Planning a simple beachside wedding on a budget?
 

I'm planning on getting married on either Kaui or Maui May, 2003. I'm a frugal college student but also working like crazy to save for a nice and memorable occasion and willing to splurge. I would like a simple beach sunset ceremony at a beautiful, but not uncomfortably opulent, hotel. I would like breathtaking scenery, a beautiful white sands beach, and a comfortable and lovely room without bankrupting my family. Does anyone have any suggestions. I'm researching hotels right now. When should I buy my tickets/rooms/talk with a wedding coordinator?<BR>

Talk to Sherry. Her parents & grandparents will be happy to fund the entire affair. Just don't ask them to leave afterwards!

You really need to go buy a good book for this. It will have a basic time line for when things need to be done.

Find a nonswimming beach that is not frequented by tourist. Otherwise take your place amongst the other brides and swim suit soaked gaukers. In 2000 I saw 11 weddings in eight days that does not count the brides I saw coming and going. It gets a bit cheesy when that number of people are competing for beach space. I have on more than one vacation seen two weddings on a beach at a time in Hawaii.<BR><BR>If it were me I would find a nonswimming non touristed beach. All of the hotels provide window walled chapels so other guests can gawk, it looks so tacky. <BR><BR>For the outdoor weddings it gets even worse. Now in many cases the couple does not even have a witness, kind of tells me they were looking for privacey. Well imagine a middle aged man standing feet away starring at you maybe calling his kids to come see. On another day I remember seeing a man dripping wet leaning over the bridal table while the couple married some yards away. This was at the Princeville sheraton not a shabby resort, he wanted to see what the happy couple was going to be chowing on. This man even lifted a chaffing dish lid. This is the nonsense the hotels don't tell you about when they are trying to catch your wedding dollars. <BR><BR>This could still be great for you just think exclusion, small scale or you are entertainment for vacationers.

Hi Kathryn,<BR><BR>I just did this two weeks ago (today, to be exact)! My fiance and I decided to not spend a lot on a wedding and we both dreamed of marrying on the beach. We first considered Maui but had friends who insisted that Kauai was the place to go! (And they were right!)<BR><BR>After much research, I contacted Kauai Aloha Weddings (http://www.travel-kauai.com/kauaialoha/index.html), and they were awesome! They were very attentive, very inexpensive, arranged for a private beach (for an additional $150, but we had a place to change, so that was nice), and unlike most wedding coordinators, they take time to actually MEET the bride and groom in person before the wedding! (Rumor has it that many don't even bother, and that some hotels will hire Internet-certified officiants.) Our minister was the sweetest, and we also enjoyed working with the photographer.<BR><BR>When planning your wedding, be careful of the hotels. Most will require that you use their overpriced (and I mean overpriced!) services in order to use their facilities. We followed our wedding up with dinner at The Beach House Restaurant in Poipu -- it was awesome and worth the splurge!<BR><BR>I can certainly understand wanting to stay within your budget, but this is Hawaii. There are ways to do your wedding economically, but plan to splurge a little on your honeymoon. :) To save even more money, we did it by ourselves (some friends were out there on vacation and witnessed, but that's it), and we are having a reception at our home this weekend to celebrate with family and friends.<BR><BR>It can totally be done -- and beautifully, as ours was perfect! Feel free to contact me offline if you have any more questions. (I also have a Web page set up with pictures.)<BR><BR>Shannon :)

Shannon - congrats on your new marriage! Your wedding sounded wonderful. Have a blast at this weekend's reception!

Congratulations! We were married in Hawaii twelve years and two children ago and have wonderful memories of our wedding on a lovely beach at sunset (with no gawkers or folks in wet swimsuits.) We found a minister/wedding coordinator through one of the big resort hotels on the Big Island. I got the names of several ministers through a concierge and spoke to each. We chose not to use the hotel facilites. A lot of what was offered in the hotel services seemed a little tacky and unneccessary. After talking to the woman who eventually married us, I felt confident enough about her to have her chose the spot where we would be married. We wanted privacy, beauty, a sunset... all the good stuff. We were married at sunset, had a lovely and very personal service and then all had dinner at a wonderful restaurant. It was perfect. We got our marriage license at a woman's home up in Waimea with her kids and pets running around. It was fun. We did have a big reception at home a month later but really the best part was the intimacy of our actual wedding. (Hard to get too stressed out in Hawaii.) So, my advice is talk to a number of wedding coordinators. They are often listed in the back of Hawaii Magazine, hotels have lists of people that they work with, and I am sure the tourist bureaus can also provide recommendations. I would not suggest a hotel wedding. I have seen a number of them and they always seem a little cheesy. Find a minister and let them suggest the perfect location. <BR>Again, congrats!

Sounds great Mary just remember that was 12 years ago and Kathryn would be wise to take heed of John's advice. I too have seen the beaches teeming with brides it is just not unique any more. I hope the state of Hawaii does not turn the place into chapel away from Las Vegas because that is what the beaches are starting to look like. <BR><BR>I say consider Polynesia or somewhere that they have not developed a wedding market. Why would you want to serve as entertainment as John said? <BR>

Our research was well worth it because we had our wedding on a private beach. Granted, we had to pay a little extra (it was, after all, a private residence), but atht was nothiing to us for the west side, sunset location (and a place to get dressed), Kauai is also just peaceful enough that I am sure there are still multitudes of quiet beaches on which to get married!<BR><BR>FYI -- We had an "audience" of surfers in that the beach happened to be near a popular break, but we didn't mind at all. They all cleared out because the sun was setting anyway. and many of them congratulated us on the their way out. If anything, they seemed to welcome us there! (And they didn't gawk!)

