7 Tips to Plan an Affordable Destination Wedding

Most couples don't think of Hawaii when planning a cheap and affordable destination wedding, but when we researched How Much a Hawaii Destination Wedding Costs, we were surprised at how affordable it could be compared to a traditional wedding.

Is a destination wedding really cheaper than a traditional wedding? Yes, in most cases it's cheaper.

It was surprising that a traditional wedding averages over $25,000, yet many of our couples spend less than $8000 to fly to Hawaii, spend seven nights in a hotel, and have a beautiful Hawaiian wedding ceremony.

Every couple is different, of course, and there are many options when planning either a destination or a traditional wedding.

A destination wedding is cheaper on average, and we thought of some ideas to help you plan the most affordable dream wedding possible.

What does it cost to get married in Hawaii?

We get asked this question a lot, and it’s a tough one to answer because it all depends on you! The good news? It's cheaper than most traditional weddings by far. 

Before writing this article, we did our research and came across an article by The Knot. While The Knot is a good website (we check it out ourselves), its cost breakdown is misleading.

The image below gives you a basic idea of what it'd cost to fly to Hawaii, stay six nights at a hotel in Waikiki, and get married with Weddings of Hawaii.

*Fights and hotel are NOT included in our packages. Hawaii wedding costs are examples based on our packages and research. (Prices are as of January 2022 packages and are subject to change.)  

The chart above is only an estimate, but we found that most of our couples spend between $5000-$8000 on their Hawaii wedding, flight, and hotel. 

• Our average Hawaii destination wedding couple spends around $2500 (Our wedding packages range from $295 to $8,825. Prices vary as there are many possible customizations.)
• Flight to Hawaii per person from the US mainland: $300-$800 (estimate and not included in packages)
• 7 nights hotel in Waikiki: $1800-5000 (estimate and not included in packages)

We find that most couples can have a destination Hawaii wedding for around $6000, which includes the wedding, flight, and hotel, an enormous savings over the cost of a traditional wedding, which is currently over $30,000. 

NOTE: Hawaii wedding packages do not include flight and hotel, and Hawaii does not have all-inclusive resorts. Once you visit Hawaii, it's easy to see why you wouldn't want to spend all your time and eat all your meals at the same place. Hawaii has much more to offer than just your resort. Also, outer island weddings, such as a Maui wedding, are more expensive. Compare our packages for details.

Is the Knot's Cost Estimate Accurate?

Before you look at these numbers, please know their estimates look astronomically high to us. This is not to say they’re wrong, but these estimates must only consider traditional weddings with high guest counts, and we know extravagant weddings can easily surpass this estimate.

In comparison, most of our weddings are beach, park, or private venues with guest counts from 0-50. Very different.

You can see on our wedding packages page that we have seven packages running from $295 to $8,825, with our most popular package at $2,995 (we'll look more at that later). 

Let’s take a look at their cost estimates and then compare them to ours. As a spoiler, we estimate most of our couples spend between $4,500 and $8,000 on their wedding package, flight, and hotel. We'll have our breakdown below.

We've wanted to write a post like this for a while. There's no shortage of activity guides for Hawaii, and while those are great sources of information, we want to share some places we love.

You can trust us as your Hawaii wedding planners, and we think we know a thing or two about activities as well.

These recommendations are our personal favorites. We included a few of the popular attractions that many of you've heard of, but we did our best to go off the beaten trail and focus on the lesser-knowns that we feel make Oahu so special.

We broke our recommendations down into five categories: beaches, activies, hikes, Hawaiian foods, and shopping. 

Okay, let's get to it!

Oahu Beaches

Oahu's beaches are a great place to start. Not only are they one of the top reasons people visit Hawaii, but they're also free! Just as with weddings, we highly recommend weekdays (Monday-Friday) and non-holidays for the best beach experience and least crowds. If you are driving, never leave valuables visible in your car. Don't forget reef-safe sunscreen and towels!

Introduction to Micro Weddings

Micro weddings are rising in popularity, and now more than ever is a great time to consider if it may be right for you. Here at Weddings of Hawaii, we’ve been specializing in destination weddings of all sizes for over 40 years.

Thousands of couples have benefitted from the happy-medium of a micro wedding, and we’d love to help you determine if you could be one of them!

Small, intimate beach weddings are the perfect kind of micro wedding.

What Is a Micro Wedding?

A micro wedding for many places in the world is a small wedding, usually with around 20 and no more than 50 guests, but a Hawaii micro wedding is usually smaller, often with the couple and a few guests.

Generally, it is more streamlined but similar to a traditional wedding, with everything on a smaller scale.

Aside from the guest count, the biggest difference is that the reception is more casual and less structured than a traditional wedding reception.

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.

A ceremony and highlight video are 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.

Although most couples would rather not wake up early for a sunrise wedding in Hawaii, it is an option to consider. The thought of getting ready early, driving to the location, and arriving while it’s still dark is not for most, but there are some advantages and reasons why sunrise is a good time to have a Hawaii wedding.

Pros of a Hawaii Sunrise Wedding

More Seclusion

It’s quiet in the morning. While there might be some people out walking the beach for exercise, beachgoers aren’t out yet. You’ll feel more like you have the beach to yourself, and there’s something really nice about the early morning in Hawaii.