The Hawaiian Islands are very beautiful and romantic place. If you are planning on getting married or renewing your wedding vows while in the Hawaiian Islands it is best to plan and make reservations for as much as your wedding as possible prior to your arrival so once you arrive in Hawaii you can just relax and enjoy yourself. Hawaii offers very unique and beautiful places to pledge your love, you are only limited by your own imagination! Things to consider when planning your dream Hawaiian wedding:

* Where do you want the ceremony to take place? Traditional locations- church, on the beach, in a botanical garden. Non-Traditional locations- top of Diamond Head, scuba diving, sky diving, in a rain forest next to a waterfall, what ever you can think of.

* Which island would you like to get married on? Each island is very beautiful and romantic but no two islands are the same.

* What do you want to wear? Some brides & grooms wear traditional tuxes and wedding dresses where others wear Aloha attire or even bathing suits. Usually the location sets the tone for the attire.

* What kind of flowers do you want? Some brides & grooms have traditional boutonniere and bouquets where others wear traditional Hawaiian fresh flower neck and head leis.
* Do you want to incorporate a traditional Hawaii lei blessing and lei exchange? A lei exchange between the wedding couple can be incorporated to symbolize their Aloha (love) and commitment to one another.
* If getting married on a beach do you want to incorporate a sand ceremony? A sand ceremony combines a bit of sand from under each of the wedding couples feet and combines it into a small keepsake bottle. It symbolizes the joining of the two as one.

* Do you want a Hawaiian band or hula dancers at your wedding?

* Do you want to release doves or butterflies at your wedding?

* If you have a photographer do you want just photos of the wedding or do you want to have photos taken at several locations?

* Does the bride want to visit a beauty salon for nail, makeup, and/or hair services?

* Do you want a limousine or a horse drawn carriage? Where do you want your transportation to take you? (to and from ceremony, to photo locations, island tour)

* How do you want to enjoy your wedding night? (a reception, in your room, at a luau)

Once married many there are many fun and romantic options for your reception. It doesn’t matter if you are a wedding party of 2 or a hundred most cruises, restaurants, luaus, and dinner shows will work with you to make it a special experience for you if you let them know in advance that you will be celebrating your wedding reception with them. If you are having quite a few guests, hotels offer a more traditional reception option in their ballrooms. Typically most couples who get married in Hawaii have just a few if any friends or family in attendance due to the expenses involved. A great idea is to have a Hawaiian theme luau reception once you return home so you can share your Hawaii wedding experience while celebrating your marriage with friends and family.

If you plan ahead you can make your dream Hawaiian wedding come true. There is no waiting period to obtain a marriage license. You must be at least 18 years old and provide a valid drivers license, photo id, or passport as proof of identification. A marriage license is $50 and is good for 30 days. The ceremony must be performed by an officiate licensed by the State of Hawaii. For more information on obtaining a marriage license contact the City and County Licensing Office at: Hawaii (Big Island) 808 974-6008, Kauai 808 241-3498, Oahu 808 586-4545, Maui 808 984-8210, Molokai 808 553-3663, Lanai 808 565-6411.