Frequently Asked Questions & Tips

Please feel free to reach out to Us via e-mail, call or Text message. We will help you to decide on a package which fits best your needs and vision of your wedding day.

There is a few factors you need to consider. If you are not looking for particular location you can consider details like How far is the location from my hotel. Is there afternoon traffic. Does it rain more on that side of the island. How is parking for me and my guests. Is it busy/popular location...

Basically it is a 3 step process which we will go over in a planning process of your ceremony and will guide you through the whole process.

State of Hawaii beach permit allows us to have up to 30 people for each permit.

We have few steps: #1 Change location to another beach away form the rain. #2 Can consider using a shaded grounds of your hotel you are staying at or your hotel balcony. #3 Changing ceremony to another day - depending on Vendors availability and weather forecast

Mornings and Sunset are equally nice and beautiful. It is really up to couples choice.

It is prohibited to have any open alcohol bottles at the beach.

State law prohibits any structures or chairs at the beach. However States allows beach chairs for people with a difficulties standing and handicap.

Yes, there is only a few companies located in Maui - We are one of them. We live here full time on Maui.

 Silvana is our activity agent. Please email her and tell her you are with us. She 

will take care of you for luaus and any other activities you would like to do on the 

island. If you have a group over 15, she can help you with group rates. Her email

is silvana@bestofmauiactivities.com

If you are looking for accommodation We do work with Hotel network of Aqua Hotels in Maui and you can use our promo Code: MAL to get your discount on their hotels at: https://www.aquaaston.com/destinations/maui

I receive this question at least a few times every week. We do understand that to have a wedding on Maui, you are dipping deep into you or your parents savings. Thinking about giving gratuities as well, seems a bit much. For some vendors, service charges may be included right into your contracts. Tipping – although not mandatory is always appreciated for a job well done. It’s also a kind and thoughtful gesture to the people who helped you put your entire ceremony together. With that being said, here are some guidelines to tipping.

Hair and Make-up Stylist:

A gratuity is definitely expected as you would do the same if you went to a salon. It would be a15 – 20% tip and should be given at the end of your services.

Delivery and Set-up Staff:

Anyone who is delivering to the wedding site or to your hotel, should receive a few dollars as a thank you. If a lot of gear is to be brought in a set up such as tents, chairs, then the workers should receive a tip too. This would be a standard $5 to $10 a person. If you are having your ceremony/reception at a venue, give the cash envelopes to your wedding planner or the venue’s event manager so they can pass them out for you.

Minister

If your minister is affiliated with a church or temple, you’re often expected to make a donation to that institution. Tipping the minister is also appreciated and is the standard. Tips to ministers should be between $50 and $100. Have your best man if you have one or your wedding planner take care of the envelope for you.

Wedding Musician

Do consider some monetary thanks for their talent. The standard is $20 and up. If they have traveled to a site or venue, you may consider giving them more. This would be taken care of at the end of the ceremony when they are wishing you well and saying goodbye.

Wedding Photographer (same for your videographer)

If your photographer is traveling to a site and doesn’t own a studio where you are going in for photography consider giving her/him a tip. If there are more then one, you can give the tip to the photographer and have her/him dole out the gratuity. The standard for a photographer is anywhere from $50 to $200 depending on the package that you have chosen. This tip would be given at the end of the ceremony or at the end of their services at the reception.

DJ

Whether you hire a band or a DJ, tipping is optional. Many will ask to be served a meal as they will be setting up and playing during dinnertime for the most part. Depending on the quality of the job and how willing they were to work with you and a playlist is what you should consider when tipping them. The standard is optional but it is preferred that you do so. For a musician in a band, you should tip $20 to $25 per musician. If you have a DJ the gratuity should be between $50 and $150 depending on the amount of time they have spent with you. Tipping should be handled by the best man or the wedding planner at the end of the reception.

Wedding Transportation

This is one where you do have to check your contract as it is usually included. If it isn’t, plan to tip provided that they showed up on time and didn’t get lost. The standard should be 15 to 20% of the total amount. This should be paid at the end of the last ride.

Wedding Planners

Most wedding planners will not expect anything, however if yours did a great job you can always offer a token of your appreciation. Approximately 50% of couples do tip their wedding planners especially if they asked them to put many items together such as the flowers, music, cake and miscellaneous items. Depending on the amount of your wedding and reception, wedding planners receive up to $500 or a very nice gift. Destination wedding planners do not charge what you would be spending on the mainland and in most cases they will receive less than $100 for their services. This gratuity should come from the bride either after the ceremony or at the reception. If there is an on site coordinator that is not the wedding planner, they may receive a token tip as well.

I hope this answers some of your questions. Please always feel free to email me if you have others.

This is a question we get asked all of the time and to tell the truth when I travel I ask the same question. However, in Hawaii if you are asking about local food, you are actually asking about five types of local food!

When the islands were first settled during the pre-contact era which was 300 AD to 1778, the Polynesian voyagers brought back animals and what are called “canoe plants” to settle this new land. To the native Hawaiians local food is of course our delicious fresh fish as well as many of the plants that came over such as Taro, Coconuts, Sugarcane, and Sweet Potatoes. Along with their earth ovens called Imus (you can see them unearth the roasted pig at some of our luaus), they had a wonderful variety of cooked meat, vegetables and fruit.

After first contact in 1778, the European and American food arrived along with whalers and missionaries who also introduced their types of food as well. New England food was introduced by the missionaries and the whalers brought salted fish with them. This evolved into one of the Hawaiian’s favorite side dishes Lomi Lomi Salmon (Salmon, tomatoes and onions). We are so glad that it did!

As the pineapple and sugarcane plantations grew, the Hawaiians needed help with these huge plantations. This is when so many of our Asian neighbors came to work the field. Along with them came another new idea to the food of Hawaii as China, Korea, Japan, the Philippines and Portugal workers came along with their recipes. These foods influenced the region from 1850 to 1930. The Chinese gave us our Manapuas, the Portuguese gave us our sweet bread and malasadas (can’t go to a fair without having these delicious type donuts), and the Japanese introduced the Hawaiians to the Bento Box. Adding to these the European and American tastes, Hawaii developed a “local” food from all of them. The locals began eating The Plate Lunch (chicken/beef/pork with rice and potato/mac salad), Spam Musubi (need to try one for breakfast – delicious), and of course the enormous breakfast plate of Loco Moco (rice with a hamburger on top, with an egg on top of that with brown gravy)

In 1992, Chefs decided to start cooking with ingredients only grown in Hawaii which became a new style of Hawaiian cooking blending in all of these different cultural foods together. A new Hawaiian cuisine was born!

How do we get the food that the locals eat? You need to leave the resort atmosphere of shaved ice, smoothies and TSA approved pineapple packs and begin a journey that is much further from the mainland then the 3000 miles. You will go into this melting pot of flavors from around the world and you won’t want to come back!

Prior to that contact period, the Hawaiian settlers ate Poi (what they make fun of on TV) which is made from the Taro Root and very nutritious. Go ahead and put some sugar into it if you must, but definitely try it. At the luau it goes best with the salty pork and eliminates some of the salty taste. They did also eat Kalua Pork (cooked in an underground) and most of us continue to eat it often as it is “ono” – delicious! You also must try our raw fish salads called Poke. You can get it many different ways such as with spices or soy sauce. It is so fresh, “brok da mout” (broke the mouth – absolutely delicious).

When the immigration started, more fantastic foods were produced. You need to try the ensaymada (butter topped pastry from the Philippines) and the butter mochi (Japanese made from sweet rice flour). Most of all you need to try a plate lunch. Be careful ordering too many of these as you get “choke” food (huge amount) and definitely can share them.

