GETTING MARRIED IN HAWAII CAN GET EXPENSIVE

Yeah, I’m not one to blow sunshine up your ass.  That’s for other wedding companies, who make a living – lying to you behind a nice smile.  I’ll tell it to you straight, that weddings in Hawaii are flat-out expensive, and that’s directly related to the cost-of-living going up, up, and more up.   When I first started Dream Weddings Hawaii, I created the Patriot package for military couples who were on a budget.  That package, which included a small photo package (1 roll of 24 pictures), and a minister, only was $295.  That same package is now $777.95, with 75 digital photos.   Why is it so expensive?  Well, it’s because a freaking Extra Value Meal at McDonald’s costs $18!  Geez Louise!  Where’s the value in that?!!  Everything is up.  Gas, food, mortgage payments.

I constantly hear my couples complaining about the cost of food at their hotel.    I almost want to tell them that when you vacation in Hawaii, it’s a good time to take up intermittent fasting and skip breakfast!

I’m sad to report that some of my couples had to cancel their wedding because they just couldn’t afford it.

What advice do I have?

Well, you need to save money where you can, and shop wisely.

First of all, if you’re planning on renting a car here, and you should, always go through Costco Travel.   You know, the usual M.O. of these rental car places is to trick you into making a cheap reservation online, and then when you pick up your car, you’re hit with all of these other stupid-ass fees.  If you book through Costco Travel, the rental company won’t hassle you at all.  If you can, book your entire trip through Costco, and you will save a lot of money in the long run.  A lot of times, the hotels won’t hit you with their stupid-ass fees.   Yes, they are stupid-ass fees, let’s call them what they are.

While were at it, remember that Costco is your friend.  If you want to buy an Aloha shirt, go to Costco.  If you want to buy local food, go to Costco.  If you want to buy gifts to bring back home, go to Costco.  If you want to buy flowers, so you can DIY bouquets, go to Costco.  Sam’s club is also great.  Personally, I love Sam’s Club a bit more because I can bypass the long lines at Costco.  They beat Costco in quality and selection, for everything except beef and travel.

Don’t eat in Waikiki.   Waikiki is really expensive, except for Murakami Udon.  They are freaking cheap, freaking good, and you need to freaking go there.  Everything else is expensive, including iHop and Denny’s.  If possible, take your Costco car and eat outside of Waikiki.   Of course, it’s okay to splurge in Waikiki, but make sure if you do, choose an awesome place, and make sure it’s worth it.

Stay in vacation rental, rather than a hotel.  Here on Oahu, vacation rentals outside of “resort zones” are actually illegal.   They are still available to rent, but they are hard to find because you have to know someone, who knows someone.  But even in the resort zone, you can find gems that are awesome, that are much cheaper than what you’ll find at hotels.   Now, if you want to stay in a hotel, don’t book your stay directly with the hotel.  Work with travel agencies, even online ones, and see if you can land some deals.  More than likely, you can get an air/hotel/car package, that includes free breakfast, one night free with, you guessed it, COSTCO TRAVEL!

I think Costco should be paying me for this article.  Trust me, I’m not getting paid for it…but I will gladly take the money if they offer, haha.

By the way, if you want more of an island feel to your honeymoon, check out Team Real Estate.  They have legal vacation rentals.  It’s actually pretty cheap if you split the cost between you and your friends.  One of their awesome homes is $650 a night, which sleeps eight.  That’s about $82 a night!  The difficult part is finding 6 friends you won’t murder by the end of your honeymoon.

And now, let’s get to your wedding.

One of my adventure couples, jumping out of a perfectly working helicopter

I’m going to frank with you.  I know my name is Steve Young, but I’m going to be frank.  You’re really not going to get around to spending less for your Hawaii wedding.  Things are just expensive. But, if you spend wisely, you won’t get ripped as long as you are satisfied with the value you’re getting.   So, if you want to spend 20k on an adventure helicopter wedding, or $200 on just a minister, as long as your happy, it’s money well spent on this next awesome chapter in your life.   And of course, you have to try not to fall into the many wedding scams that are out there, such as open bars and wedding license processing fees.   Now, where do you go for great value for your wedding?  Me!  Of course!  If you haven’t noticed, I’m a straight shooter, I will tell you the way it is, even if it’s a truth that you don’t want to hear.  I’m lightyears better than my competition because not only am I honest and better looking, my quality is great.  Plus, I actually work at all my weddings as a coordinator and/or a photographer/videographer, unlike the other owners who just tend to stay home, and collect money.

So, if you’re interested in a Hawaii Wedding, give me a call at (808) 497-0685, email at info@dreamweddingshawaii.com, or just fill out the form below.   I’ll get back to you personally.   I’ll get back to you.  Not someone else.

