Hey, It’s Enzo! My sister Daniella and I are photographers and registered officiants here on Oahu, Hawaii. For the last 6 years, we’ve helped couples create and capture their perfect Hawaii elopement and have learned a ton about what makes the best elopement ceremonies. We think the gorgeous paradise settings of the beaches and mountains here are the perfect place for your intimate ceremony. We’ll walk you through all the steps you’ll need to think about, and help you narrow down locations & vendors to elope on Oahu in this elopement guide. Let’s get started!
Deciding what your elopement vibe is
The first step to creating a perfect Oahu elopement is to figure out what kind of style fits you and your fiancé. Are you wanting a simple ceremony where the Hawaiian landscape is the main focus? Do you want it to be just the two of you on an empty beach, or are you planning on inviting a few people too? Are you hoping for a more detailed ceremony with a specific style? Looking through Pinterest and making an elopement inspiration mood board is a great way to see the kind of style and vibe you like the most. You’ll be able to see what kind of ceremony elements or outfit details might draw you in and speak the most to you and your fiancé.
What time of year is best to elope on Oahu?
With temperatures on average in the 70s and 80s all year round, Oahu is a great place to elope no matter your timeline. Hawaii is called the Rainbow State because of the rain and sunshine that happen all year long (most of the time on the same day and even at the same time!) But don’t worry, we’ll be able to easily work around any rain that comes on your elopement day and may even catch a beautiful rainbow for you!
Eloping during the summer months
If you’re hoping for a beautiful sunny day with a ceremony by the beach and your worst fear is for it to rain during your ceremony, then the summertime months are the best time of year for you. From May-August the weather on Oahu is usually more sunny than rainy, with average highs of 85 degrees and high humidity. Don’t be fooled by the temperature, however. The humidity can make 85 degrees feel suffocating on hot days without clouds, especially from 11am-2pm. If you are eloping during these months it is best to pick a location that has at least a little bit of shade, and to have your ceremony in the early morning or late evening for the best temperatures.
What to expect if you elope during Oahu’s rainy season
The rainy season on Oahu is between November-February. The rain in the rainy season is more dense throughout the day, but there are many times where the rain doesn’t last all day even then. If you are hoping to elope on Oahu during these months and you’ll be having your ceremony outside, be prepared to possibly change your date or location depending on the weather situation. Having a few days wiggle room or a backup location due to weather is a great idea just so you and your fiancé won’t be super stressed. Even though the weather during these months can be a bit unpredictable, there are usually still many sunny days, or days with rain sprinkled throughout the sun. These kind of days are the best to get rainbows to grace your ceremony!
Spring and Fall weather on Oahu
If you are hoping for less people on the beaches and a cheaper budget, the best time of year is early spring or fall as Oahu has the most tourists visiting during the summer. September – October can be some great months for you as there are usually less people, and less rain than the rainy season. March -May would also be great months but spring break visitors make these months slightly more busy than September and October.
Whatever time of year you choose, we can help you craft a timeline and ceremony that will showcase your love to it’s fullest extent!
Deciding on a location to elope on Oahu
After you’ve decided what time of year would work for your elopement, it’s time to figure out your dream location.
Eloping on a public beach
For those who love the look of pastel skies and crystal clear water, choosing a beach location to elope on Oahu may be your best bet! These are also great for those who are on a budget or who want a simple ceremony without all of the frills. To avoid the crowds in these location we recommend a sunrise elopement. This also means you can get really lovely lighting too!
With this type of ceremony you don’t need to pay thousands of dollars extra to book a specific venue, you only need a permit to have your ceremony on one of many of the public beaches around Oahu. As part of all of our elopement packages we include obtaining the beach permit for you (you won’t be able to do this without a registered Hawaii wedding vendor). Doing your ceremony this way has a few rules with the permit, so you won’t be able to have arches, and only a few chairs on the beach are permitted.