I cannot go into all the local great food but I have borrowed a list of what people say are the top ten foods you need to try when in Hawaii that separate Hawaii from the mainlands. So brah, if you want to be known for plenny akamai you go grind da kine. But don’t stay momona – we have plenty of outside activities for you! (Brother – if you want to be know for plenty of smarts go eat this food. But don’t stay fat..) And with that – I’m pau!

Inviting children to a wedding can become a heated discussion when you are at home. However, at a destination wedding, the answer is Yes. People are traveling a great distance to come to your wedding. Most of them will probably want it to be their family vacation. Why not let them enjoy your wedding as a family too! There are excellent licensed babysitters in the hotels if its going to be way past a child’s bedtime so there is a way to keep them comfortable too. Otherwise, the more the merrier!kissing with baby on dress

The children we have had the privilege of meeting at Maui Aloha Weddings have added joy not only to the Bride and Groom and their families, but definitely to our photographers as some of the best pictures turn out to be of the children. We are not saying to invite everyone and their children but definitely your family members. You can also decide on the ages of the children to be invited. If they are old enough to stay home (in their 20’s), you need not invite them unless you want to. For parents whose children are younger and they would have to make arrangements for them, it would be easier and nicer to invite them. Then again, I remember going away and leaving my children who were in their 20’s and found out that they threw the bash of the year! Think about who can stay home and be responsible too.

The general rule of having ring bearers and flower girls are having children between the age of 3 and 7. Any younger and they usually do not make it down the aisle. Any older and you can actually have them as junior bridesmaids and ushers. Usually, bridesmaids and ushers are from 18 years old and up. You can also use these rules to help with the question “do you need a flower girl”? The flower girls and ring bearers are invited to the reception.

Don’t get caught up in “why wasn’t my child invited” because this is your wedding and your decision. Before the invitations

go out, politely tell your guests that you cannot invite everyone and this will not be a kid

friendly wedding. Do make it really clear who is invited so not one assumes and brings extra guests. If you are inviting the children, include on your invitation “Mr. and Mrs. X and Family”. There really isn’t a nice way to say “oh they can come to the ceremony” – just don’t say they are invited at all. Although this is off the point, have no bad feelings about inviting single guests without a significant other. It may seem not polite but everyone should understand the expense and they can always send in their regrets if they don’t want to come alone. This doesn’t really happen when you are having a destination wedding as chances are people are not traveling alone.

When planning a reception with kids, try to keep the families altogether in one spot. Couples do look at a wedding as a time to go out and enjoy the company. They don’t need to mingle with children of friends during that time. Do make sure the children sit with their parents and not alone at a table unless they are older teens and can be trusted.

By all means, make sure your venue offers a child’s menu. Children have smaller appetites and don’t usually like the same food as adults at a wedding. Children’s meals will be a fraction of what you will be paying for the adults plates.

Let them dance as it will be one of the highlights watching them! But since they have short attention spans, perhaps have goodie bags with some things for them to do color, puzzles and small games to also entertain them. The goodies are inexpensive and when they get tired of dancing they won’t be interrupting those that are having fun on the floor.

One of Maui’s more modern legends is about Pele, the goddess of Fire and Volcanoes and the removal of HER sand and rocks from the islands. We call it a modern legend because some people believe that a ranger in the national park system made it up in the 1930s, to stop people from taking the lava rocks. This may be true but there may be some deep roots attached to it. When we at Maui Aloha Weddings do the Sand Ceremony we aren’t using sand from our beaches… we actually purchase separate sand for our unity sand ceremony.

One thing you would have to realize, is that Hawaii is modern compared to many other states since it didn’t get its statehood until 1959 which is a controversy in itself. The Hawaiian islands are said to be discovered between 1200 and 1400 when the Polynesians were looking for a safe place to be as there was war in many of the Polynesian islands. Along with these first settlers came a rigid set of rules called the Kapu System. This directed the lives of the Hawaiians and told them what they could and couldn’t do. It wasn’t until the early 1800’s, well after Captain Cook, did people start coming to the islands. Hawaii is pretty modern! However, there is no way of knowing if the legend of Pele came from the Kapu System as it was very important to respect the “mana” of the gods and goddesses.

Legend has it that Pele, goddess of fire and volcanoes, is so angered when the rocks or sand (which she sees as her children) are taken from her that she puts a terrible revenge on the thief. She is especially protective of volcanic rock and sand, two items tourists almost unthinkingly take as a small souvenir . After all, who would miss a rock?

Of course in the famous book “All I Really Need to Know I learned in Kindergarten” expresses the sentiments “Put things back where you found them”, “Don’t take things that aren’t yours” and “Look” which the author says is the biggest and most important rule of all. Can these basic rules apply to Maui’s sand and rocks too?

Pele’s curse says that anyone who takes rock or sand away from Maui will suffer bad luck until the native Hawaiian elements are returned. Whether you believe in the myth or not, each year hundreds of people send packages to Maui full of rocks and sand to relieve their consciences and change their luck. The native Hawaiians view the taking of such items as stealing from Pele while visiting her home. Only the return of the stolen items will ease her temperament.

So are the warnings true? Maybe and maybe not. The more skeptical will think this is a bunch of malarkey but thousands of people believe that taking Maui’s sand and rock left them with a curse of huge proportions and the only way to undo the curse is to return the items.

maui beachesWhy am I writing this as a blog? Recently there was an article in a local paper that spoke about a wedding officiant/coordinator that helped the bride and groom to some sand.

“Eh Brah! Don’t steal Maui’s beach sand for your wedding!” (Borrowed from the Maui Times newspaper)

“I was on the beach at Makena Cove recently enjoying the sunset and witnessed a beautiful couple getting married in a small intimate ceremony. It was beautiful, and I was happy for them. During one point in the ceremony, a gentleman I assume was the coordinator took out a tall glass and scooped sand from inside the flower petal circle the couple stood inside. He carefully leveled the sand so it filled up the very top of the glass, and then presented it to the couple. After words were exchanged, he walked over and carefully placed the sand in a bag, which was then closed up and taken with them when they left. I almost said something, but I didn’t want to ruin the moment for the couple, who clearly had no idea that taking sand was not only bad luck, but also culturally and environmentally insensitive–if not technically illegal. Shame on the wedding coordinator and planner for promoting such unsustainable, disrespectful and karma sucking practices.”

After hearing from my officiants about this, I thought I needed to write a blog about it as this is so wrong in so many ways. First of all, you don’t take sand from the beaches. I know of people who have done this and were given fines when caught. Removing lava rocks from our parks is illegal too. Yet, Maui Aloha Weddings does the Sand Ceremony – isn’t this an oxymoron? NO – because as I mentioned earlier, we actually purchase our sand for the unity sand ceremony. To unite a couple with this ceremony, you are using two different colors of sand one in each vessel that we bring with us to the beach. The couple takes turns pouring the sand into a vessel that will be theirs to take home, layering the sand in a pattern. The idea behind the ceremony is that they are two people coming from two different lives that are now joining together. Right now you can see the two different sands in the bottle but if they were to pour it out – the sand would be joined together and you would not see it separate anymore.

My question is – how can you do that if someone picks up a handful of sand, puts it into a glass and then puts it into a bag for the bride and groom? Also – do you really want to chance the “karma” that may be attached to the sand?

Here is another thing you can ask when you are

hiring a coordinator – what color sand do you have? That’s not accusing anyone but you will definitely know if they are doing the right thing in Maui!

I hope you have a wonderful, safe and happy trip on our island – especially our newly married couples and those celebrating vow renewals. Do I believe in the curse – I would not tempt fate!

