While many brides plan a Hawaiian honeymoon, you may want to think of getting hitched there too! From a beach-front settings to a volcano in the background, Hawaii has a lot to offer a couple getting married with just a few close friends or the whole gang.I recently spoke with Evonne Wong, owner of Events by Evonne in Maui. 99% of the weddings she plans/designs are destination weddings. Here are her top two planning tips for brides thinking of getting married on one of the Hawaiian Islands:
What’s the first thing a bride needs to do when deciding on having a destination wedding in Hawaii?
After the bride and groom discuss their budget and size of their guest list, they need to decide which island they want to get married on, since every Hawaiian island has different things to offer. The Hawaii’s Visitors & Convention Bureau is a good place to start.
A bride should do her homework and research. The most important thing is to find a reputable wedding planner who can handle all the intricate details of the wedding. The planner should know who the best vendors are and where the best locations are on the island. Once you hire your wedding planner, the rest of the planning will be seamless.
How do you work with brides from a distance?
When a couple is not familiar with local location and vendors, they have to rely on the wedding planner to help them with all of their details. About 90% of the couples I work with fly out to Hawaii for a scouting trip about 9 to 12 months prior to their wedding. I highly recommend couples make the trip because it gives me an opportunity to meet with them in person and get to know them better as we check out all of the locations and meet with vendors. We also spend time finalizing some of the wedding day details, such as the menu and cake through tastings.
Now I’ve never been to Hawaii, but I hear it’s beautiful, and if you're looking for a tropical destination wedding within the 50 states, Hawaii is the only place to go.
For more Hawaiian wedding planning tips, check out Evonne's blog.
