, nope.  We spent about the same on island as we would have at home.  Cost was not a driving factor for the decision, but instead, the feel of the event and what truly represents us. 
    image
  • edited December 2011
    Thank you everyone for your input! 

    I'll definitely be looking into the hotel information..although I have a feeling he'll want something smaller. The plantation house looks amazing. Perhaps I can talk him into a mini vacation sometime soon :)
  • FSForeverFSForever member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    We actually began our planning for a local wedding last winter at the urging of family. After a spring break trip to Cabo we came home and had our F^^it moment.  I had had beach wedding dreams the month before we became engaged so it just fell into place. 
    The cost...it will actually be more when the HM and our AHR is completed but it's the wedding we want and are so much happier. 
  • edited December 2011

    Hawaii was the first big trip that my now fiance and I took together. We were both competitive swimmers and loved being in water. We had such a great time in Hawaii and couldn't imagine getting married anywhere else. We both also have big families so it works out that we have the important people in our lives attend our special day. We also wanted to keep our ceremony intimate, instead of in front of 200 people.  Lastly, the weather and sunset really pushed us to go ahead and start planning our special day there.

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