If your love for palm trees and ocean breezes rivals none other than your love for your significant other, then a destination wedding might be right for you. Unfortunately, most couples shun the idea of having one due to a preconceived notion that destination weddings are too expensive or too difficult to plan. Fortunately, that’s not the case. In fact, you might just find the opposite to be true. Having a destination wedding has never been easier, and we’re happy to show you how. Here are a few things to consider if you’re thinking about tying the knot and hulaing a lot.

Your Budget

Believe it or not, a destination wedding is often cheaper than a traditional wedding. That’s because most of your wedding-related costs stem from the venue you book and the food you provide. Since destination weddings are typically smaller in scale, you’ll likely end up booking a smaller venue and ordering less food than you would at home. But that’s not the only difference. If you’re interested in learning more, or want to find out how to budget for a wedding in Maui, click here. So long as you track your spending via a budgeting template or an online banking service, you’ll most likely find it to be cheaper overall.

Your Guest List

Just because destination weddings tend to be smaller doesn’t mean they have to be. In addition to your closest family members and friends, don’t be afraid to branch out and invite others. This way, they’ll be able to make the decision for themselves. You never know who will see this as the perfect opportunity to take the vacation of a lifetime. Just be sure you’re getting an accurate final headcount so you can close in on the appropriate venue and accommodations for your guests.

Your Honeymoon

What could be better than having your wedding in tropical paradise? Prolonging your stay there! Easily double the value of your destination wedding by making it the location of your honeymoon as well. Whether you decide to stay in the same resort (and cash in on discounts for a lengthier booking) or see a new side of the island, the choice is up to you. And since most couples will hop on a plane for their honeymoon anyway, you can see flight tickets as just a part of the whole wedding package.

Your Timeline

Although destination weddings usually require less coordination (you won’t have to worry about providing hundreds of decorations here) and therefore less time to plan, you’ll still want to make sure you’re giving your guests an adequate amount of time to assess their availabilities and plan their vacations. Like a traditional wedding, try to give your guests around nine to twelve months’ notice prior to the wedding. This will also make your life easier, as you won’t feel like you’re in as much of a rush to get things done.

Your Wedding Attire

As exciting as it is to think of yourself getting married on a beach, you might be left scratching your head wondering what you should wear. Luckily, there are a few basic ground rules that you can follow that will have you feeling and looking great. Lightweight fabrics like linen, chiffon, organza, lace, and even cotton provide the most breathability. You’ll find this to be highly preferable if trying to avoid sweat marks on clothing. When it comes to colors, don’t be afraid to be a little unorthodox. Black attire looks suave, but it’s also known to conduct heat. So, why not embrace more tropical colors like white, turquoise, tangerine, peach, or sand brown? Whatever route you decide to go, just make sure you’re comfortable and that the rest of your guest list is onboard with your dress code.

Planning your wedding/vow renewal ceremony is definitely the most important part of your big day! At home, this would be rather routine as you go to your place of worship or to the justice of peace and arrange the ceremony. But when you are having a destination ceremony, there is more to think about. This is where a coordinator can be of service to you!

First of all, at Maui Aloha Weddings, we take this part of your day very seriously and will not give you an 8 minute ceremony. If you are pledging to spend the rest of your life with someone, the words and meaning of the ceremony should take longer then eight minutes. You will find that many weddings in Maui are just about that long. Make sure to find out what your ceremony is going to be like. Ask how long it will be and if you can see the ceremony and what the minister is going to say.

If you have complete confidence in your coordinator, you can ask them to book you a minister with the guidelines that you would like. We have many couples asking us for a Hawaiian minister since they will be getting married in Maui. Some request a male and some request a female minister. Please don’t feel that this is something that you shouldn’t do. Since you do not know the minister and he/she hasn’t known you for all of your life, it is important that you will feel comfortable with them. You will find that our ministers will make you comfortable and help you to enjoy the service too. Ask your coordinator if they will put you in touch with your minister so that you may speak to them if that will make you feel easier about this person conducting your ceremony. Be sure to ask if your coordinator is going to send out a confirmation to all of your wedding team so that they will have your phone number and you will have the phone number of someone on the wedding team as well.

In Maui, we do have a few different options for your ceremony. You can have the Hawaiian ceremony with the conch shell blowing and your minister doing some Hawaiian chants. There is also a religious ceremony that you can ask for. Or as most couples like, you may have a mixture of both. You can read these on our web page to see what they are like.

In the Jewish religion they use the Huppah for the couple to stand under. We cannot put arches or chairs on our beaches (we do have special chairs for the elderly or those who must sit). To have a Huppah we would have to have the ceremony in a park or venue so that we may set it up. We do have a few temples on island that we can use. Of course we would ask their Rabbi to conduct the ceremony. If you want to do the traditional Torah readings – it would be necessary to use a temple.

With most Maui weddings the ceremonies are on the beach. You do have choices to make even with the beach sites. If you are on the west side of Maui, we have three beautiful beaches there. We also have many venues that we can introduce you to. The beaches only require a $20 permit. Many couples have told me that they were given quotes for the beach permit for $30 and higher. This is not what we are charged by the state and I would think those wedding companies are trying to make a profit off of the beach permits. The venues where we hold ceremonies will have site fees that we can tell you about right away.

South Maui has many beaches to choose from. Couples will ask us which beach will give them the most privacy. If you would like a morning wedding – that is when you will have the most privacy. All beaches in Maui are public, even the resort beaches. They are not limited to the people staying there. In the morning, as I tell our couples, the beaches are really pristine at that time with few footprints or people! It’s a wonderful time of day to get married and especially good when you want to attend a luau at night. Sunset weddings are also beautiful but we cannot predict when the people will leave to go to dinner. Usually we can find a great spot as the beaches are less populated as the evening goes along. We also have many wonderful venues on the south side as well. Again, the venues will want a site fee.

Venues will usually ask for deposits for their site fee. Your coordinator will work this out with you. At Maui Aloha Weddings, we will ask for $100 Save the Date deposit (which will be deducted from your ceremony balance) and will send you our Weddings/Vow Renewal Agreement for your records. This will lock in your ceremony date with us.

If you are using a venue, you may rent an arch, chairs, sound systems and other equipment. We can help you with all of this. For your beach ceremony, we can have flower circles, hearts and petal aisles to dress up the beach. Couples will sometimes bring small props that we can use as well. To tell you the truth, the beach is just beautiful as it is! We can supply a small table for the beach to hold a guest book, ceremony programs, fans for your guests, water bottles or some other token or favor. Please ask us about this.

Rehearsals aren’t really held on Maui. The ceremony is very casual and beautiful. There is no stress as your on site coordinator will direct everyone if you are having a large party. The minister will usually talk to the couple before the ceremony to see if they have any questions and he/she will walk you through the whole ceremony step by step. It flows well and the couple will feel comfortable throughout. If you do not have an on site coordinator, the photographer and minister can handle things easily as well.

If your wedding is on the beach ceremony flowers usually consist of the petals and circles as mentioned above. Sometimes we are asked to have a few vases of flowers. We cannot however have pedestals with flowers on the beach. Brides may have a bouquet that will be ordered earlier. Leis of course are popular for the couple to exchange as well as offer them to their guests during the ceremony. Many bridal parties will carry their leis as they walk up the aisle for participation in the ceremony. This saves money rather then getting everyone a bouquet. It also keeps with the Hawaiian theme. If you are having a wedding at a venue you can pretty much have whatever you have envisioned. Fresh flowers on your chairs and arches, pedestals with vases of flowers and thick fresh petal aisles too. Please realize that flowers in Hawaii are expensive as most have to be imported into the islands especially roses and calla lilies. Even our beautiful tropical flowers are not inexpensive! We also want to tell you that artificial petals are not allowed on our beaches as they will blow into the ocean and endanger our wild life.

