5 Things that could Ruin your Destination Wedding in Hawaii
Picture this: A beautiful sunset, clear blue waters, a white sandy beach, and then all of a sudden, the flowers outlining the aisle for your wedding processional are swept out to sea. It might be common for one or two things to go wrong throughout your wedding day. However, when it comes to your destination wedding in Hawaii, I want to help you avoid as many disasters as possible with a few simple tips to make your wedding day dreams come to life. Here are 5 things to look out for as you plan your destination wedding!
1. Weather
When thinking of Hawaii, most picture the sun shining, blue skies, and sandy beaches. While this is true, visitors forget that with tropical weather comes sudden and unexpected rain. When planning your destination wedding, make sure that you have a rainy day backup plan. Whether it's an indoor wedding or a large outdoor tent, your peace of mind will be well worth it as you get closer to your wedding day.
2. Travel Issues
As always with traveling far distances, there are some things that are out of your control and the best thing you can do is give yourself enough time to prepare for this. There may be some flight delays or other factors that could negatively affect your flight to Hawaii. Try your best to have copies of your travel documents and IDs and make sure they are in a safe place for when you are ready to leave and are not left behind. I would recommend arriving in Hawaii at least three days before your wedding to make sure you have enough time to factor in flight delays and other wedding plans that need to be verified.
3. Beaches are Public Spaces in Hawaii
While this may surprise you, all beaches in Hawaii are public property. When planning a beach front wedding, there may be others walking along the beach and in the background of your wedding. It really helps to do your research on how popular a beach is and at what times the beach will be less crowded. If you go into your wedding planning knowing that any beach front areas could be filled with people enjoying the beach, you can plan for accommodations to find a time and location that works best for what you are envisioning with your destination wedding in Hawaii.
4. Sunrise & Sunset Times
The sunrise and sunsets are beautiful in Hawaii and if you're planning to get married on the islands, you'll probably want to incorporate this into your wedding. I recommend that you do your research on what time the sunrise and sunset takes place in the month that you are getting married. Once you have this information, you can communicate with your wedding photographer to make the most of the golden hour after the sunrise or before the sunset. As a wedding photographer and videographer myself, I prefer using the golden hour to take the bride and groom portraits, as this will offer the perfect lighting for memorable photos and videos of your destination wedding to look back on for many years to come.
5. High Tide
If you plan on having a beach wedding, you probably aren't planning to be knee-deep in the water as you say your vows. In Hawaii, the tide has a significant impact on how deep or shallow the water is. This means that at different times of day, the water can be extremely shallow, making the beach seem larger. At other times, the water could rise by a few feet, which could decrease the area of dry land, making the beach smaller for your wedding ceremony. As you plan for you destination wedding, you want to make sure that the areas you will be using will not be affected by the water and will remain dry for the entire day.
In the realm of destination weddings and elopements, Hawaii stands out as the iconic romantic wedding location. However, navigating the nuances of weather, travel, public spaces, timing, and tides requires meticulous planning and adaptability. As your wedding photographer and videographer, I help my clients to be proactively addressing these potential issues to ensure that your love story unfolds seamlessly against the backdrop of Hawaii's unparalleled beauty, creating memories to cherish for a lifetime.
