What's New

Here we can inform you of What's New with us or give you tips and info you need.

1.30.2019

How to Sleep When You're Dealing with Pre-Wedding Jitters

Planning a wedding is stressful. It gets even more stressful when you are planning a destination wedding in someplace beautiful like Belize. Here are some ways that you can make sleeping easier on your circadian rhythm and body while you plan your perfect day.

Plan Ahead for Travel

Planning ahead is key when you are planning a destination wedding. You have to know how you are getting there, how all of your belongings are getting there, and how to make sure that everything ends up in the right place. You then have to know how everything is going to get back to where it needs to be.

If you can, you should hire someone on the ground in your destination to help coordinate all of the things that need to get done. This could be a wedding planner, a day of coordinator or just someone that you know in the area. It will help make everything whole lot easier in the long run, though it might be a little bit costlier than expected.

Meditation

Sometimes, brides struggle to keep themselves in the moment, instead worrying about all the things they have to do to make the wedding happen. If this is you, you should try doing some sort of meditation. There are all sorts of apps, videos and guided lists that can help you figure out ways to meditate that works best for you and your brain. Some people require more exercise, while others need absolute silence. Either way, it can do some real good for you.

Light Exercise

If you find yourself struggling with pent-up energy or feeling restless, try doing some light exercise like yoga or a light jog around the block. This will give you a slight burst of energy to finish getting ready for bed, and allow you to feel tired enough to go to sleep by using up that energy.

Yoga in particular has been found to be incredibly helpful in dealing with stress. Figure out what kind of exercise works best for you and your lifestyle. You can even find a type of exercise that’s fun for you to do with your partner and make it a part of your life going forward.

Make Sure Hotel Has Everything You Need

When you have a destination wedding, you need to make sure that the hotel that you choose to stay in while you are there, or that you can mail the things that you need to yourself before you arrive.

Things Such As:

-The Right kind of pillows

- hypoallergenic linens & pillows

- Air purifiers

- White Noise Machine

- Your Favorite before-bed beverages like calming teas, etc.

- Everything you need for your bedtime routine

Spend Time With Your Partner

Last, but certainly not least, spend some quality time with your partner. Remember, there’s a good reason that you are marrying this person. Many of your woes can be solved simply by talking them with the love of your life and finding a solution that works for both of you.

11.16.2018

Top Most Popular Days to Announce You Are Engaged

Well, it's engagement season once again and millions of couples are about to announce their engagements to their families this holiday season. Here are the top most popular days to announce your engagement.

Thanksgiving Day

The Day Before Thanksgiving

Christmas Day

Christmas Eve

New Year's Eve

New Year's Day

Valentine's Day

Why do so many couples get engaged between Thanksgiving and New Year’s?

Of 10,000 engaged couples surveyed, it is found that 31% thought Christmas Eve was the best day of the year to propose. Another 7% opted for Christmas Day, 2% chose Dec. 26, and 18% said New Year’s Eve was the optimal date for proposals.

Now, I know that many couples choose Thanksgiving as their day of choice. Usually Thanksgiving is a time when all the families come together to celebrate, and what better time for you to announce to your parents, siblings, and in-laws that you have decided to finally set a date and get married?

Proposals today are largely a symbolic gesture, and so they feed off the symbolism of the holiday season. You’re symbolically creating this new family, and what better time to tell everyone than during the holidays.

More bridal magazines are sold between Thanksgiving and New Year's...

Thanksgiving is the first of such holiday, and is a great time because most folks have more time off to spend together. After you tell them, you have countless hours of talking with your mom and sisters about your wedding plans, bride's maid choices, dresses, venues, colors and all that goes with your wedding plans. More bridal magazines are sold between Thanksgiving and New Year's as soon to be brides look for that perfect wedding dress, study wedding etiquette, when to send out invites, cake flavors, seasonal color schemes and more. This is a great time to think about having a destination wedding.

A destination wedding not only brings together your families in an exotic location, but if often a way to keep the guest count down to the most important of family and friends. A destination wedding is also often less expensive than even a wedding at home. You are going to spend money on a honeymoon anyway, why not combine the wedding with your honeymoon plans? And the memories that you take home with you having all your family and friends to share it with.

This is where we come in. Hawaiian Island Weddings takes nuptial arrangements to new heights. They have 30 different wedding packages to choose from on four different islands in Hawaii. Weather you want to said "I Do" on a secluded beach at sunset, or amidst a gorgeous Hawaiian chapel, they have just the venue you have imagined.