Music is always a beautiful part of the ceremony. We have had many grooms and brides sing to their partners which is beautiful, most of the time! We have wonderful musicians and music does make your ceremony special. We offer ukulele, guitar, harp, violin, flute and bass players for your ceremonies. In Maui Aloha Weddings ceremonies, there are three features songs. One is played in the beginning, another is played during the sand ceremony and the last is played at the end and most times becomes the couple’s first dance. We also rent out an MP3 player so that you can record your favorite songs and play them from your Ipod. If you would like music, we can make it happen.

After the ceremony, the minister will ask for your marriage license (wedding ceremonies only). He will register it for you with the state. Within three weeks, you will receive your marriage license from the state of Hawaii. Your coordinator will help you fill out your marriage license application with all of the necessary information to complete the form even before you come to Maui. Our state charges $65 which is payable right to the state of Hawaii. After you arrive, your coordinator will have a marriage license agent’s appointment set up for you. The agent will want to see a photo ID from each of you and then will charge you $5 cash to notarize your application. This is the paper that you will give to your minister.

Many couples like to write their own vows and we encourage you to do so! We do offer the traditional wedding vows which you can see on our web site. Other couples ask to say their own vows after the traditional vows which is great too. If you have a large wedding party and they are o

n the beach, try not to write pages of vows. Say the most important things to one another and save the other things you want to share with each other for later. It can get very uncomfortable on the beach depending on the time of day for your ceremony.

We do welcome readings by your family and friends. Please look at the ceremony we offer and let us know when you would like the person to do the reading. It makes your ceremony more personal when you have others participate. It also allows some people know that they are special to you and you wanted them to be involved. If you need help with readings, please ask your minister who would be happy to suggest some.

We all know that planning a Wedding or Vow Renewal can get very expensive. Planning a destination Wedding or Vow Renewal can even be more so – but it doesn’t have to be. One big thing to remember is that you are also including your honeymoon/vacation in the planning. When celebrating on the main land, you have the expense of the ceremony, reception/dinner and then the honeymoon/vacation. When coming to Maui – it’s all in one!

There are ways that you can save money when planning this big event. In Maui, typically October and May are less expensive for travel, accommodations, food and activities on the island. October is right after the summer visitors and just before we start the holiday time in November. Believe me that all of the rates climb up during holidays and summer time. May is right after our spring break visitors and just before the vacationers begin their summer breaks. If you can plan during these months, you will save money. If you do plan during these months, please get in touch with Maui Aloha Weddings as soon as you can as we do book up fast during those months as people are trying to save.

Although there are no weekends in Maui – every day is the weekend – you will find some places that still hold to the traditional sense of weekend and will charge more for those days for your venues. As far as your ceremony with Maui Aloha Weddings, we charge the same rates for any day that you wish to be married on. This is something that your coordinator can check for you when assisting you with choosing a venue. There are different rates for an afternoon venue then an evening venue and they can be significant. This is another item that should be checked. Morning ceremonies followed by a brunch or a luncheon can save you some big bucks! Ask your coordinator about venues as they are use to working with and which would be in your budget.

Another item to look at when planning your reception/dinner when you have a significant amount of guests is whether you would like a sit down meal (being served) or a buffet. In the islands, people love buffets. It seems to get the guests mingling and speaking with everyone as they help themselves to delicious meals. And of course, they can keep helping themselves rather then just having one plate. You will see that on the island – we love to eat! With all the fresh fruits and vegetables, our buffets are really good. You don’t always have to go to a venue to do have a reception either. We have beautiful parks in Maui and at Maui Aloha Weddings, we can easily help you with caterers, tents and even entertainment.

The bar tab is always something to consider. With a big formal wedding, many couples choose to have an “open bar” where everyone can drink all night and the couple picks up the tab. This is wonderful and very gracious but also very expensive on top of everything else. If you are having a bar service, see if you can buy your own alcohol. They may charge you a “corkage” fee which is a fee to serve your alcohol (they have to make money too) but it will be less expensive. Some of the venues will also do that as well and just charge you a fee for each bottle opened. Do check that out! Costco is here on the island and you can get some great deals there to purchase your own alcohol. Think about having just wine and beer which would also cut your expense down. When having a reception in the park, Maui Aloha Weddings can get you ice tubs so you can buy the wine and beer, keep it chilled and have people serve themselves. If you feel that this needs to be controlled as you know your guests better then we do, have a good friend as your designated bartender. If you feel that you have to supply some alcohol but are on a budget, give them two tickets for free drinks. Once they use them up, they are on their own to purchase their drinks. However, this can not be done in the park as drinks cannot be sold there. You can also have a bar service where people do buy their own drinks all night. Most people understand the expense that you have and do not mind this at all. You will have to pay for the bartender’s services.

While we are on alcohol – skip the champagne toast and let everyone raise their glasses to whatever they are drinking. Believe it or not, even with a house champagne, you will be cutting your expenses by $5 and up per person just to do that.

Most ceremonies in Maui are fairly short and end before 30 minutes so it is easy for your guests to stand. We cannot have chairs on the beaches as the state of Hawaii prohibits that. However for the elderly or people who need to sit, have your coordinator rent a few beach chairs. This is definitely permitted but not to have one for everyone as that is breaking the law. If you are having a reception at a venue, sometimes they will include chairs for you. If not, check the price that the venue is charging you with the price that your coordinator can get from their supplier. It is usually a big difference. If you are having a ceremony in one place and a reception at the same venue but a different location, see if you can use the same chairs if you are renting them. It is not necessary to rent them twice. Have your ushers help move them to the other location. I am sure they won’t mind helping you out.

Engagement announcements and wedding/vow renewal invitations are also expensive. Save your money for professional invitations and use your imagination for the rest of the invitations you may want to send out. With today’s social media available, you can come up with some wonderful email invites that will even do all of the calculating of who is coming and who cannot attend. If you want to send out engagement party or rehearsal dinner invites, design your own, print them out and send them. You can become very creative with these! When ordering your wedding invitations, remember that black ink is typically less expensive then colored inks and classic white or ivory paper is less expensive then colored paper invites. Have a friend who has nice handwriting address the envelopes (friends are always looking to help out) and forgo the cost of calligraphy. Saving the money is the key and then you will have the additional to splurge on your wedding invitations.

Entertainment and Dancing is big in the islands just as it is in the mainland. What do you do with your guests after they eat? If you are okay with a shorter reception/dinner then it is perfect to have the guests leave after dessert. However, if you are like many couples, YOU still want to party. On the main land and in Maui, it is always less expensive to use a DJ then a live band. To save money, have the DJ or band, stop at an appointed hour so you don’t have overtime charges. Use an MPG3 Player for your dinner music and only hire the DJ or band when it’s time to party after the dinner. You can also hire a single musician to play during dinner if you would rather do that then have recorded music. This would also be less expensive. On Maui, most music has to stop by 10 PM as it is a state law. Your coordinator will know the places that will allow music after the 10 PM curfew.

In Maui, many couples will go to a luau for their celebration dinner. This is not a inexpensive idea as you will be paying $85 and up for a group ticket per person. However, when you consider the cost of the dinner, alcohol and entertainment – you are probably paying close to the same amount. Going to the luau allows other people take care of dinner, drinks and entertainment and you get to enjoy yourself too! Ask your wedding coordinator for assistance with the tickets. They can probably get you a better deal then if you try to do it yourself as they work with the luau staff often. Another idea is to go on a sunset dinner cruise either after the ceremony or have the ceremony on the deck. Dinner will be served and on some boats there is dancing below deck afterwards. Tickets would be about $60 and up per ticket.