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Steve Young

THE BIG MAN at Dream Weddings Hawaii

I pretty much do everything around here, from photography and video production, to the organization of all of my weddings. As you can see, I'm also the head writer too! If for some reason you can't reach me at my direct line, or my toll free number, feel free to hit me up on my company cell at (808) 479-0685. Call anytime...well, almost anytime. Don't call on Super Bowl Sunday or when the Philadelphia Eagles are playing!

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I’VE BEEN DOING WEDDINGS ON OAHU FOR OVER 25  YEARS!

Before I get started on my rant, if you are looking for my Oahu Wedding Packages, click here or just call me at (808) 479-0685.

I’ve been planning weddings for so long that I pretty much lost count of how long I’ve been doing this and how many I’ve planned.  I know I’ve done this for over 25 years, and I’ve planned over 10,000 weddings.

Dammit, does that mean I’m old?

I started in the wedding business in the late 90s, when I was around 20 years old.  I owned an entertainment production company back then, produced 3 TV shows in Japan, promoted concerts, and created a lot of cheesy in-room hotel ads that played on a loop.  This wedding business was part of my production company, and I created it to provide stable income to the videographers on my staff.  Well, as fate would have it, September 11th happened, and all the advertising money dried up overnight, and it forced my wedding company to become the dominant money maker.   It must have been fate, because I found weddings, not trying to sound big-headed here, extremely easy to produce when compared to entertainment productions.  There were no politics involved, no unions, and couples were a lot easier to work with than actors.

And then – next thing I know, I’m 46 years old.

Things were going great…then…COVID-19 happened, we were shut down for pretty much 2 years, hyperinflation became real (not a conspiracy), and the world flipped upside down.  Men could compete in women’s athletics, steroids were okay for little girls who wanted to become boys, and whatever was on social media was considered factual (and if you didn’t accept it, you would get canceled).

Even for weddings, everything turned upside down.

Currently, the standard for the First Dance is to have a couple enter the room and immediately dance.   Back in the day (I sound old don’t I) the first dance was the last thing that happened at the reception, and then the room faded to black, the DJ pumped up Electric Slide, and everyone started partying.   Flashing back to the good ole days, restaurants took reservations, and you could drink and party on your wedding night until the sun came up.  Now, 10 pm, you gotta shut everything off.  And if you’re trying to reserve a table for 2 on the North Shore, good luck.  Very few restaurants are open late, because these kids don’t want to work.

And let’s talk about weddings in Hawaii.  Things have changed – and not for the better.

Still the best sunset I ever shot!

When I first started Dream Weddings Hawaii, there were many companies like mine.  Meaning – the owner would answer the phone, work with the bride, and work at the wedding in some capacity.  For me, I’m not only the planner, but the photographer and the videographer.  We took pride in our work.  I still do.

But now.  These other wedding companies.  They take no pride in their work.  The owners don’t show up to get their hands dirty.  That person talking to you on the phone won’t be there at your wedding.   Couples literally show up at beaches, walk around the park, and hunt for the wedding company they booked.  Customer service – OUT THE WINDOW.   And these new wedding companies, boy, are they cunning.  They will pad their packages with line items they shouldn’t charge for, such as marriage license processing.   That service is actually required by the Department of Health, to anyone who is a registered marriage performer.   So, it shouldn’t be a line item in an invoice.  Think you can talk to your photographer, or make-up artist, or any vendor before your wedding, with these new companies?  Nope.  I can go on and on.

This newer generation – sigh.  All they care about are selfies and money.  What can I say?

I’m old-school.  And if you want some of that old-school groove, that old-school honesty, give me a shot.

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Steve Young

THE BIG MAN at Dream Weddings Hawaii

I pretty much do everything around here, from photography and video production, to the organization of all of my weddings. As you can see, I'm also the head writer too! If for some reason you can't reach me at my direct line, or my toll free number, feel free to hit me up on my company cell at (808) 479-0685. Call anytime...well, almost anytime. Don't call on Super Bowl Sunday or when the Philadelphia Eagles are playing!

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They met during the lockdowns and got married :)

PLEASE DON’T PANIC…

Things were just getting back to normal, states were opening up, mask mandates were dropping – THEN BAM!  This stupid Delta variant hits, politicians start panicking, people start pointing fingers at everyone; friends, family, you name it.  Conspiracy theories start flooding the internet, the sky feels like it’s going to fall, and you’re left wondering if you should plan your wedding in Hawaii.  Here’s my opinion…

LOCKDOWNS AND YOUR HAWAII WEDDING PACKAGE

As of now, there is no threat of lockdowns by the federal or state government.   There’s just a threat of a vaccine mandate (which I don’t think is fair).  Our government leaders have asked us to keep our parties small, to not attend church, and to wear a mask in crowded areas.  They’ve also asked us to get vaccinated if we’re not.   But so far, the government has just “asked.”  They haven’t created another “emergency mandate.”

