Eloping in Maui (in December)..need insight/advice

kimkoala · August 2012

My fiance & I are planning to elope on 12/12/12 in Hawaii. So far, we have chosen Maui (but not 100% set on it) because it seems to be pretty romantic. We don't have any guests so planning this shouldn't be terrible, but I have no idea how to go about this correctly. We want a photographer, possibly a driver for that day, and we need to find an officiant. I've looked at stuff, but i keep getting confused. Here are some of my questions, if anyone can help, and also has their own advice, i'd appreciate it!!

Do we need a permit for our location, esp. because it's only 4 people there. (& it should only be an hour at the very most!)
Do we need a witness (if so, can the photographer be ours?)
If we get our license in our home state (Nevada) do we need our officiant on our wedding day to still sign the paper?
Do you have any restaurant suggestions for after (also is it cheesy to wear my dress to the dinner?)

Thank you so much!!

allisonpickup80 · August 2012

Hello and congrats! I'm using the company Simple Maui weddings. You can create your own package and it's so easy! Their photography is great and the coordinator is so nice to work with. I haven't gotten married yet but I'm already so happy I choose them, they have been great! Check out their site to see the packages. We selected Rev. Tino, as part of the package, we can't wait. You do need a permit but the rev. Would get it for you. You need a Hawaii marriage license.

FSForever · August 2012

Congrats and Welcome!

If you are on a public beach you will need a permit. Sometimes the officiant can take care of that for you, ours is. You will also need to get your license in HI, again our officiant gave us the numbers of some of the places that schedule the appts. I don't know the answers to the other questions as we have guests joining us so a witness isn't really a concern.

It is not cheesy at all to wear your dress to dinner. If you could provide which part of the island you are planning for, it would help for restraunt ideas.

That is a popular date so I would definately get going on booking the needed items and then work from there. Good luck.

FSForever · August 2012

@Allison, You are a week after us and we are also using Rev. Tino. We are soooo close.

allisonpickup80 · August 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_hawaii_eloping-in-maui-in-decemberneed-insightadvice?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:73Discussion:053e2126-34c7-4d00-bdb3-4cab52ae2821Post:847b0123-75bb-453a-8463-24bcbfc65b86">Re: Eloping in Maui (in December)..need insight/advice</a>:
[QUOTE]@Allison, You are a week after us and we are also using Rev. Tino. We are soooo close.
Posted by FSForever[/QUOTE]

I know!! So so close!! Rev tino is great, a friend of mine had him for his wedding about 3 years ago and just loved him! Said he really speaks from the heart. I'm getting a little nervous.....are you? Not even sure nervous about what....haha.

hdhorn · August 2012

http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_hawaii_vendor-reviews-wlink-to-pictures

Above is the link to our wedding reviews. We loved all of our vendor. You do not need a witness in Hawaii

TacoriLover · August 2012

We are getting married in Maui in one month (yay!) and it'll just be us and FFIL & his GF. Since we're footing the bill, we decided not to have a traditional wedding at home (which I was never big on anyway) and chose to spend the $ on a nice two week vaca in Maui for us. I really think we're making the right decision for us.

I started out on here asking for recs and googling tons of reviews and hopefully when I get back I can share my vendor reviews with everyone. Our WC is A Dream Wedding Maui Style. Their basic package helped us secured a beach permit, an officiant, and set up the marriage license agent appt. For the Photog, we're going with Stephen Ludwig, I LOVE his work, look him up on FB or check out his website, he's awesome. Then for dinner, we plan on going to Merriman's and I do plan on wearing my dress. Oh, and the WC recommended Ironwoods beach for our ceremony site.

Good luck with your planning process. Feel free to post Qs on here, the ladies on this board are awesome!

kimkoala · August 2012

Thanks everyone,

TacoriLover Stephen Ludwig's work is amazing! But he is a little on the expensive end for me, unless he is flexible with price. I was thinking abou Merriman's also because I've seen so many women review it on this site. Ironwoods beach is nice as well, I've heard that during December West Maui would probaly be better.

Also, does anyone know of any inexpensive hotels to stay at? I'm looking at maybe 5 days, we dream of ocean view for at least the wedding night, but I'm trying to stay within a good price range.

JenninMaui · August 2012

Hi! Just got married yesterday in Maui. We used Marry Me Maui and did the Tropical Memories package. I absolutely loved the owners Co and Joe, they did a great job. Co coordinates and Joe takes photos, tons of them! We were married on Kapalua Beach by Diana George. I didn't think I would want a woman officiant, but she was so sweet and amazing. Then we went to dinner right next door at Merrimans. The food was superb. It was just the two of us and our daughter and it was everything I hoped for and more. I also had my hair and makeup done by Regina and she was great too! Good luck to you! Ok back to sunbathing here in Kaanapali. Aloha!

lorena224 · August 2012

Another vote for Merriman's. Best meal I had on the island!

TacoriLover · August 2012

Congrats, Jenn!!! Can't wait to see your pics and reviews! Enjoy your honeymoon!!!