Bouquets and flowers are part of all celebrations and they can be very expensive. Ask your coordinator for a list of flowers that are in bloom during the time of your ceremony. Using seasonal flowers and those that grow on the island can save you money. Remember that Maui is an island and for some of the flowers that you would love to have, we need to import. One of the most requested but expensive flowers is the Calla Lily. Sadly, they do not grow on our island. When brides order these flowers, you are going to have an expensive bouquet. Do ask your coordinator for a quote from their florist before you do so.IMG_6655

Let your coordinator help you with centerpieces. Typical flower arrangements for the center of your tables can be very expensive. In the islands we have wedding shells, pineapples and other creative ways to save you money. Candles always work too. Couples put their favors in an arrangement on the tables too instead of using flowers. Also, make sure you know the size of your table. Too many times when helping decorate the reception, we couldn’t get everything on the table that the bride wanted without having it look too cluttered. Most times the prettiest tables are the simplest.

This week I had two disturbing conversations. One bride told me that they had booked a rental home in Maui and it turned out to be fraudulent. Unfortunately, they lost a couple of thousand dollars. Another bride told me that she booked with a coordinator who asked for a $1000 deposit and then never got back to her. She is having difficulty getting in touch with her and has lost her money as well.

These type of conversations really make me sad. For the most part, people in Maui are very gracious and loving. Tourism is our largest economic factor and we welcome people onto our island so that they can enjoy it and it helps Maui too. One bad apple in the bunch – or in these cases two – really can turn people off to coming to Maui. This is NOT the norm with our family and friends who do business on the island. What can we do about this?

The best way to avoid these types of situations is to do your research. Check with your family and friends for suggestions and referrals. With reviews all over the web, check them out and see what people are saying about the companies you are thinking of doing business with. Be careful as not to judge too hard on some reviews – look at many to get a true feeling of what the company is like. There are people who wish to complain no matter how hard you try to please and accommodate them. If you see one review that is not as stellar as the rest – listen to your heart and see what the majority are saying. The wedding vendors we know – including other coordinators – are here to make your wedding stress free and they want to get to know you and work with you.unnamed

When you contact a coordinator (I will keep this blog to coordinators as they will secure the rest of your vendors for you), first find out if they are available for your date and the time you would like your ceremony. Then, BEFORE you book, ask them for 3 references. If a coordinator doesn’t agree to provide names and contact information to you – that’s another clear sign to move on. Do call the references and see what they have to say. People will be more honest with you over the phone then when they put something in writing. They may have been happy with the services but there may have been one thing that did bother them. That “thing” may be very important to you and may put up a red flag about that coordinator. Do ask the people if there was one thing you could have changed what would it have been.

Now that you have done your research and have spoken to references, it’s your turn to interview the coordinator. They may have stellar reviews and the references can’t say enough about them but that still doesn’t mean you are going to click with them. You want to see if their way of thinking is the way you are thinking. Not to be mean but maybe you just can’t get use to their accent, or they are way too formal or way too casual. This is your big day and you need to feel comfortable with them because you are going to put your trust into them doing the job you expect them to. Have a paper with all of your important questions written down so that you don’t forget everything. If the answers are not what you are hoping for – move on. There are many coordinators in any place that you want to be married in so you do not have to settle. Believe me, I don’t want to lose clients but I also like to feel that we will get along well.

When you have narrowed your list down to 2 or three coordinators that you are interested in, do interview more than one so you can compare and see which makes you feel that it’s a good match. Don’t interview more then 3 as it will just start confusing you when you need to make the decision. Most coordinators are good at making you feel welcomed – this is our job. The answers to your questions are the most important to help your decision. I would usually recommend interviewing your 2 top choices so it would be easier to choose the right one for you.unnamed (2)

Once you find the coordinator who fits your description of one that you would like – book them. Chances are that if you like them so will many others and their schedules will fill up rapidly. In Maui, we do book from six months to one year in advance. It’s a bit shorter time then off island. However, we all have dates that are open every month and would be happy to reserve one for you. It’s always wise to ask!

Please don’t work with any coordinator who expects payment in full before the services are rendered. A partial deposit is acceptable and in most cases expected. At Maui Aloha Weddings we will ask for a Save the Date wedding deposit of $100. 15 days before your wedding, we will ask for 50% as that is the time that we will begin to pay your vendors. We have wonderful working relationships with our vendors so we will ask them to save the date for us and they will. We do not pay them until right before the ceremony or the day of the ceremony. Your balance is due the day of your ceremony.

We hope that this helps and will possibly avoid what I have been hearing this week. Whether you are hiring a coordinator or booking a rental, most of these rules apply to all destination vendors.

We wish you happy times with your vendors in Maui and don’t forget – Please interview us!

Congratulations on your big news! You have a very exciting time ahead of you – planning for your wedding. Whether it will be a simple romantic wedding for the two of you, a blow-out extravaganza to celebrate with your friends and family or a destination wedding, there will be planning.

To begin this process you and your fiancé need to discuss your wants, needs and wishes. Then you need to prioritize! Is a 3 foot cake more important than large bouquets? Is a wedding arch more important than a sandy beach? Once you know which items are the most important you can focus your budget in that direction. Remember, when you increase the spending in one category – you are decreasing your spending in another. Too many couples increase but forget about decreasing!

When doing research in wedding budgets to help our couples out, it seemed the easiest way to do this was to give you the percentages of what each item should amount too. Since you will all have different total budgets this is the way I can help most couples. I will give you guidelines in each area and then you can adjust what percentage you would like for your priorities by increasing the percentage in that area and decreasing it in another. To get what amount each category would be, simply multiply your budget by that percentage. For example if your total budget is $5,000 and your reception menu should be 29 % the suggested percentage would be 5000 x .29 = $1450.

Not everyone will have a reception or need some of the items on this list. You can then add those percentages to areas that you desire to have. Just remember, once you set your budget commit to sticking to it!

Congratulations on your big news! You have a very exciting time ahead of you – planning for your wedding. Whether it will be a simple romantic wedding for the two of you, a blow-out extravaganza to celebrate with your friends and family or a destination wedding, there will be planning.

As wedding planners we at Maui Aloha Weddings, know that a well-organized wedding and early planning will allow you to enjoy every minute of your wedding day. Beginning to plan at least a year in advanced for a destination wedding or a large formal wedding is recommended. For a smaller affair, you should begin at least 6 months in advance.

What should you be doing 6 months in advance? First you fiancé and you should decide on what type of wedding you would like to have. Many times this will lead to your first compromise – large or intimate or in between? Don’t believe it if your partner says it doesn’t matter! This is their wedding too and both of you should be happy with the decision you make.

When you have decided on how large or small your wedding will be, the next step would be discussing the date you would like to set. If it’s to be a destination wedding with family and friends invited, try and give them as much time as possible to see if they can make the trip and join you. A year is a better time frame so that your loved ones can plan on your destination wedding as being their vacation too. If it’s a large wedding and you want everyone to be able to attend, a year is also a good time frame with sending out Save the Date cards to all. If it’s an intimate ceremony for the two of you, you will want to give yourselves enough time to book your transportation, hotel and wedding site/venue. Many destinations will require you to be there for a certain amount of time to secure a wedding license. Be sure to check on these requirements as well.

What will our budget be like? Both of you will need to sit down and have a very serious discussion on this step. You do not want to start off your married life owing money to all types of vendors. We all know that when you are in debt it’s stressful and you don’t want to start off your married life that way. If you have given yourself some time, what would be a reasonable amount that you can each contribute to this adventure? If you have someone contributing as well, make sure to include that amount in your calculations. Feel comfortable with what you have budgeted and know that this is a target that you can easily strive for. When calculating your budget, you will want money for the ceremony, reception or celebration dinner, how many guests to invite and for your honeymoon.engagement photos

The next important step is to book your ceremony and officiant. Especially with destination weddings, the dates can book up fairly fast when you have a particular someone in mind that you would like to officiate. By all means ask your wedding planner to make suggestions to help you. They can help you decided when to have your ceremony as far as month (are some more reasonable then others), time of day (best time for photos and heat) as well as the availability of officiants. Most will give you a list to choose from. Look them up on the internet to see which one most relates to you.

