Should You Elope in Hawaii?

The big question that runs through a lot of couples minds...should I or should I not...

"Elope Hawaii" is the title of my most popular post on this blog. And I was amazed when I saw just how popular that post actually was. It was more than twice as many views as either of the next two popular posts! So its obvious that a lot of couples are seriously thinking about eloping to Hawaii.

Now because so many are interested in this subject, I'm going to write several different posts that should go a long ways to satisfying those who are thinking about running off to paradise and tying the knot all by themselves (or with just a few family and friends).

For years I ran my own wedding company in Maui, Hawaii. Over 14 years I saw big weddings and small—about 2500 of them in all. (That's a lot of weddings to coordinate!) I can tell you from experience that the smallest weddings with just the couple were inevitably the happiest. It seemed to me that the couples who brought no one but themselves had so little to worry about that they enjoyed the entire experience so much more.

And from a wedding provider's point of view, I would tell you that each of their Maui beach weddings were so much more fun for all of us who were the vendors. My wife and I really did  enjoy helping each of these couples tie the knot because they were able to focus so much more on each other and experience their love more fully. It just reminds you of why you're there and makes the whole experience so much more meaningful for the couple.

So first and foremost, don't ever feel that you have to be ashamed at thinking about yourselves and planning your own elopement in Maui.

Escaping to Maui to Get Married

What an exciting idea. Escape from your own world and go to Maui where you can tie the knot in a romantic beach front ceremony. And the best part of that fantasy is that it doesn't have to cost you an arm and a leg.

For those who don't want to break the bank, I would suggest Affordable Maui Weddings, a company that has incredible prices on inexpensive beach weddings for couples coming just with a few friends. Take a look at their affordable wedding packages page to see just how cheap they are.

http://affordablemauiweddings.com/wedding-packages/ 

If you are set upon having a large and more extensive Maui wedding, you can still do that inexpensively. Maui Me is a company that offers more complex services and has experience putting larger weddings even at private Maui venues. Take a look at the Hawaii wedding packages they have to offer.  

http://mauime.com/maui-wedding-packages/ 

Regardless of what you choose to do, there is no better feeling that to escape to Maui to get married.

 So the question you two should ask yourself is "Will you Maui me?"

A Cheap Maui Wedding

Is it possible to have an absolutely cheap Maui wedding in a beautiful paradise like Hawaii?

It absolutely is. How cheap? Can you imagine having a wedding for $297 including minister 2 fresh flower leis, a nice color keepsake certificate and office coordination? And for only $597 you can have all the above, plus on site coordination, 30 pictures shot by a professional photographer (we actually take over 200 pictures for you to choose from). What an amazing and inexpensive price for a wedding in paradise. 

These are two of the less expensive Affordable Maui Wedding Packages available to any couple. If you want a little more in the way of "trimmings" they certainly have a lot of other add-on services that they offer.

No matter why kind of Maui wedding you imagine and that you can see in your dreams, you can certainly get it from this great company. They've been in business for 15 years and they know a LOT about planning Maui weddings that are romantic, intimate and just plain fun.

I would really encourage you to give their wedding coordinator a call. Her name is Susan and she's been booking and coordinating weddings since the company began, so she is extremely knowledgeable. That's one thing that is nice about talking to her, Susan will give you all sorts of ideas about how you can have a cheap Maui wedding and you can decide if you want to work with her or not. She's definitely not pushy and she is very warm and personable on the phone. 800-856-3270

Maui Wedding Packages All Inclusive

We used to have a website for our company which was called: All Inclusive Maui Weddings and Honeymoons. The concept is great and a lot of companies throughout the world have "all inclusive resorts" which offer weddings as part of their deal.

Unfortunately, by law in the State of Hawaii, we cannot offer one big package that you can purchase that will include everything (including the hotel and the travel to Maui along with the wedding). We just can't do that or we would.

BUT, we can provide for you all of the benefits of having an all-inclusive wedding package, and also help you put together the travel and the accommodations all at the same time. We can provide you with Maui wedding packages all inclusive. That means we can give you everything. Your wedding package, your accommodations, your travel arrangements, and even some major help on your activities while you're here in Hawaii. 

Just call Susan at 1-800-856-3270.

Maui Wedding Videos

Many of our couples like to have a video shot of their Maui wedding. Most couples who have a professionally edited Maui wedding video really enjoy how awesome they are for remembering the moment when they committed themselves to each other.

Unfortunately, some couples do pass on having a video because they think a video will be too pricey.

But we also have what we call our "mini video" in which we mix both video clips and the stills that we take over the course of the evening into a six minute video edited to a romantic song.

You don't want to miss have either a full length Maui video or one of our mini videos at your wedding. They are great for screening back home if you are going to be having an anniversary party with your friends, or as some couples choose, to get married in Maui and have a reception back home...great to show during your reception
.

Here is a sample of a recent wedding we did.  You can see what it would look like if you want one for your vow renewals.   http://yourwebcast.com/tamra

Your Hawaii Wedding License

We want to make sure you do things right if you are planning on getting married in Maui.

I just talked to a bride who didn't know that you needed to get the license before the ceremony, and so her marriage with another minister wasn't valid because she didn't have the proper paperwork. You don't want to make that mistake. Of course, you want to make certain that you get your appointment set up with a wedding license agent before you arrive on Maui. Our Maui Wedding License page is located Here.  http://affordablemauiweddings.com/ceremonies/ 

On this webpage I will give you a lot of information about the legalities of getting married in Hawaii. The page includes basic questions like "How old must I be?" And, "What if I've been divorced?" It's important that you know the answers to any pertinent questions for your situation.

One less point to take off of your list to give you a stress free wedding... Mahalo

A Destination Wedding for Two
How to keep the cost down and have a wedding you can be proud of.

It used to be called eloping, but these days more and more budget-conscious couples are flying to Maui and enjoying a private sunset beach ceremony designed for two.  Once you get back to the mainland, and then have a reception with all of your family and friends.

Our suggestion is to come to Maui and keep it simple.  You can have a wonderful, stress free wedding within a simple budget.

Try and stay away from resort weddings as the cost adds up quickly. 

We are offering  a FREE 41 page copy of the premiere Maui Wedding Guide called “How to Have a Great Maui Wedding.”   This Guide will give you the secrets to having the Maui Beach Wedding of your dreams!  This guide was written by a very seasoned wedding planner, Susan Craft.  Susan has organized tips from over 15 years of experience helping couples plan the perfect destination wedding in Maui.

You’ll find the best wedding ideas, plus all the DO’s and DONT’S to make your Maui wedding stress-free. We’re offering it FREE, because we want you to have a great destination wedding in beautiful Maui.

Get it free here: http://affordablemauiweddings.com/get-our-maui-wedding-guide/

That is our suggestion to give you a great starting point… You can call Susan directly at 800-856-3270 and she will be more than happy to answer any questions you might have.  Mahalo.