There are a lot of luaus to choose from on Oahu, and while a lot of the popular ones are at least a 30-minute drive from Waikiki, there are a few to choose from a little closer to where most our couples stay.

If you've read a lot of our blog posts, you've probably come across something like this on a few occasions: One of the best things about a destination wedding is that it's non-traditional by nature, so it's up to you what you decide to incorporate into your special day.

Don’t let your big day become a big stress! We have put together some quick tips from our previous couples and coordinators to help make sure you are able to enjoy every part of your wedding.

Be Okay Asking for Help

Is it your first time to Hawaii and not sure which locations to choose? Which hotel to book? Where to have a dinner reception? Not sure if you should book a rental car? Let us know!

Although your wedding coordinators are not travel agents, they know their island home very well. We'd be happy to share some insight or offer our opinion. Even if you have never been to Hawaii before, you already have ohana (family) here to help. You can call or schedule a time for us to call you if you'd like to chat. Sometimes just getting in touch is enough to calm those nerves, and we always like talking to our couples :)

Having a wedding or vow renewal is not something done often, so one of the questions that often comes up is, "Is tipping common? If so, how much?" 

The short answer: Yes, tipping is common in the wedding industry. As we like to say, "tipping isn't expected, but it's always appreciated."

If you Google this question, there are many articles about tipping vendors. Just remember that many of those are for large, traditional weddings. We're trying to make it easy with this article by letting you know what's common here in Hawaii.

Who to Tip

It's common to consider tipping anyone who performs a service on your special day. 

• Officiant
• Photographer/Videographer
• Musician/Dancer
• Limo Driver
• Hair and Makeup Artist

When we use the word “Hawaiian” to talk about a Hawaii wedding, we’re referring to the Hawaiian elements that make a wedding in paradise so special. While your ceremony will have traditional elements, there are unique moments that are rooted in this wonderful culture.

If you’ve checked out our Hawaii wedding or vow renewal packages, you’ll see they all have the following:

Officiant & Romantic Marriage Ceremony Including:

• Enchanting Unity Sand Ceremony
• Vows - Traditional (repeated) or Customized (written)
• Children’s Ceremony (For Blended Families)
• Blessing Of The Wedding Rings
• Traditional Hawaiian Lei Exchange With Two Keepsake Shell Leis

Many of our couples want to know more about what these items are and how the ceremony “works.” If we haven’t yet had the pleasure of chatting or emailing with you, here’s the inside scoop.

If you choose to capture your special day with a ceremony and highlight video, it's time to start thinking about your wedding video song.

Video is included in Lehua wedding packages and above, and you can add it to any package. You'll have two videos: (1) a video copy of the ceremony beginning to end and (2) a highlight video including clips from the ceremony and clips from the photo shoot. 

You get to choose a song for your highlight video. We know each couple is unique, so we want to give you time to pick a song that fits your personality and style.

Because of copyright restrictions, the song needs to come from songfreedom.com, a website with over a million free songs to choose from and a selection of premium songs.