Using a private location to elope on Oahu
If you have your heart set on a beautiful arch or rented furniture, having your elopement ceremony at a private venue may be the way to go. Most of our favorite locations have beautiful gardens and many also have ocean views, so you won’t miss out by not getting a beach location. Here is a list of our favorites:
| Location | Price to reserve location | website |
| Haiku Gardens | $2200 + includes wedding planner + day of coordination | https://www.haikugardens.com/wedding-packages |
| Hawaii Vista Weddings | $1700 + includes arbor rental, 1 hour on site, + officiant | https://www.hawaiivistaweddings.com/elopements |
| Kualoa Ranch | $5500-12 hours on site with table + chairs for reception | https://www.kualoa.com/paliku-gardens/ |
| Loulu Palm Estate | “mini retreat” $1557 + includes arch rental and 3 hours on site | https://loulupalm.com/pricing/ |
Elope on one of Oahu’s mountains for the view
Is an intimate ceremony atop a mountain with a gorgeous view more of your vibe?
Adventuring on a hike to your elopement location can be a great way to avoid the crowds of the beach, while also having a moment with the beauty of nature as you share your vows together! Plus, for many of these locations only a permit is needed, just like the public beaches.
Hopping on a zoom call together with us can be a great way to help you figure out your vision for not only your ceremony location, but the pictures you’d like to capture. We’ll go over sample galleries so you can see what the different locations look like. Especially if you aren’t inviting many people to your elopement, the pictures will be a great way to share the moment with your loved ones who can’t be there.
Choosing the elements of your elopement ceremony
As elopement photographers we think photos are one of the most important parts of your elopement. You will never regret capturing the moment you share your vows, especially if you only have a limited number of people at your ceremony. See our packages below:
Our packages include photography, beach permits and leis with optional add on officiating so we can be your one-stop-shop for a custom elopement in paradise.
If you’d like to add a few more things here is what we suggest:
Officiant: Although we are both licensed and can also officiate your ceremony, we definitely recommend using an officiant, especially if you are doing your ceremony at a beach or private venue. If you are going on a hiking adventure, we can be the officiant for you as many will not be able to do a hike as part of their officiant duties.
Each officiant comes with their own unique elements that add to the ceremony. Make sure to talk with them about the vision for your day, for example, if you want to include your children in your ceremony or if you have special vows prepared, they can weave those elements into the ceremony very seamlessly.
Flowers: Bouquets give something extra for photos! Go here to read about our thoughts on flowers for elopements. (Spoiler Alert, we think they are a great idea!)
Music: Live music adds a lovely touch to elopements at most locations ( these vendors may not be able to go on an elopement hike with all of their equipment) We recommend Ukulele players & guitar players as they have the easiest time at beach locations with minimal equipment.
Make-Up: With the humidity of Hawaii, we find that regular ‘everyday’ make up sometimes doesn’t make the cut, and it is helpful to have a professional do your makeup to make sure it last through out your entire ceremony + adventure session. If you are going the DIY route, however, be sure to use waterproof makeup so you don’t get any runny eyes during your ceremony.
Crafting an elopement timeline
Helping couples craft an elopement timeline is one of our favorite parts of what we do. We love talking or zooming with couples and hearing your love stories, and helping you create an elopement ceremony and photo sessions that celebrate the uniqueness of your love. Your relationship and love story can really shape your elopement ceremony into something that truly celebrates the both of you.
Adding adventure to your elopement
As a couple do you love to go on hikes or be outdoors together? Incorporating a hike into your elopement timeline is a great way to personalize it. With the ability to get photos at a few different locations built into our elopement packages, we think that the more you personalize your elopement experience, the better. Have you got your heart set on photos at the beach at sunset, but also want some in the mountains? Or would you love photos of your ceremony at a specific venue but want to add in an underwater session? These things are all possible, and we’d love to help you figure all of that out!
Whatever you add to your Hawaii elopement, we hope it is the best day ever!
If you think we’re a good fit, please inquire here, and we’ll contact you to schedule a zoom call!
If you’d like to browse more elopement galleries click here.