Kim, check out VRBO for some lodging options. Just make sure the listing has lots of great reviews and good communication with either the owner or the property mgmt co. We are staying at the Honua Kai for two weeks but rented via a rental mgmt co. So far they have been great to work with and we saved on the nightly rate plus the additional $25/day resort fee we would've had to pay had we booked straight through the resort.

hdhorn · August 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_hawaii_eloping-in-maui-in-decemberneed-insightadvice?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:73Discussion:053e2126-34c7-4d00-bdb3-4cab52ae2821Post:5f995c1d-1c6c-49bc-899e-5adc2dc3da45">Re: Eloping in Maui (in December)..need insight/advice</a>:
[QUOTE]Thanks everyone, I really appreciate the help so far. I'm still trying to figure out if I should get a wedding package (most of them seem overpriced) or if I should just do a la carte and find an officiant, photographer, and limo separately. @ TacoriLover S tephen Ludwig's work is amazing! But he is a little on the expensive end for me, unless he is flexible with price. I was thinking abou Merriman's also because I've seen so many women review it on this site. Ironwoods beach is nice as well, I've heard that during December West Maui would probaly be better. Also, does anyone know of any inexpensive hotels to stay at? I'm looking at maybe 5 days, we dream of ocean view for at least the wedding night, but I'm trying to stay within a good price range.
Posted by kimkoala[/QUOTE]

I couldn't find a package I liked with a planner and wasn't crazy about the pricing. I was able to do everything on my own and got all the vendors I wanted without feeling like I settled. It is totally doable, esp with a small group.

dianalynm · August 2012

Congrats! I'm also getting married on 12/12/12 on Maui! Not eloping though so I probably wouldn't be any help. Good luck and have fun! It's coming up!

kimkoala · August 2012

So I booked an appt. with the licensing agent for the day of my wedding. (We are arriving the day before and the time might conflict with getting off the plane) Now, I'm wondering if I should just try to find an officiant and a photographer. I don't really know why I would even need a wedding package in the first place. Although I do like, mauius.com (even though I'd have to pay an additional $100 b/c she is based in Makena. Everyone keeps saying I should marry in Ironwoods Beach also. So how do I go about getting a beach permit on my own (should I decide not to get a wedding package?

hdhorn Do you mind letting me know who your officiant and photographer were? maybe they will work well for me.

And congrats to you too, dianalynm! Hopefully we will both have amazing days. What beach will you be at? (maybe we will run into eachother!)

hdhorn · August 2012

In Response to <a href="http://maui.weddings.com/Sites/weddings/Pages/main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_hawaii_eloping-in-maui-in-decemberneed-insightadvice?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:73Discussion:053e2126-34c7-4d00-bdb3-4cab52ae2821Post:bf7bb27d-6d62-4449-b72b-b4022828f270">Re: Eloping in Maui (in December)..need insight/advice</a>:
[QUOTE]So I booked an appt. with the licensing agent for the day of my wedding. (We are arriving the day before and the time might conflict with getting off the plane) Now, I'm wondering if I should just try to find an officiant and a photographer. I don't really know why I would even need a wedding package in the first place. Although I do like, mauius.com (even though I'd have to pay an additional $100 b/c she is based in Makena. Everyone keeps saying I should marry in Ironwoods Beach also. So how do I go about getting a beach permit on my own (should I decide not to get a wedding package? hdhorn Do you mind letting me know who your officiant and photographer were? maybe they will work well for me. And congrats to you too, dianalynm ! Hopefully we will both have amazing days. What beach will you be at? (maybe we will run into eachother!)
Posted by kimkoala[/QUOTE]

We used Amy Short for our pictures and LOVED her. She is so sweet, her prices were very reasonable and we thought our pictures turned out great! Here is a link to our pictures, password is Lahaina. <a href="http://amyjshort.smugmug.com/Other/Andrew/24095570_ZrdF4j#!i=1959390818&k=cDNdDVL" rel="nofollow">http://amyjshort.smugmug.com/Other/Andrew/24095570_ZrdF4j#!i=1959390818&k=cDNdDVL</a>

Our minister was Ernest Puaa. He is very much on island time with responding but when it is show time he is right on point. It was a wonderful ceremony and he made us ffel very comfortable. Our videographer streamed our ceremony live, here is a link so you can see Ernest in action (we did not have a rehearsal) <a href="http://www.livemauiwebcasts.com/live-webcasts/hillary-andrew/" rel="nofollow">http://www.livemauiwebcasts.com/live-webcasts/hillary-andrew/</a>

Let me know if I can help you with anything else. If you contact Amy or Ernest tell them Hillary sent you =)

TeaCupGirl · August 2012

We're doing pretty much the same thing... I am booking everything myself, why pay markup fees to a coordinator?

This is a great thread with some great ideas. Thanks everyone!

Nov 27th is our date, btw.

kimkoala · August 2012

Thanks everyone,

So, I booked Sunny Kamiya as our officiant and we will marry at Kapalua Bay Beach in the morning

(which means I now have to plan what to do until dinner that night)

Now, all we have to do is book our photographer (so hard to find someone for an

hour under $500.)

AND Find a dress, and figure out where to get flowers (also for cheap)

Thanks for all the help so far!

Also, TacoriLover, we booked our stay with VRBO-we have a oceanfront condo for

$95/night! Thanks so much for letting me know about that awesome site!

Eloping in Maui (in December)..need insight/advice

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