What Island?! - Getting Married in Hawaii - Oahu Wedding Photographer
So you want to get married in Hawaii - YAY! What an awesome choice. Now you just need to decide on an Island. Can’t be so hard, right? Well, while all Hawaiian Islands are absolutely gorgeous, they all have their own character and vibe!
Picking which Island you want to tie the knot on is the first step in your planning journey and as your Hawaiian Wedding Photographer, I made a list for you to help you make your decision!
The Big Island -- For Science and Nature Enthusiast
The Big Island has everything Nature and Science lovers want. You can go stargazing at the Mauna Key Observatory, or go to the other end where you can see lava pouring into the ocean on a regular basis. It’s also home to 11 of the planets 13 different climate zones, which makes driving around super interesting! Go from black lava fields to rolling hillsides in just a couple of miles! A Sunset Ceremony at Kona or at Liliuokalani Gardens with Maunakea in the Background? How about a ceremony at Sea or at one of Hawaii’s oldest Christian Churches? You can have it all!
Oahu -- Aloha Spirit without missing the mainland luxuries
Oahu is kind of like the Hub of Hawaii. Is has the biggest Airport, which makes travel for your guests the easiest! It's the only island with a major highway system and an international airport, but there are still plenty of beautiful locations for a Hawaii beach wedding on the island. It’s called the Gathering Place for a reason! Oahu is easy to get to and travel around, and it has some of the most iconic Hawaiian locations, including Waikiki beach, and a ton of affordable lodging options, making it an excellent choice for a Hawaii destination wedding with a lot of guests. There are plenty of gorgeous venues, beaches and lots of history and while you totally get the Aloha spirit you also aren’t sacrificing any Urban convinces like salons, and lots of choices when it comes to your venue and hotels! There are beautiful beaches, luxury hotels, museums, religious buildings and more on this small island, all of which can serve as the perfect Hawaii wedding venue for you.
Kauai -- For Quiet nature lovers
Kauai is known as a green paradise and the Garden Isle, and it completely lives up to its name! More than half of this quiet Island is made out of nature preservers, state parks and botanical gardens. Lush, Green and the least populated of the islands, this is a dream for quiet country lovers. Kauai a bit of an off-the-beaten-path feel, lending a sense of intimacy and wonder to your Hawaii wedding event. There are plenty of opportunities for you to enjoy the great outdoors here, from flatwater river kayaking on the Wailua to exploring the depths of Makauwahi Cave. There are miles of unspoiled coastline for you to use for your Hawaii beach wedding as well, so don't forget to check that out while you're exploring all Kauai has to offer. Kauai is a special place that not all visitors to Hawaii get to experience, and it's a magical setting for the most important day of your life.
Maui -- For the perfect scheduled Wedding Experience
Maui is THE wedding & resort Island. It has a little bit of everything, and you are guaranteed to get all inclusive perfection. However, with everything about wedding at your disposal, you are probably going to run into a couple of other brides on the same “secluded” or “exclusive” wedding places! From the bustling tourist town of Lahaina to the lava fields at the island's southern reaches, Maui offers just about anything you could possibly want from a Hawaii destination wedding, including beautiful beaches for your ceremony, excellent restaurants, tons of outdoor activities and great hotels.You can take your wedding photos on a beach or at the peak of Haleakala before enjoying some of Maui's delicious cuisine and retiring to a romantic hotel!
Lanai — For the complete lonely Island experience
If you are looking for simple and the complete Island Life experience, look no further than Lanai. No Traffic lights, only a small paves road and only a total of 6 hotels. It’s the smallest inhabited Island and will give you peace and tranquility! If you want to get the full abandoned Island experience, and looking for the simple things in life, this is the place for you.
The Images in this article were not taken by Johanna Dye Photography, but where taken off of google to illustrate to beauty of Hawaii.