There are so many factors to consider when deciding on having your dream destination wedding in the islands–with the price being one major deciding factor. Here's our destination wedding budget breakdown 101.

How Much Does a Destination Wedding in Hawaiʻi Cost?

We know that when couples choose to have a destination wedding in Hawaiʻi, the choice means more than just deciding on an ideal location. It’s the chance to make a lifelong memory in a place that is as beautiful as your love, inviting your fondest loved ones to have a little getaway celebration, and of course, spending some R&R in the tropics with your soon to be wedded husband/wife.

When considering a destination wedding, most of the decision rests within the cost–and luckily, having one in Hawaiʻi can be a much more feasible option than one might think. Here are a few things to consider when deciding on having a destination wedding in Hawaiʻi.

What influences the cost of a destination wedding?

While destination weddings will often have the same essential elements as any other wedding–namely the save the dates/invitations, dress, rings, florist, DJ, photographer/videographer, cake, and an officiant–there are obviously a couple more factors that go into a destination wedding. Travel, accommodations, and a full-service destination wedding planner are the key components that will add to your budget (we’ll go into more detail about these down below).

Another factor that will influence the cost of your wedding is your wedding party size. Odds are that some of your invitees may not be able to make it out to your destination wedding, which means you will probably have a more intimate wedding if you opt for one. Having a smaller guest count greatly impacts your wedding budget, and not to mention you’ll have more time to spend with your closest loved ones.

Here’s a couple of pro tips for destination wedding planning in Hawaiʻi:

Be smart about your wedding date. If you have guests flying out for at least 4–5 days, consider a weekday wedding to save some money to allocate elsewhere. Also, consider the tourism off-season for Hawaiʻi (January through April, and then October through December, or basically anytime but peak summer time) to avoid inflated holiday costs for flights and accommodations.
Send save the dates as soon as you lock the date in to give your guests an optimum amount of time to prepare for your wedding date. Invitations should also be sent off four months prior to the wedding rather than the typical three.
Set up a wedding website so your guests can stay in the loop! Include hotel options for places closer to your venue, and maybe more iconic places in the island if they inevitably want to make a trip out of it. Give suggestions on where they should sightsee, popular places to eat at, or include a day that they can spend time with you during the wedding week!

Here’s the budget breakdown 101 for a Hawaiian destination wedding:

Venue

Whether you’re looking to hold the wedding of your dreams between the iconic mountain ranges of the North Shore of Oʻahu or beside the pristine sandy beaches found island-wide, outdoor venues in Hawaiʻi can cost anywhere from $3–7k+.

If you prefer to have a resort-style wedding, the venue rental itself can cost anywhere from $1.5–5k+ with a food and beverage minimum starting at around $15k and going up. Although the minimum price might sound a little wild, it’s not uncommon to spend that much money for an outdoor venue considering you’ll need to pay for a separate caterer with a wait staff to serve your guests and take care of the post-reception duties.

Travel

Wherever you’re coming from, Hawaiʻi is most likely an ocean away from you, but luckily, the round trip flight will most likely be cheaper than any other flight you find going the same distance because of the sheer amount of airlines who fly to the islands. As always, buying the ticket as soon as you know your dates could save you some money–but consider buying a one-way ticket if you’re thinking about kicking off your honeymoon right after the wedding!

Pro tips: Consider applying for a travel rewards credit card for your wedding expenditures that could potentially pay for your flights, honeymoon, etc. Also, talk with your insurance company to see if they offer umbrella insurance that could cover your wedding day, travel, and everything in between (we go more in-depth about this on our blog).

Accommodations

When you’re deciding where to stay during your wedding week consider how many people you would need to reserve a room for (Wedding party? Close family?) and the proximity to your venue. If you’re considering staying in a hotel, expect to pay $175+ for a standard room. If you’re considering booking a hotel block, just confirm that all of your guests can commit to staying to the hotel before reserving one–you’ll be committed to a contract for all of those hotel rooms even if they aren’t all filled.

Another popular option is booking an Airbnb. Hawaiʻi has a ton of beautiful homes to rent that could house your wedding party, and then some. If your venue is a little more remote without hotels in close proximity to it, it may be best to opt for an Airbnb so that you can stay local.

Transportation

For your special day, it’s important to think about the logistics of transportation for you and your wedding party. Will you be having a First Look? If so, you and your fiance can ride in the same limo together to the venue. Are both sides of your wedding party staying in the same location? Depending on the number of bridesmaids/groomsmen you have, they might be able to take the same limo to the venue.

We always encourage our clients to think about setting up group transportation for out-of-town guests to ensure that everyone can get to the venue and back home safely. Because some local venues can be tricky to get to, or maybe a little remote, we think it’s important to streamline the transportation process for your guests by setting up a charter bus going to and from your venue.

Catering/Service Staff

If you’re opting for an outdoor venue, it’s important to make sure that you hire a full-service caterer to ensure that all of your guests are well taken care of during the reception. From water service, food maintenance, cake prep, to clean up, having a full-service caterer is also important to make sure that the historic venues you may choose are respected and preserved during your wedding day. Depending on your headcount and the style of food service (coursed or buffet style), expect to pay between $7–15k+ for a full-service staff.

Event Rentals

In the event that a little drizzle (or intermittent rain) happens on your wedding day, it’s important to consider renting a tent for your outdoor venue. There are definitely places on the island, as well as seasons (November–March), that are rainier than others, but a tent ensures that rain or shine, your guests will have a dry space to celebrate. On average, a tent rental can range anywhere from $1.5–5k+.

A plus: There are some beautiful design elements–from wicker chandeliers, hanging florals, to sparkling string lights–that are pretty much only possible through a tent-based design.

Logistics: Ask venue managers if they offer a rain plan option! Some outdoor venues will include inside alternatives in case your ceremony/reception has to be moved inside.

Wedding Planner

Having a local-savvy wedding planner is a crucial part of planning a destination wedding. From day-of management to full-service planning, a planner can cost anywhere from $3–10k+–and keep in mind that most venues require a wedding planner to some extent. Hiring a wedding planner is the best way to know you’re working with the best wedding vendors on the islands, making sure that you have all of your bases covered for each step of the wedding planning process, and most importantly, having a piece of mind.