Where do I start? Please Help!!

Re: Where do I start? Please Help!!

• FSForever member

  

  June 2011 edited December 2011

  Welcome and Congrats! 

  We have never been to Hawaii either but have traveled out of the country to other tropical areas and our family really wanted us to get married in Maui. We personally just didn't want to have to deal with getting passports for the 4 children (his) that dont have them so we decided on Maui. 

  I would figure out your budget first.  Hawaii is very expensive.  There are ways to cut costs but air, lodging and food are still going to be expensive. When working your budget think about the time of year you are looking to get married. Hawaii has high and low seasons.  We picked a low season for tourists but high for weddings. 

  Good luck and post any questions you might have. Usually someone has been through it or has some ideas.

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• maui2011 member

  

  June 2011 edited December 2011

  Congrats and welcome!!! You are at the right place to get advice on Hawaii weddings. As a first step you should do some research on Hawaii to get a feel for the various islands.. My two faves are Maui and Kauai..Maui because i find it is a good balance between Oahu...which i would say is more cosmopolitan than the other islands...easier to get to and a large selection of vendors...Kauai absolutely beautiful...much more relaxed and laid back and more slow paced surrounded by wondrous beauty.  Once you and your FI have decided on an island then i would start looking at WC as you can get some really good packages at reasonable prices or you can forgo a WC and secure your own vendors...personally since you have never been to Hawaii i would recommend a WC. I would also look at the various beaches...you can google WCs to view their site to get a look at the various beaches. I think this would be a good start.  Hawaii is beautiful and a wonderful locale to get married...plus there is no waiting required once you get your marriage license.  If you have any specific questions about Hawaii and vendors please feel free to ask away, HTH! J. :-)

  
  
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• ktabin

  

  June 2011 edited December 2011

  Congrats & welcome! 

  
  

  I'm also from Canada but have had the benefit of being to Hawaii before, however, I'm getting married on Kauai and I haven't been there.

  
  

  I would suggest thinking about what island you want to have your wedding on first. You can't go wrong with any of them, but they are all unique in their own way. Budget is also important to consider here as some islands are a little cheaper than others. (i.e. there are tons of vendors on Oahu so their prices are naturally a little lower due to the competition, but on a small island like Kauai they can be a little more. The same usually goes for accommodations). 

  
  

  If you want a beach wedding you should also look into the permit that is required and the restrictions. I'm not having my wedding on the beach, but I believe that they don't allow standing structures (i.e. arches) on the beaches. 

  
  

  I would also recommend a wedding coordinator if you've never been there before if you have room in your budget. 

  
  

  Hope that gives you a starting point. 

  

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• destiny1108 member

  

  June 2011 edited December 2011

  if you're considering Oahu you can try our WC, she had some beach packages available www.hawaiiweddingsandevents.com
  

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• breaness member

  

  June 2011 edited December 2011

  Everyone seemed to have some great advice, but I did just want to echo a few things.

  
  

  Getting a wedding coordinator is definitely key. It helps to keep everything organized and together, especially since you won't be there to do it! It also helps to keep the planning process low-stress, which is awesome!

  
  

  Try to research the islands and figure out which one you want to get married on! They all have their pros so you can't really go wrong!

  
  

  Congratulations and welcome to the board!

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• RyMand member

  

  July 2011 edited December 2011

  Thanks to everyone for their advice.  I am looking into getting a WC as that is what everyone seems to be suggesting, I am also talking to a few travel agencies! 
  
  I will keep you posted on how things go!

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