My sister recently told me about a coworker who had gotten married on Maui. They were Maui’d! That in itself isn’t unheard of. In fact, October guests at one of our condos got married and had their honeymoon during their two week stay at our condo! We are so happy for them!
The really cool and rather unusual thing about this wedding was that it was held ~ on Haleakala at sunrise! Haleakala summit is an amazing place. We went up for sunrise in summer 2020 and it was incredible! The views and the experience of watching the sun rise through the clouds at 10,023 ft elevation, seeing the stars before we arrived, the incredible cold as we stood there ~ waiting.
Curious about that Haleakala wedding? Have a look at the blog the photographer posted on her website about this elopement. The photos are amazing. The memories incredible. (And I can imagine the bride was freezing cold).
Would I have a Haleakala sunrise wedding? There are any number of things that could go wrong – weather being the big one. But that goes for many outdoor weddings. Personally, I would prefer sunset – at least you’d know prior to the long drive up (plan on at least 1 1/2 hours, more likely 2 depending where you start from) and can come up with a backup plan.
Popular wedding locations on Maui
Here are some of the popular locations for getting married on Maui that I have come across
- various beach locations (of course)
- various golf courses ~ Gannons at the Wailea Gold & Emerald Course or the Plantation House on the Plantation Golf Course in Kapalua….
- Sugar Beach Events ~ oceanfront private property location in North Kihei
- private boat charter
- various hotels, such as the Andaz in Wailea.
Whatever location you choose, please be respectful of local laws and customs and please don’t trespass. Your officiant/wedding coordinator should be able to help you with that.
What do you need to get married on Maui?
You will need to work with someone licensed to officiate weddings in the State of Hawaii. There is a whole process for getting your marriage license. Do make sure you research carefully so there are no surprises or disappointments.
You may need permits and insurance, especially if you get married on the beach. Importantly, the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) has rules – you can’t set up arches or chairs on the beach, and the ‘no alcohol at the beach’ rule applies to weddings also. There is no exclusive right to use the beach (even with a permit), so expect other beachgoers and possibly even weddings. If you work with an on-island wedding planner, it will definitely make the entire process a lot smoother.
I don’t know about you, but these days a simple destination wedding or even elopement seems so much easier than worrying about Covid rules and politics of a large wedding (depending on where you live).
Cara’s wedding advice
It’s been 20+ years since Sig and I were married. Here are the two tips I like to give when asked
- It’s just one day. Have a beautiful day, but don’t spend a fortune on it.
- And, secondly…. hire a great photographer. Memories fade but you’ll always cherish the pictures.