Simple Beach Wedding Packages

Being married on the beach is by far the most popular way for most couples coming to Hawaii to be married. Not only are beach weddings more affordable (since you don't have to pay for a private site and all that is required is a Beach Wedding Permit, that we will provide), there is, almost always, great weather in Hawaii and the sunsets can be spectacular! We offer simple beach weddings on Maui, Oahu, Kauai, and the Big Island or Hawaii. See all of our simple beach wedding packages.

Private Site Weddings

Many couples come to Hawaii to be married in the more traditional way, with a formal catered reception following, with music, DJ, dance floor, the works. You'd be surprised how much cheaper this can be here in Hawaii than on the mainland. The first thing you will have to consider, aside from time and date of course, is where to have your wedding celebration. Fortunately, there are a number of Oahu and Maui Wedding Venues to choose from. Some locations will handle smaller groups, like 30, and others are able to host groups of 200 or more. Since we have the local knowledge and expertise, and we have handled all the intricate details for many couples for the past 25 years, you can rest assured that your wedding venues at a private estate, restaurant, golf course, or tropical garden will be handled completely and competently. As we say, "picture perfect".

Wedding and Honeymoon Packages

One of the major concerns for your wedding will be where to stay of course, fortunately, Hawaii has many fabulous resorts and hotels for your wedding and honeymoon here in paradise. These top resorts offer all of the amenities you expect with 5 star service and gorgeous ocean views. From beauty and spa services, to Mai Tais by the pool, you'll will be impressed with the Hawaiian hospitality and aloha spirit shone upon you at these top resorts - no kidding! We have nine wedding and honeymoon packages to choose from, ranging from condominiums, to hotels, to private luxury villas, located on Maui, Oahu, Kauai and Hawaii. When you combine your wedding with your honeymoon and rental car, you will see that it's a more affordable option and it's like getting your wedding free. Each of these properties have been specially chosen by us (and we had to stay at every one to ensure the quality), to provide exceptional service, quality, and, of course, beautiful views.

Just send us the details and we will send you a complete no-obligation quote.

I think that the stats they used and missing a point here.
I'm playing the Devil's advocate here a bit, as we do believe in, and cater to, same sex couples for their weddings in Hawaii,. But, I don't believe that
vendors should be "required" to serve same-sex couples. We all know that the right for LGBTQ couples
to be legally married is new, and not without it's controversy, but we can't
assume that everyone in the wedding industry has to go along with it. Now, if I
was a baker who makes wedding cakes, I wouldn't even see how it's remotely
affecting me that I make a cake for a gay couple. But, I do see that ministers
and photographers & videographers, who are more closely working with the
couple on an emotional and very personal level, should easily be able to
politely refuse to provide services for their wedding.

Photographers

I know a number of photographers who have been photographing
weddings for decades, there are also many who are "old school". They have an art
to capturing the love between a bride & a groom, they specialize in it,
they relish in it, they get off on it even. How, if some of these photographers
are "required" to take photos of, let's say, two men kissing, and
they really can't get into the excitement of photographing that, should
they be mandated to service that couple? I'm not even talking about a religious
conviction here, it's a human conviction that the photographers are
conditioned, for many years, to get amazing shots of both men and women as they
pledge their love to each other. Photographers & videographers should have the option to opt-out of performing services if they don't feel it's in their best interest, they don't feel that their artistic capabilities are best served, of if they just don't feel comfortable with it.

Ministers/Officiants

Perhaps surprisingly, a majority of the ministers I know are
very happy to preside over same sex
weddings. I say this, because when the Hawaii Governor's decision to legalize
same-sex marriage came down in 2013, I polled all of our ministers/officiants
(about 20) to see if they wanted to opt-in or opt-out of performing same-sex marriages. Most of them said they would perform gay weddings. A few said
that they would not under any circumstances marry gay couples for their
Christian stand on the sanctuary of marriage between a man and a woman. Obviously, this was very important
for us when scheduling officiants for our couples weddings. We also had to ask
couples, especially when it wasn't obvious, if their wedding was a same-sex wedding? Some couples, who's names were like: Terry,
Robin, Francis, Pat, etc. understood why we had to ask them. Some others may
have been a little taken-aback.

DJ's

Most of the Dj's I know, I know about 10 of them, don't have an issue
with providing services a same-sex celebrations. Although, if they did, they
should not be required to do so.

