Considering Getting Married in Hawaii

[mrdb52 0]

Hello Fellow VJers. It won't be until March 2011, Norma and I are considering marrying in Hawaii before coming to Ohio. Has anyone here done this? Any suggestions/recommendations you can give would be appreciated. david

[twowls 217]

Hello Fellow VJers. It won't be until March 2011, Norma and I are considering marrying in Hawaii before coming to Ohio. Has anyone here done this? Any suggestions/recommendations you can give would be appreciated. david

Are you resort-type people or off-beaten path type people? Oahu will have all your amenities and clubs and golf, but will be crowded and touristy. Maui or Kauai will be more rural and picturesque and you can more readily choose your own adventure, like driving up the Na Pali coast. I would say to start by identifying the island that closest fits your own vibe, and research from there. You can also base yourself in a more populated place and take cheap overnight trips to other islands.

which island suits you best?

[Dakine 26]

Are you resort-type people or off-beaten path type people? Oahu will have all your amenities and clubs and golf, but will be crowded and touristy. Maui or Kauai will be more rural and picturesque and you can more readily choose your own adventure, like driving up the Na Pali coast. I would say to start by identifying the island that closest fits your own vibe, and research from there. You can also base yourself in a more populated place and take cheap overnight trips to other islands.

which island suits you best?

like driving up the Na Pali coast.

NOT possible. Only by boat, hiking or chopper.

Edited September 15, 2010 by Dakine

[Amyyduck 20]

I would recommend either Kauai or Maui, they're both beautiful islands and though they're a bit less touristy, there are still plenty of beautiful hotels and beaches. Of course, I'm a bit biased because my grandparents live on Kauai so I've visited them a number of times. I'm sure no matter where you end up though you'll love it.

[twowls 217]

like driving up the Na Pali coast.

NOT possible. Only by boat, hiking or chopper.

Hiking! Yes, sorry. Was juxtaposing a gorgeous drive to Hana with a Na Pali hike in my head. It's been a while.

[corazónENparaguay 46]

Has anyone here done this? Any suggestions/recommendations you can give would be appreciated.

Do you mean as a point of entry?

[mrdb52 0]

The port of entry is not a concern. Recommendations/suggestions from those who have brought their fiancee to Hawaii and married there before proceeding to mainland is what I am looking for. Don't look into this that deep, please. Thanks.

[twowls 217]

The port of entry is not a concern. Recommendations/suggestions from those who have brought their fiancee to Hawaii and married there before proceeding to mainland is what I am looking for. Don't look into this that deep, please. Thanks.

What specific suggestions/recommendations are you looking for? Is there something K1-relevant about your trip?

[Nik+Heather 121]

My friends got married in Hawaii. It was a great excuse for a bunch of their closest buddies to take a fantastic vacation!

One thing I have heard is that you may want to avoid a beach wedding for two reasons: You (and your guests) won't be able to hear over the surf, and secondly, you can't control who wanders on through. Rambunctious kids, drunks or speedo clad tourists....Also, I noticed that the beautiful green sides of the islands have rather unpredictable weather and off-and-on rain (we were there in March) so your bride may wish for indoors so her hair isn't ruined. Even us ladies who don't normally spend much time coiffing our hair care about how it looks on the wedding day!!

Our friends' was at Turtle Bay and they had a nice chapel where you could see and hear the surf, but it provided a good wind break, and I thought it was beautiful. I think as part of the deal they got to work with the resort wedding planner who helped them with the details like a cake and flowers etc. Not sure how interested you are in all of that...regarding flowers, I think it's great that someone talked our friend into using native Hawaiian flowers instead of going for typical roses etc, because they just looked so fantastic!

I'm not sure how familiar you are with Hawaii, but we have stayed at both a big hotel and also rented a little place outside of the city, and infinitely preferred the rented condo to the big hotel. Our friends got a big beach house for all their family in the run up to the big day. If you're interested, I could PM you the place we stayed on Oahu...

[mrdb52 0]

Thanks Nik+Heather, your reply is what I am looking for. Turtle Bay sounds like something I need to research. I have googled and read quite a bit on Hawaii weddings, but knowing someone's firsthand knowledge is worth more than any online research. I would not have thought of things you mentioned on beach weddings. I was stationed at Camp Smith in 1972-75, my favorite spot was Hanauma Bay. So, I'll be showing Norma some of what I remember. TWOLS, this has nothing to do with our fiancee visa application. Any additional info would be appreciated. If you prefer to email me personally, that's good too. mrdb52@yahoo.com

Thanks again.

david