Tips For Getting Married on Maui
GETTING MAUI’D!
Thinking of getting married on Maui? Maui is the most popular of all the Hawaiian islands for wedding and vow renewal ceremonies, offering expert wedding planning services and a variety of beautiful ceremony sites, including beachfront estates, ocean bluffs, uncrowded beaches, and charming wedding chapels.
Here’s what you need to know to start your Maui wedding planning.
GETTING MARRIED ON MAUI
WHO CAN GET MARRIED IN HAWAII?
Pretty much anyone! U.S. citizenship is not required. The legal age requirement is 18 years, but younger couples can marry with the written consent of parents. And same-sex marriages have been legal in Hawaii since November 2013.
MARRIAGE LICENSE REQUIREMENTS
If you’re getting married on Maui, you must obtain a State of Hawaii marriage license. (Current cost is $65.) You can initiate the application online, but you (the couple) must then appear in person to obtain the license. After that, there is no waiting period and the license is good for 30 days. Blood tests are not required. Hawaii marriage license info
A LITTLE PRE-PLANNING CAN PREVENT WEDDING DAY DISAPPOINTMENTS
I know it sounds incredibly romantic to have a small impromptu wedding on the beach at sunset. But in Hawaii, it’s not quite that easy. Even for the simplest of Maui weddings, a marriage license must be obtained, a licensed officiate secured, and many Maui wedding locations are subject to restrictions and regulations. For instance, a permit is required for a ceremony taking place on the beach, and no alcohol is allowed on Hawaii’s beaches…so hold off on sipping that champagne toast until your feet are no longer touching the sand!
To make sure you have covered all the bases for your ceremony–particularly since it’s likely you will be planning your Maui wedding from a distance–I highly recommend that you work with a local professional wedding coordinator. There are many excellent Maui wedding planners to choose from, and some resorts–particularly the larger full-service properties–offer wedding coordination services for guests who are getting married on property. Many other properties have established relationships with local wedding planners who can assist their guests. So check with your accommodations to see if they provide wedding coordination or can recommend a wedding coordinator for you.
Your wedding coordinator will advise you of all requirements for getting married on Maui, provide suggestions to create exactly the wedding you want, and handle all the details to make sure there are no unexpected snafus on your wedding day. For instance, if your heart is set on a sunset wedding, you want to make sure you choose a ceremony site where you can actually SEE the sunset, right? That can vary depending on location, weather, time of day, and the time of year. And if you dream of an intimate wedding on a quiet beach, you want to make sure you are not one of seventeen other couples who have decided to have THEIR intimate beach wedding at that beach on that day at that exact same time. Coordinators also have access to unique ceremony sites—such as private estates and secluded beaches—that you would not be likely to find yourself, and they can help you personalize your ceremony by adding traditional island touches, like a lei exchange between bride and groom or a romantic Hawaiian love song.
Looking for a great wedding photographer? I recommend Natalie Brown Photography. Natalie has a stellar reputation on Maui, is wonderful to work with, and her photos are awesome.
Coconut Creative HI also does a wonderful job for your surprise engagement, elopements, and portrait sessions across Maui!
Just do a little homework in advance, and your Maui wedding will be all you dreamed it would be. And check out my tips for Romantic Things To Do on Maui.
Congratulations . . . you’re on your way to being “happily Maui’d!”
- Looking for romantic places to stay on Maui? You’ll save by BOOKING DIRECTLY with the owners/managers of these accommodations.
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Happy Travels!
Questions? Comments? Drop me a line: Blog@MauiAccommodations.com
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