Now that you know where you are getting married, the date and your budget, you can decide on what your reception will look like. You should have an amount set aside in your budget for this piece of your wedding. Is it to be a dinner at a restaurant or a full blown wedding reception? This will narrow it down to what type venue you are looking at. One way to help you plan this, is to decide how much per guest do I want to spend. For a full dinner, you are looking at $37 and up per plate. You can have a wonderful cocktail reception or a buffet instead of a sit down dinner for less. If you are getting married in the evening, you can have a dessert menu showing off that beautiful wedding cake. There are many ways to have a celebration. Ask you wedding planner for some ideas.

Speaking of wedding planners – decide if you need to have one for the ceremony, reception or both? Find out if they are included in the package that they offer. Most wedding planners will be included in the actual coordination of your wedding. However, it will be an additional charge to have them on site at either the ceremony of reception. You can ask your planner if they think you will need one. We have found at Maui Aloha Weddings that if you are going to be at a venue – definitely get a coordinator to help with everything that is involved. If you are just having a beach wedding, it really isn’t necessary to do so as your minister and/or photographer can guide you through it unless you are think about having 70 people on a beach!

Another important aspect of your wedding is to decide if you are having attendants. If so, you want them to have ample time to figure out their budgets and be able to make their plans. Don’t feel bad if they cannot be in your wedding. It is an expense to be in someone’s wedding and not everyone has the luxury of being able to do so especially if it’s a destination wedding. Many people who have destination weddings invite their friends to be there to celebrate and not necessarily adding on the expense of being an attendant. If your dream is to have the big wedding with attendants, be mindful of what they will have to pay as well.

Photography/Videography is an important piece of many weddings. This can be an enormous expense if not chosen carefully. Many of the best photographers/videographers are booked up fast so this should be an early decision on your part. Your wedding planner should be able to give you a choice as to whom they suggest to use. Be honest with your planner and find out the cost ahead of time. If the photographers/videographers are included in the wedding packages, you will usually save money rather than booking them by yourself. Questions to ask when booking is the price of the ceremony and reception if you choose to have a photographer/videographer there, how many shots (film) do they take, how many edited shots (length of movie) will you receive and can you buy additional ones at what cost. Can you have getting ready shots or will this cost extra? When looking at their work, look at an entire wedding so that you are seeing what they have shot and not just their best photos. With a video, ask if they will take an unedited video which is less money if you are on a stricter budget.

Music, flowers and a cake are things your wedding planner can help you with. They work with many of these vendors and know which the best are and where you will receive the most value. Plan on paying a musician around $200 just for your ceremony (unless it is a church or temple wedding where the music may be less). Reception music (DJ or Band) will be a different amount as well and can be reasonable to very expensive. Flowers can be very expensive even on an island full of them! Average bridal bouquets are about $150 to start. You can get smaller nosegays for approximately $100. Cakes depending on their size and what type of cake, frosting, fillings and tiers that you want, can start at $85 for 6 servings and can go way up from here.

The last two items are the most fun – your wedding attire and the rings. Give yourself plenty of time to shop and enjoy. You can do this way in advance and have the alterations if needed a month before your wedding. Many brides are using on line ordering where you can get beautiful gowns made abroad for a fraction of the price you would spend in a bridal shop. However, the one on one attention at the bridal shops is also worth it. Depending on your budget and tastes, there are many avenues to go for your attire. Same with your rings – take your time and find the ones you would like to wear for the rest of your lives!

Congratulations and enjoy the experience!

The best place to start planning your Maui destination wedding is to decide if you would like a beach wedding or are you more interested in a venue wedding. Beach weddings in Maui are the most popular and it just costs $20 for a permit which your coordinator can secure for you. All beaches in Hawaii are public and in Maui all but two are allowed to have ceremonies. Two beaches are under protection by the state and are not allowed to have ceremonies on them.

We have many wonderful venues where you can have your ceremony and/or reception. Some are overlooking the ocean, on golf courses, in gardens and at private estates rented out for weddings. The venues will have site fees ranging from $350 and up depending on which venue you choose.

It doesn’t take very long to plan a destination wedding. In fact, it probably takes much less time than planning your wedding at home. Most of the planning is done on line and can be done within six weeks’ time but we have been known to plan one within 48 hours too! However, if you are planning on having many guests attend, it is good to start planning around one year in advance to give the guests time to plan their trip as well. This will also be a good time to work with a travel agent to help you book blocks of rooms which will save your guests time and money from doing it themselves. Maui Aloha Weddings has a wonderful travel agent that will do this for you. This does not cost extra as many think. A travel agent receives their commissions from the venues, hotels, travel that they book. Take advantage of a great service.

Although wedding invitations usually go out 6 weeks in advance, for a destination wedding it would be better to send them three months in advance unless you have sent out Save the Date notices. Your RSVPs do not have to be so early which will give your guests a chance to see if they can attend. Most event planners only need to know the final count within the week before the wedding. Asking for RSVPs a few weeks before will give everyone enough time to plan and finalize their arrangements. Save the Date notes usually aren’t sent when you are having a wedding at home unless it is over a holiday. With a destination wedding, they take on more importance allowing everyone to know when the wedding will take place and where. These notes should go out about one year in advance.

Destination guest lists are usually going to be much smaller than a wedding you would plan at home. You may invite as many people as you wish but fewer will attend since it’s a destination wedding. Always start with your close family and friends. They may discuss dates with you as well so that you will have the people you really want to attend. Don’t feel bad when many guests cannot attend as the travel expense will be hard on many people. It’s actually one reason why so many choose to have a destination wedding so they can have the small, intimate wedding that they really want to have without hurting people’s feelings.

Many couples decide to have a second reception or party when they return home so that those who could not attend have the chance to celebrate with them. If you can do this, it’s a wonderful option as the wedding is over and you have the chance to celebrate with friends and family.

Rehearsal dinners are not usually done for destination weddings. The minister/officiant will discuss what will happen just before the wedding with both the bride and groom. Your coordinator can tell you what will take place in the ceremony well in advance as well. Many couples do plan some group activities for their wedding guests which do not have to be paid by the bride and groom. These are suggested activities that you can plan ahead of coming to Maui so that people can say they want to join in and will know the cost of the activity. At Maui Aloha Weddings, we have someone who can help with planning these activities for your guests which make it much easier on you. Many of your guests are using this time as their vacation and will probably enjoy the beautiful Maui beaches so don’t try to plan too many activities letting them have down time too. One way to show your gratitude outside of the wedding reception is to have a welcome cocktail party where you can keep the cost down or to host a farewell breakfast. These can be done informally at your hotel or even in a park. Most hotels/condos have areas to host such an event. Your wedding coordinator will also be able to suggest places for you.

When we attend Bridal Fairs the number one thing couple will say to us is that they cannot afford a destination wedding. The truth is, most destination weddings are more reasonable than weddings you may plan at home. Also, don’t forget that a destination wedding is a wedding and honeymoon combined. Most of your expenses are in the venue and food. Since you will probably have fewer guests at your wedding and you can use smaller venues, these expenses are way down. Most times you can have a dinner set up in a restaurant without even paying venue fees. A destination wedding alleviates many of the costs such as centerpieces for many tables, catering, rentals of equipment – tables, chairs, etc. All of the many extras you need for your wedding at home, is not necessarily needed for your wedding on an island.

If you have any questions about destination weddings that we can help you with, please feel free to call us at Maui Aloha Weddings (808)344-8805. We will help you and you do not have to sign up for our services! We are happy to assist all couples contemplating destination weddings in Maui or other wonderful destinations.