6.17.2018

Sheri & Christopher's Dream Maui Wedding

Aloha! See Sheri & Christopher's Hawaiian Island Wedding at Palauea Beach in Wailea, Maui. Features include images by Tim Clark, Sheri & Christopher, who were visiting from Eugene Oregon, exchanged their vows with a Hawaiian style ceremony presided over by Kahu Kamuela Rodrigues. Sheri decided to wear a very colorful haku head lei, for a even more Hawaiian feeling, while Chris donned a very special Hawaiian maile leaf lei. Sheri & Christopher also opted to have only one guest for their intimate ceremony on the beach. The couple stayed at the Sugar Beach Resort in North Kihei, just a short drive to this special beach. They had always dreamed about a Hawaiian destination wedding/honeymoon.

Taffi & Patrick's Hawaiian Island Wedding at Palauea Beach

Aloha! Join us for Taffi & Patrick's Hawaiian Island Wedding at Palauea Beach in Wailea, Maui. Features include beautiful images by Tim Clark, Taffi & Patrick, who came from Henderson, Nevada, exchanged their vows with a Christian ceremony by Pastor Bob McCollor. Since it was Tuesday, their were very few people on this seculded Maui beach at sunset. Taffi & Patrick also opted to have music during their ceremony and celebrated with a small intimate cake & beverage on the beach. Although they were staying in Ka'anapali, they had no proble coming to this special spot in Wailea. They did not wish to bring any guests with them for their destination wedding/honeymoon.

Ruth & Scott's Maui Beach Wedding

Aloha! Join us for Ruth & Scott's Hawaiian Island Wedding at Palauea Beach in Wailea, Maui. Features include gorgeous images by Tim Clark, Ruth & Scott exchanged their vows with a special Christian ceremony by Pastor Bob McCollor on a beautiful Maui beach at sunset. Ruth & Scott live in West Virginia and stayed at the Sands of Kahana Resort. They did not wish to bring any guests with them for their destination wedding/honeymoon.

Leaetta & Lewis 10 Year Renewal of Wedding Vows

Aloha! Join us for Leaetta & Lewis's Hawaiian Island Wedding Renewal at Palauea Beach in Wailea, Maui. Features include gorgeous images by Tim Clark, Leaetta & Lewis celebrated their 10 year anniversary by renewing their vows on a beautiful Maui beach at sunset. The couple live in Orange Park, Florida and stayed at the Royal Lahaina Resort. They did not have any guests for their second honeymoon celebration.

2.27.2018

Day-Of Wedding Coordination

Aloha!A lot of couples have been asking us about Day-Of Wedding Coordination. We specialize in this type of wedding coordination as well as making all the arrangements ourselves. The cost for Day-Of Wedding Coordination varies depending on what is required. Please call us for a quote.We have done Day-Of Wedding Coordination at the following Maui venues:The Plantation House RestaurantThe Cliff HouseThe Hyatt Regency Resort & SpaLahaina Ocean Front InnPunakea PalmsPanoramic ParadiseOlowalu Plantation HouseMaui Tropical PlantationThe Gardens at HaikuThe Mill HouseSugar Beach WeddingsGannon's RestaurantMolokini LookoutMulligan's On The BlueMakena Ocean Front EstateHere is what you can expect.

TOP WEDDING PLANNERS & WEDDINGWIRE BRIDE CHOICE AWARDS

We have over 30 wedding packages to choose from, and 10 wedding & honeymoon packages.

We have over 200 wedding professionals we have used on our vendor list.

We have a 5.0 star rating with Yelp & Google and a 4.8 star rating with Wedding Wire.

I've often wondered how to rank wedding companies to
find out where we stand. Rather than how many weddings each one does,
or how much money they make (which is impossible to find out and doesn't
really determine how good they are).

So, I've looked at the WeddingWire Bride's Choice Awards, which are
awarded annually to the wedding company who has the most 5 star reviews
in the year. Most all serious wedding companies are listed with
WeddingWire and understand it's importance. The Bride's Choice Awards
are given to the top 5% of wedding companies, each year there are only a
handful that receive it. Here is a list of wedding companies throughout
all of Hawaii that have received it.

These listings are alphabetical. So, I figured that if you ranked these
by how many reviews they have total, you could come up with a ranking.
Now, just because they have more reviews doesn't mean they are better,
it was one way to ranking them. Using this strategy, for the winners
this year (2018 Awards), for All of Hawaii, Hawaiian Island Weddings,
Inc. come in #16, and for Maui alone, #8.

As you know, there are probably 100's of companies & hotels that do
weddings in Hawaii, no one can pin down the exact number as there are
new one's everyday and some go out of business each year. We can be
pretty certain that we are among the top 20 wedding companies in Hawaii
and perhaps the top 10 in Maui.

We feel really good about that, and give 100% of ourselves to our wedding couples, see what they are saying in our Reviews.