Getting married in Hawaii is easier, more affordable, and less stressful than many couples think. We know planning from a distance can seem tough, but with over 40 years of experience performing weddings, we know how to make your dream destination wedding absolutely amazing! As we like to say, “No stress...just get dressed, and we’ll do the rest.”

Getting Married in Hawaii Basics

1. Research the Hawaiian Islands

Oahu is the most popular island, followed in order by Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island. All islands offer the quintessential Hawaiian elements, yet they’re all unique in their own ways.

If you read our blog post on weather in Hawaii, you know that we have great weather, which allows us to have beach weddings any time of year! However, it does occasionally rain in paradise.

Fortunately, our wedding locations rarely get more than a brief shower, usually lasting only a few minutes. In fact, you may want a little rain as that’s what brings rainbows. :) Here are more details about what happens if it does rain on your wedding day.

Now more than ever, elopement packages are an excellent option for couples looking for a stress-free way to plan their wedding, and with some of the most stunning beaches in the world, eloping in Hawaii is a no-brainer!

Did you know that elopements and destination weddings can be much more affordable than the cost of a traditional wedding? Many couples can fly to Hawaii, stay seven nights, have their wedding, and still spend less than they would for a wedding at home. This is also true for most elopement locations around the world.

You might also like our Tips for Eloping blog post for the "do's and don'ts" of eloping in Hawaii.

We already mentioned that Hawaii has affordable destination wedding options, but what’s “affordable,” you ask? Our Hawaii wedding packages range from $395 to $8,995, with most couples spending a small fraction of the cost of a traditional wedding (2023 prices).

What does it cost to get married in Hawaii?

We get asked this question a lot, and it’s tough 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 2023 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 the costs of 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 $395 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.

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

If you’ve checked out our Hawaii wedding or vow renewal packages, you’ll see they all include 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 these items and how the ceremony “works.” If we haven’t yet had the pleasure of chatting or emailing with you, here’s the inside scoop.

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.

Surprisingly, a traditional wedding averages over $25,000, yet many of our couples spend much less to fly to Hawaii, spend seven nights in a hotel, and have a beautiful Hawaiian wedding ceremony.

Every couple is different, and many options exist when planning a destination or a traditional wedding.

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