Hawaiian Wedding Planner

Getting married in Hawaii is a dream for many people. But even if you are unable to have your wedding in Hawaii, you can still add some of the romance of Hawaii to your wedding. Having a Hawaiian theme wedding does not need to be difficult or expensive and, in fact, will probably cost less than a more formal wedding. We will offer some suggestions to help you make your special day all the more memorable.

This is not meant to be a comprehensive wedding planner, as there are many such resources in magazines and the web. This is just a guide to give you some ideas on what you can do to make your wedding a memorable Hawaiian wedding experience.

Selecting Your Wedding Dress

If you are going to wear a traditional Western wedding dress, you should choose your dress about about 12 months before your wedding day. If you are going to go with one of our Hawaiian wedding dresses, you don’t need to do it that early. We recommend looking at our styles as early as possible and placing your order 3 months in advance so that you have time to make alterations or order a different size or style.

For the groom, a simple white on white Hawaiian shirt will do. We offer white wedding shirts to match the print of your wedding dress if desired.

Wedding Photographer

While this applies to weddings in general, if you are planning to have your wedding in Hawaii, be sure to book a photographer up to 12 months in advance. Many top photographers book their schedule 10-14 months in advance. Look for a photographer with whom you have good rapport and who makes you feel comfortable and happy as it will show in the pictures. Hokuli’i Images is a very good choice.

Hawaiian Music

Hawaiian music, whether traditional or contemporary, can really add to the ambiance of your wedding, Serenade your guests throughout the day/night with the soothing sounds of Hawaiian music. If you plan on hiring a live Hawaiian band, start inquiring about bookings 12 months in advance. An easier and lower-cost alternative is simply to order a CD or download a bunch of MP3s of your favorite Hawaiian songs to play on your wedding day.

Flowers

Tropical flowers, whether from Hawaii or not, will add and island atmosphere to your wedding. If it is in your budget, order fresh flowers from Hawaii to decorate the ceremony and reception area. Non-fragrant flowers like orchids give you the tropical look yet they are less susceptible to heat that the fragrant flowers. You can also mix some fragrant flowers in with the orchids to add delicate floral aroma to your wedding. Give your flower girl a basket of loose orchid blooms to drop down the isle during the ceremony.

Leis for the Bride and Groom

It is common in more traditional Hawaiian weddings for the bride to wear a ring of flowers on their head called a haku lei. Some women wear this in place of a more traditional veil. The groom will usually wear a lei of lowers and leaves called a maile lei. You can go with ready-made haku and maile leis flow in from Hawaii or you can have a local florist import the flowers from Hawaii and make them for you. Or you can opt for looking silk versions which look quite realistic nowadays.

Leis for the Parents and VIPs

The parents of the bride and groom can also wear regular leis. Adorning parents, grandparents, and other special guests with leis is a traditional act of acknowledgment and respect to the audience that these people are particularly special. It is also not uncommon to give leis to other people who played a special role in planning and organizing the wedding.

Hawaiian Dresses & Shirts Bridesmaids and Groomsmen

After you have decided what colors you want for your wedding, it is time to select the dresses for the bridesmaids and shirts for the groomsmen. Fortunately, Hawaiian shirts and dresses come in a wide range of colors from the brighter tropical colors to more reserved hues. You can have the entire wedding party in coordinated matching prints or you can mix them up, whatever you want. We recommend ordering these things shortly after you order your wedding dress so there is enough time to make alterations or exchange them for different sizes if necessary.

Dress Your Greeters in Hawaiian Attire
When your guests arrive at the wedding reception, the first official people they will likely encounter are friends helping with the check-in table. Create a great impression by adorning these people with nice Hawaiian dresses and shirts.

Wedding Cake

The wedding cake is usually ordered 3-6 months in advance. Add a dash Hawaii to your cake with little colored floral designs instead of the usual white. If you are feeling a little adventurous you can have a custom designed cake with any Hawaiian theme that you want like how they do on “Ace of Cakes” (we like that show).

Hawaiian Wedding Invitations

For most of your guests, the wedding invitation they receive in the mail is the first part of this Hawaiian wedding experience. You can order Hawaiian invitations or you can design and print your own on your home computer. If you are ordering the invitations, you should order them at least 6 months in advance just as you would normal wedding invitations.

If you want your guests to wear Hawaiian attire at the wedding, be sure to state so in the invitation. Seeing a tropical sea of Hawaiian shirts and dresses at your wedding will be a sight to behold!

Encourage Your Guests to Wear Hawaiian Shirts & Dresses

Most people in Hawaii wear nice Hawaiian dresses and shirts to weddings no matter what kind of wedding it is. That’s just a tradition. Encourage all your guests to wear their favorite Hawaiian shirt or Hawaiian dress to give your wedding the tropical splash of an island wedding.

Discounts

To help you stay under your budget, we are happy to offer you and your wedding party a special discount coupon on the Hawaiian dresses and shirts for the wedding couple, bridesmaids, groomsmen, parents, and other special guests. All of these people can order their shirts or dresses from wherever they are and get a discount with the coupon. We can ship to them individually or to a single address, whatever is easier for you. Please email us for more information.

Final Thoughts
The final “rule” is that there are no rules. The fact that you having a Hawaiian themed wedding is evidence that you are going for a non-traditional wedding. As you plan your wedding, close your eyes and envision what that day will look, smell, and feel like. Think about it from your perspective, naturally, but also from the perspective of your guests. Envision what that looks like and then make it happen.