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.

Beach weddings are in a class of their own when it comes to outdoor weddings. Gardens and wineries are beautiful, but there is something genuinely magical about an oceanfront ceremony. (Full disclosure, we have been doing Hawaii beach weddings since 1978, so we’re probably a little biased.)

A romantic seaside dream for many, but with so many venue options, it can be hard to decide if it's right for both of you. Here’s everything we could think of to help couples determine whether a beach wedding is a good fit for them.

Choosing the Right Beach for Your Wedding

For most couples, a beach wedding means a destination wedding, but for the lucky few who live near a beach, you’ll have a slightly different approach as you may have a larger guest count. You may need first to decide if you’ll be planning a destination wedding vs. a traditional wedding.

Adding live stream to your Hawaii wedding is one way to include everyone in your special day. :) If you'll be eloping in Hawaii, this is a great way to allow family and friends from all over the world be there with you.

How Does Live Stream Work?

Our live stream process is always evolving. Our team is constantly looking for better solutions, so we expect the exact details to slightly change over time, but here is the basic information.

First, you can add the live stream to your wedding by calling or emailing us or by checking it on your information sheet.

Once you have this added to your package, we’ll set up a page for you on our website.

Oahu beach weddings are one of the most popular and affordable ways to get married in Hawaii. While there are many beautiful beaches in the state, we believe Oahu is the best Hawaiian island for a destination wedding.

What You Need for a Beach Wedding on Oahu

Like all the Hawaiian Islands, Oahu requires a permit from the State of Hawaii to marry on a beach. We can apply for and pick up the permit for your event. At the time of writing, a Hawaii beach wedding or vow renewal permit costs $50.

Best Oahu Beach Wedding Locations

Since all beaches in Hawaii are public, most couples want to choose a beach that offers incredible beauty, some seclusion, and a certain amount of convenience. Our selection of beach wedding locations takes this into consideration.

Before going over each location, here’s a quick comparison to help you get started.

• Closest to Waikiki: Waialae Beach
• Best Sunrise & Lava Rock Location: Sandy Beach
• If you’re staying on the North Shore: Kawela Bay
• If you’re staying on the West Side: Secret Beach

Everything You Need to Know About Sherwood Forest Beach

Sherwood Forest Beach (aka Waimanalo Bay) is a popular Hawaii beach wedding location. Not only is it a great beach for a wedding, but it’s also a personal favorite of many of us here at Weddings of Hawaii. Although we have descriptions and photos of all our wedding locations, we wanted to share more details that may help you in choosing the perfect beach for the big day!

Details:

• Location: East shore, 40 minutes from Waikiki.
• Available: Monday - Friday (excluding state and federal holidays), 8:00am to 4:00pm.
• Group Size: 30 people maximum (including couple and vendors).
• Decor Add-ons: No Arches and Chairs. Runways 7 days a week.
• Limousine: Requires one additional hour ($110). Not permitted on weekends and major holidays.
• Recommendation: Lighting is best from 10:00am-4:00pm. Early and mid-day offer more vibrant colors but also more sun, while later in the afternoon offers softer, less vibrant colors.
  
  

As you probably have seen in the pictures, this location features soft white sand, clear turquoise blue water, and the striking ironwood tree forest. We often get requests for a Waimanalo beach wedding, likely because it's attention as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, and Sherwood Forest Beach is the best Waimanalo has to offer.

The stark contrast between the beach and forest gives couples a "two-in-one-location” photo opportunity. Because of its logistics, it is also our most secluded beach location.

When planning a destination wedding or vow renewal, it may seem stressful at first. Not only do you have to plan travel, you also have to plan the details of your day. Fortunately, we’re here to help as much as we can. We want to make the whole process as easy and stress free as possible, which is why we’re always happy to chat and answer all your questions.

To help even more, we’re always trying to improve the information we provide on our website, and we thought this week’s blog post would be a good chance to write out some of our most frequently asked questions.

For this article, we tried to think of the average flow of questions from the first time we speak to a couple up until their big day. While it’s impossible to cover all your questions, these are ones we think will be most useful to you.

1. Hawaii Wedding Packages

Can the wedding packages be customized?

Yes! We’re happy to customize your wedding package for you.