It's so common now that most beach goers around here would just as soon ignore the ceremonies.

I have to agree I find the ceremonies very commercial. I wish Hawaii would get wise to the fact and slow this practice also. Kind of creates a carnival like atmosphere on what would be unspoiled beauty. Now it looks like from this thread that even secluded beaches will fall prey to these ceremonies.<BR><BR>Sorry Kathy I don't mean to be party pooper but it really is all over the place. When you are on vacation and you feel that you have spent money to enjoy a sunset yet you come upon some couple that you don't want to interrupt as they interrupt your walk. If I could tell you how many times I have walked by minister and couples always hesitant because I want to give them their privacy. I always seem to pass when the minister is on the same line. The minister says “look deeply into her/his eyes” not even original ceremonies. It is annoying. I find it hard to believe that noone gawked at Shannon although I respect her account if this was her experience 12 years ago. I have seen crowds form around couples they are usually in swim gear so I doubt they are guests. I only write this because I think it is hard to get this picture if you have never visited Hawaii. I also don’t think it is as romantic as people might think if they don’t regularly go to Hawaii. <BR>

First of all, let me clarify -- I was married two weeks ago -- not 12 years ago.<BR><BR>I am starting to get rather peeved at where this thread is going. Any young bride who wishes to get married in Hawaii is not doing so because it's the "fashionable" or "kistchy" thing to do like in Vegas. I know we personally did it for a multitude of reasons, one being that we both wanted to be married on a beach. The fact that we had not been to Hawaii and that it was rich in culture and tradition made it all the more meaningful to us.<BR><BR>I find it rather insulting that so many of you have done nothing but criticize those of us who choose to get married in Hawaii, rather than to congratulate us for the decision to get married and for the new joy we have in our lives. Kathryn wrote in asking a simple question. Those of you who choose to be party poopers would be better off adding your comments elsewhere!

Shannon, it's too late to save you from the fate of the cheesy wedding. However, there's still time for Kathryn. Speaking as a native Hawaiian, however, we appreciate the free food from all the ceremonies!

King...Please don't pretend to be local if you can't even spell the good king's name! You're even adding letters that don't exist in Hawaiian...<BR>Kathryn- <BR>There are lots of beautiful places to have a wedding in hawaii. Even Oahu has spots where you can have the one you are hoping for. Although there may be others on the beach, people in Hawaii tend to be pretty respectful of others' privacy. <BR>If you want to do it at a hotel, I would get in touch with their wedding planner, or call a wedding coordinator and ask lots of questions, as soon as possible.<BR>Some hotels marry you on the sand, others have lawn areas set aside for weddings, and still others are in little gazebos or "chapels". I'm sure they will all have web sites with photos. Check what they do about rain or wind.

Don't let the naysayers get you down...A beach wedding is no more "common" than a church wedding. This is your fantasy and fufill it the way YOU want. Trust me, you won't notice any onlookers. Best Wishes!

Cory Hawaii is the number one travel destination for Japan. On Oahu you see Japanese weekends every single weekend. Add these weekends with American weddings and you do have a carnival of weddings going on. <BR><BR>And it is only as common as church weddings in Niagra Falls

Perhaps you could rent a house on the beach and use the beach in front of the house. It may be more private than where many of the hotels and motels are located. I looked up some houses for rent and they are all sizes and some have a small cottage. Your family/friends could stay in the big house, you and husband in the cottage. It would give you a place to change, and also a place to stay for the rest of the time you are there. Plus if family/friends help pay it wouldn't be so expensive.<BR><BR>It might be more expensive than a hotel room - but since you can cook you would probably save money - even if you just eat lunch and breakfast in. <BR><BR>You could probably do the rest without a coordinator. If you want food, find a caterer, and the rest I am sure you could find on the internet with a little research. All really necessary is a marriage license, and an officient. If you don't like to organize then go with a coordinator - it is just a cost you might not need if it is a simple ceremony.<BR><BR>Best wishes!

chloe- Japanese tourism is WAY down at the moment. We used to have a wedding each hour, on the hour, at the church next to my office. Now I see one a day if that. I haven't seen one on a beach on Oahu in ages. And even if there are lots of weddings,it won't take away from Kathryn's. Like I said earlier, Hawaii people tend to be very slow to gawk, I'm sure most couples could care less if someone else got married in "their spot" earlier!<BR>Sara's suggestion is a good one...I've been to some nice weddings on Lanikai beach on Oahu, and at a beach house south of Kihei on Maui. They rented a house and had the ceremony by the water, then had the party in the house and yard. <BR>Best wishes!

Yeah! I'm going to Kitty's wedding and drink all the beer!

LCUY I have seen the weddings on many visits over and there are definate gawkers. Maybe they are not local but it is a pretty tacky scene. I entirely agree with what is said above. I think we should let Kathryn know what she is getting into. I also lived in Hawaii so I am not just speaking from a tourist perspective. A beach cottage rental might help Kathryn