Your Complete Guide to Hawai’i Elopement Packages

You know you want to elope in Hawai’i, but you’re overwhelmed by where to start when choosing an elopement photography and planning package. There are so many photographers and planners who offer completely different services and let’s be honest, part of the draw to eloping was LESS work in planning your nuptials. Well, look no further friend, because in this blog post we’ll break down some of the different photography and planning options available and help you to choose the best package for you and your partner. Let’s jump right in!

Overview of Elopement Packages

Photography

Most Hawaii elopement packages include photography. Whether you are working directly with a Hawaii elopement photographer, planner, or an officiant, most packages do include some aspect of photography during your big day. This makes sense as your spouse and the photos are the only things that last from your elopement day! The number of hours of photography coverage will vary greatly depending on the package you choose.

Officiant

Another common inclusion in Hawaii elopement packages is the service of an officiant. In Hawaii you must have an officiant (and witness) to make your marriage legal. There is no option for self-solemnization like in Colorado, so having an officiant is key to making your Hawaii elopement legal if you are choosing to officially marry during your elopement day as opposed to marrying at a courthouse prior to your Hawaii elopement.

Planning

Finally, many Hawaii elopement packages include some level of assistance with planning your elopement. This may include things like applying for permits, assistance in attaining a marriage license, vendor recommendations, and assistance with a timeline. This is such an important aspect of choosing a Hawaii elopement package if you are flying to Hawaii from another location as you’ll want support and recommendations from someone who lives in Hawaii.

What’s Included in Each Package?

When you book your Hawaii elopement package with me, you get 3 main things, regardless of what package you choose. Each package has slight variations, but you can expect these things in addition to a thorough getting to know you process and great communication:

The first is assistance in planning your elopement. If you’re new around here, you may not know that I used to be a teacher and school administrator; hello organized and type A personality!! I honestly love getting to know couples in order to understand what their dream wedding day looks like so that I can help them to plan an epic elopement day. With that planning assistance, I recommend local vendors, help you with a timeline, and guide you through making your marriage legal.

The most important part of any package you’ll get when you book with me is photography! Based on you and your partner’s preferences, I’m with you during your getting ready, your ceremony, and adventures. All you have to do is decide how long you want me to capture your memories for. My packages range from 6 hours of photo coverage to 18 hours (spread over 2 days).

My love language is food, so it’s fitting that each of my packages includes a light picnic lunch. I work with local restaurants and caterers to develop a menu for you and your partner based around your dietary needs and preferences. Plus, picnics make for such fun photos!

The biggest difference between each Hawaii elopement package is the amount of time I spend with you and your partner photographing the day. Most of my clients choose collection 2, with 12 hours of photo coverage. I find that in our conversations, couples who work with me appreciate and value great photography and want to remember all of the details of their day through their photography.

Another difference in the collections is that only collections 1 and 2 include a 2-5 minute highlight film. My main focus during the day is photography, but when we spend 18 or 12 hours together, we have time to film short clips that I edit together, music video style, and deliver to you as a 2-5 minute highlight film.

How to Choose the Right Package

The biggest factor you want to consider when choosing your Hawaii elopement package is how you connect with your vendors. Whether you’re choosing a photographer who includes elopement planning assistance or you start with an elopement planner who will help you to choose your other vendors, it’s important that you feel connected to this person who will likely be spending a good portion of your wedding day with you.

The next important factor to consider is how much photography coverage you want of your day. The biggest misconception about elopements is that you don’t need a full day worth of coverage unless you’re having a big, traditional wedding. And that just couldn’t be farther from the truth! It truly depends on you and your partner and how much of your day you both want documented. Just because you don’t want the attention of 100+ people all at once does not mean you can’t have all of the beautiful details of your days captured. Choosing enough photography coverage can help you to ‘unplug’ and be completely present during your elopement without having to worry about have photos and videos to share with your loved ones.

Finally, you want to really consider working with someone who is local to Hawaii. Not only will that person have insights about locations and vendors, but they’ll understand the ins and outs of obtaining permits and applying for licenses. They’ll also likely be able to help you with your travel plans and give you recommendations for incredible local spots to visit during the rest of your trip.

Customizing Your Package

The best part about working with me is the support I provide during your Hawaii elopement planning. We’ll spend a good deal of time getting to know each other virtually (thank you, FaceTime!), ensuring we connect, and really understanding what you and your partner envision for your elopement day. I only recommend services I think you and your partner will truly appreciate and value that will make your Hawaii elopement everything you dreamed of and more!

Are you ready to talk about your dream Hawaii elopement package? Let’s connect!