When our couples come to Maui to get married or for their vow renewals, they begin realizing we use the word ALOHA to say hello, goodbye and as an expression of love. But Aloha is so much more – it is a way of life.

ALOHA really means love, compassion and inner peace. When someone has Aloha, the heart is so filled with love and peace that it is contagious to those around them and it is offered to them freely. Many people use the word Aloha too freely when saying hello and goodbye to anyone. It should only be said when it comes from the heart.

This helps me in so many ways. There are days that can be difficult as in any business but when you email or speak with your customers and end with an Aloha, it makes your heart open up and handle even the most difficult situations. It always makes me smile and I thought it was because I got through the situation but it’s not. It’s because no matter what, I offered my Aloha to someone. I shared my Aloha spirit.

When you look into the meaning of Aloha, you will find that it’s an acronym. Borrowed from Aloha International so that I can share it with you – here is what Aloha stands for:

A, ala, watchful, alertness

L, lokahi, working with unity

O, oia’i’o, truthful honesty

H, ha’aha’a, humility

A, ahonui, patient perseverance

Many times during our services we will tell you the meaning of Aloha or show you how we give Aloha with the sharing of the leis. This is an important part of the ceremony to all of us on the island which is why we like to share it with couples starting their lives together or renewing that commitment to one another.

Three key Hawaiian words are also located in Aloha which help show us the way to live:

Alo – sharing

Oha – Joy

Ha – the breath of life

How clear the ancient Hawaiians made it to show us how to live our lives by sharing joy with others which is the breath of life. When two Hawaiians meet you will see them go forehead to forehead as they exchange breath giving their Aloha to one another.

When you are on our beautiful island of Maui, breathe in the spirit of Aloha and take it home with you. Can you just imagine what a wonderful world it would be if we all lived with the Aloha spirit!

At Maui Aloha Weddings we hear many reasons why people want to have a destination wedding. From I don’t want to be married in front of a lot of people I really don’t know well, I’m too nervous to have a big wedding, too much stress, I can’t seat my husband’s relatives next to my relatives, Grandma Gertrude doesn’t speak to Grandpa Horace anymore and so on! Most people don’t express why it’s a great idea to have a destination wedding. We would like to tell you some of those reasons.

We are such a global society that many couples are going to have people traveling to their wedding no matter where they live. If they are going to travel anyway, why not travel to someplace as special as Maui where they can vacation and enjoy your wedding too! Maui Aloha Weddings has a wonderful activities coordinator who can help you plan group activities for a few of the days so that your guests will never forget your wedding or their wonderful vacation. They will have the vacation they may have dreamed about while watching two of their favorite people say “I DO”.

You want to be able to enjoy your wedding too! Planning a wedding especially if adding a reception is not an easy task. It takes hours of planning, meeting with vendors, deciding on flowers, cakes and so much more that many people are so stressed out by the time they get married that they cannot enjoy themselves at their own wedding. It’s true that you will need to trust your coordinator with some very important arrangements for you but the stress is off as you will be allowing the coordinator to do the worrying for you. Through some phone calls and emails to check in with her, you will basically come to Maui for your wedding and honeymoon with much less stress. Get pampered, dressed and come to your wedding as the special guest that you are. If you have some time, please read what our couples have said about enjoying their destination weddings.

Most couples are wanting different things for their weddings from what their parents enjoyed. Rather than hurt people’s feelings about that big wedding, let them get excited about enjoying the wedding and time on the island. If you would rather have bare feet in the sand then shoes on a carpet floor – a destination wedding is for you. If you would rather have a ukulele player play your first dance then a 6 piece band or DJ – a destination wedding is for you. If you would rather not invite all the neighbors on your block – a destination wedding is for you. This is the opportunity of making this day just for the two of you and what you would really want. You can have the people attend that you really want to have with you or just the two of you with a celebration later when you return home. I can’t tell you how many couples come from their home weddings just to have a ceremony here that is really for the two of them and one that they can enjoy and not share with the world.

Memories is what a destination wedding is all about. It’s the chance to keep all of your special moments to yourself and to share all the beautiful memories and pictures with others. If you have thought about that picture perfect beach where you will have the most romantic wedding, then come to Maui. This is the chance to bring your favorite vacation memories to the forefront of your special day. The memories you will make at a destination wedding will last a life time for both you and your guests.

Although some couples think that a destination wedding is well out of their budget, most times it is just the opposite. A destination wedding is the perfect plan to streamline your wedding from the number of guests to have (or not have) to how many bridesmaids, flowers, centerpieces and everything else you would need to purchase back home. Since you will be going on a honeymoon at some time, you can do both with less expenses then a big wedding and a honeymoon. Besides making your guest list more manageable, the amount of items that need to be included in your home wedding will also lessen which will have a big impact on your budget.

The bottom line – come to Maui to get married and have the time of your life! Maui Aloha Weddings will be there every step of the way for you.

Lately we have had some interesting phone calls and emails about weddings. Brides who were married on the mainland are coming to Maui with their gowns just to get wedding photos. True, we have beautiful sunsets and magnificent scenery but that’s not the main reason they are coming to us. They are disappointed with their pictures and their photographer so they are coming to Maui looking for something better!

I remember my wedding and how I wished the photographer would finish already, especially at the reception where I just wanted to party and have fun! Now looking back 31 years later, I am so happy that he took every single shot. We look at those pictures often and wonder who are those young people? We remember every moment because it was captured for us as wonderful keepsakes. Our kids loved seeing them, our friends and on retro Thursdays on the Internet so many of our friends share their old wedding shots. What if I was disappointed in mine? All those memories would not have been shared.

What do you do when you are looking for a photographer? Now we are lucky because most professional photographers have web pages. You can glance at their work and choose which you think is best. Let’s talk about this method though. If you were a photographer and was creating a web page, what pictures would you put on it? Certainly not your bad shots, but of course all of the ones that really stand out.

In the course of a ceremony and an hour of pictures afterwards, a good photographer will take hundreds of shots. A great question to ask a photographer is “how many shots will you take”. If you are buying a 40 picture package, they should be giving you a nice variety of photos to choose from. You don’t want someone you just shoots and shoots without putting thought into what they are capturing, but, within reason the more they take, the more great shots you should be able to choose from. You are not going to like all of the proofs because you have a different taste than the photographer but they all should be pretty, focused, colorful, clear shots. They should show off the wonderful couple and how they were feeling at that moment. The photographer should have eliminated extra heads on the beach, or bright buildings or lights in the background. Sun glare should especially be kept to a minimum. The key to see if you had a great photographer is that you cannot just pick out 20, 36 , 40 or whatever number you agreed to pay for but want more!

Out of those really great shots are the ones he (by the way we have many wonderful women on island as professional photographers too) chooses for his web site. Another great question to ask when choosing a photographer is, “May I see a package of proofs from one of your weddings”. Then you can get a really good feel if this is the person for you. If he doesn’t want to share, hmmmmm.

Other things to look for in a photographer is whether they are happy in their job. How can you see this? Do the Bride and Groom seem to be laughing, shooting some fun pictures and genuinely seem to be enjoying their special day? It’s probably because the photographer is having a good time too. He is making the couple feel relaxed and helps them to enjoy this moment. Laughing and Loving seem to go together and that should be seen. Some serious pictures will be taken and most of the times they are beautiful especially of the Bride alone or the Groom alone. Together the couple will have some serious moments during the ceremony and together savoring their ceremony. The others should show a couple in love and having the time of their life.

I didn’t even get into the price discussion. To be very honest with you, prices are all over the place and sometimes for a destination wedding they seem to be even higher. There are photographers who will shoot a wedding for less than $200 and others that will ask $8000. Sometimes you are getting $200 worth and sometimes you will get $8000 worth but the price they charge rarely aligns with the quality of work you will get. That’s why it is so important to see a good variety of a photographer’s work, so you aren’t just handing out money. For only an hour’s work, and most of the work done after the ceremony in the editing room (or nowadays computer). I have found that the photographer’s I hire are charging around $300-400. Add more minutes, before the ceremony, reception shots and the prices go up. You really cannot judge a photographer by their price. Look at their work and that will tell you how much they are worth to you and to your budget.

What I have shared with you are just things I have learned being a Wedding Planner. My biggest wish for lucky couple is that they have the dream wedding they want and stay within their budget. At Maui Aloha Weddings, we will customize to make it work. Needless to say, photography is something that we want you to have and will help you secure it.

I’ve noticed one of our most clicked on buttons on our contact form is “I Don’t Know – Please Help”. When planning a destination wedding or vow renewal, you are putting your very special day into someone’s hands that is far away and hoping that they will do the best for you. What can you do on your end that can help keep your wedding the way you want it to? Our best suggestion is to plan and prepare but you need to know what to plan and prepare for. Actually, every bride and groom needs to do the same, destination wedding, vow renewal or not.question mark

Maui is very expensive so when you are here, you don’t just want to have your special day and then not be able to enjoy all the island has to offer. Making sure you get the best for the right price is something your wedding planner should do for you. That is probably the most important first decision to make – who will help you plan this day to be all that you want it to be. As you go through this blog, you will come up with questions that can help you choose.

Where to start? If our bride and groom are coming from off island, one of your large expenses will be travel. Who is coming to your wedding/vow renewal? Is it just a romantic elopement where you will celebrate back home or will you have guests? Does your wedding planner have someone who can help with your travel? We know everyone makes their own travel plans on line, but are you getting the best arrangements? A travel specialist is important especially if you have groups because they can get you group rates. These experts have worked with the airlines and know how to work out group travel. How will you know which resorts, condos or home agencies are having the best deals at the time you will be getting married? Your travel specialist will, especially if they are actually located on the island. Do you want to stay in the country or right on the beach – which location will work best for you and your wedding plans? Which location has the pool, golf course, or tennis courts you want OR which location will give you privacy and peace – are questions they can answer. Which day of the week will you get the best rates? Once you know when you are coming and where you will be staying, your wedding planner will begin her/his job.

Once you arrive on Maui, what are some of the things that can fill up your days? The beach is wonderful but we are on an island and sitting and swimming at the beach is NOT something you want to do every day. Whether the sun gives you a nice tan or not, please take it in moderation. Are there tours you can go to and see what you came for or can you drive and tour yourselves? Yes, most hotels and resorts do but this is a person that you have a relationship with. They will help you get the best.

We’ve talked about your travel, where to stay and things to do – now about the wedding. You do have many choices to make. First, will you have a beach wedding, venue wedding or a grassy knoll? Talk to your planner about all of these options. Many people like to overlook the beach rather than have their dress in the sand especially if you are going to wear it at your reception back home. If you have many guests coming, you might want it at a place where you will have a reception so that there is not much traveling between the wedding and celebration. If it’s just the two of you, what restaurant will be romantic, lively or have your favorite food? Will it allow you to bring in a small wedding cake or do they have one of their own?

Now you are ready to decide on a time. Believe it or not our morning weddings are just as popular as our sunset weddings because the lighting is so perfect for your pictures. Also, many people like to celebrate all day long! Sunsets are very beautiful weddings. When they are planned and timed, not only will you have a beautiful ceremony but outstanding photo shots. After reading and planning this section, you will have your location and time for your wedding planned.

What type of wedding would you like? Is it to be traditional, Hawaiian traditional or religious? Your wedding planner will be able to explain what comes with each ceremony. Please do ask about that because when one wedding company may have all the extras, another company may do the same type of wedding very differently. When looking through the websites, make yourself a list of what you will be receiving in your wedding package.

Wedding packages start fairly inexpensively as you just pay for your minister and everything else is up to you. They go up to thousands as you choose many different items that you may want. For a simple beach wedding, you will need a minister, beach permit, an appointment for your wedding license (not needed with renewals of course) and location choices. The same is true for venue or up-country weddings but most times you will not need a permit. To get married at many resorts, hotels or other venues, a charge may be coming for using their grounds. You do need to check this out with your wedding planner so that you do not have any surprises at the end!

After your basic choices, then you can begin to make a list of all the other things you might want. After you do this, look for a wedding package that can accommodate you by offering most of the items. Photography is a big item and can be expensive. Good photographers start at $500 for a basic package and the price goes up. You can find packages where the photography is included which usually gives you a better deal. Your wedding planner should have a list of various photographers they recommend according to what you would like. If you need a photographer to take wonderful inside pictures of you getting ready and continue throughout the wedding – this is one type. If you need someone to take ceremony pictures and those great shots after the wedding, especially sunset shots, this could be another. Since you do not know the photographers and want the best memories, you will need to rely on your wedding planner. The planner can also help you with videos and slide shows that you want and may need for your reception. Packages can start from $300 for a basic video which is edited and wonderful on up to a full production.

Your color is also important because it will help decide on your flowers. In Hawaii, most ceremonies have a lei exchange. Many wedding packages will include the leis. If you are asking for custom leis, you will be charged extra just to replace what leis are already offered – if your package offers them. The choice of a bouquet is up to the bride and you can choose a medium or small size or go for the large cascade type. The leis and bouquet can be made of the same flowers. Hawaii has beautiful tropical flowers for a bouquet but also has many spectacular roses. Your wedding planner’s florist should be able to work with either. You should also be asked if you would like to send a picture so that the florist can replicate what you have seen. Besides leis and bouquets, hair flowers are wonderful and most brides choose this offer more than veils lately. The sturdiest and one of the best hair flowers is a sprig of Dendrobium orchids but you can have one large orchid or other tropical flowers too. Some packages will include a flower for your hair. Some choose to wear a Haku – which is a head piece made of fresh flowers that can also match the leis and bouquet. These are really beautiful as well. To add to your wedding/vow renewal, there can be petal aisles that are very reasonable or you can have a flower circle to get married in. Flower circles do make the ceremony extra special and the photography shows this. A circle can run from $180 and past $600. Some packages may offer a simple circle as well. Your wedding planner would be able to let you know what their packages include or how much a circle would be.

Music is always romantic and special at a wedding/vow renewal. From harps to ukulele’s to formal harps and bass players you can get them all. Prices can start from $100 for ukulele’s, $140 for harps and from there it can go higher. Some music is included in the weddings but most you must order from your wedding planner. Ask for choices and prices rather than just go with what their company suggests. This is definitely not a necessity for a great ceremony but it does add a special touch.

Other special touches to consider are a dove release at the end of the wedding, butterfly release, toast after the ceremony and of course the wedding cake. Check into all the packages to see what is included. Dove and butterfly releases are usually additions but some packages may offer them. A sparkling cider (cannot give out alcohol) toast is included in many packages. The wedding cake can be included but most times is extra. The wedding planner can help with all of these as add-ons if not included. These do not have to be real expensive. Dove releases are approximately $140 and wedding cakes start from $85 for a small party.

Most companies include a commemorative certificate at the end which is nice since your wedding license will not arrive until after you get home. It’s a special keepsake for you to have and show.

Hopefully, I have given you a bunch to think about and help you plan what you are going to ask your wedding planner. Be prepared and it will help you save time, money and possibly stress. If you have additional questions as to your wedding or vow renewal, please call me at Maui Aloha Weddings. I will not make you sign a contract – promise! It’s just to help you and my aloha to you. I encourage you to shop around.