And let’s be clear.  Our local government is broke.  They can’t afford another lockdown themselves, so I think this most likely won’t happen.  So, I really do think you can plan your wedding with zero fear of our state locking down, even the face of the rise in cases.

As far as COVID goes in Hawaii, the Delta variant is what’s spreading down here.   Positive cases are definitely going up, but deaths have separated from positive cases, so that’s the good news.  Hospitals are operating at full capacity, but that’s because all types of patients are being accepted.   Remember, hospitals have to operate at near or full capacity to turn a profit.  Through nurses I know, they said there are patients coming in for COVID, but their symptoms are not nearly as bad the first time around.

Our governor has promised that when 70% of our population is vaccinated, all mandates will disappear.  I’m hoping he sticks to that because as of now, we are currently around 66%.   As of now, over 70% of those eligible for vaccination, has taken the shot, including myself and my staff.

Deaths have detached itself from positive cases

THE CURRENT COVID-19 RULES FOR YOUR OUTDOOR HAWAII WEDDING

Okay, if you want to get married in Hawaii during COVID, make sure it’s outdoor, as that’s the closest you’ll get to normal.  There are a lot fewer restrictions if you tie the knot outdoors, plus it just looks nicer.

Here’s a copy and paste from our county website regarding COVID and your wedding.  Yeah, it’s a bit over-the-top, try not to laugh:

Wedding event operators.  This section applies to weddings under the supervision of professional event planners, venues, or catering and convention service managers (“Weddings”).  Weddings may take place under the following conditions:

a. Outdoor venues only (e.g. permitted private venues, hotels, beaches and/or churches). The property utilized must follow all permitting/zoning regulations for such events, and must obtain or have proper authorization before conducting such event.

b. Maximum 200 persons, including staff.  This is an exception to the general gatherings limitations.

c. At least one employee/owner of the professional event planning company, venue, catering, and/or convention service manager must be present at the wedding and ensure it is adequately staffed and compliant with this section.

d. Table seating required as follows:

i. Maximum of 75 persons per table.

ii. It is recommended that each table be reserved for members of the same household/living unit.

iii. Dining tables can be pre-set with tableware (dinner and salad plates, cutlery and glassware) so long as dining area is roped off prior to guest seating; linens, chargers, stationary goods, flowers and miscellaneous décor (e.g. table numbers, etc.) can be pre-set.

iv. Food and beverage service must comply with the requirements for Restaurants/Bars.

e. Musicians, entertainment, operators, and guests are encouraged to follow the guidance in Order 8 of the Order.

g. Dancing is allowed.  Two dancers permitted every 36 square feet (6 x 6 ft.).  Up to 32 dancers will be allowed as follows:

i. 8 dancers for a 12 x 12 dance floor

ii. 12 dancers for a 12 x 18 dance floor

iii. 18 dancers for an 18 x 18 dance floor

iv. 32 dancers for a 24 x 24 dance floor

h. Safety protocols are required as follows, no exceptions:

i. Staff and guests, including bridal party, bride and groom, will require a temperature check upon arrival. Any person with a temperature over 100.4 will not be allowed to remain.

ii. Sign-in Data must be collected for all guests.

Now, I would like to see a table that seats 75 people.  I don’t think the tables in Harry Potter seated that many people.  And I’m sure drunk guests who want to dance, will abide by all of these distancing rules….riiiight.   And what adult will have a 100.4 degree temperature and still feel good?  Come on now.  By the way, the parties that our local politicians attend, don’t follow these rules.  I would say about every gala wedding that I’ve worked at, didn’t follow any of these rules.

After postponing their vow renewal because of COVID, they finally got their ceremony

HOW COVID HAS AFFECTED WEDDINGS IN HAWAII

Prices have gone up, shot up, blown up.

I’m not raising my prices on most of my services, but I may just have to in the distant future to keep up with inflation (especially if the cost of living continues to rise in Hawaii).   I will definitely have to raise the price of my limousine service because gas prices are literally making me cry.  They are racing towards $5 a gallon with no signs of slowing down.   A roundtrip from Waikiki to Ko’olina once cost $250.  Now it’s $450.

Flower prices are going up.  Bouquets, leis, maile leis, are all over the place.  I’ll try to keep them as low as I can.  But I may have to make them fluid.  Meaning, we won’t know the exact final price of the flowers until your wedding day.  I can’t get a stable price from my florist.  Buying flowers feels like buying a volatile stock.  One day it’s cheap, one day it’s expensive.

Rental car prices are high and availability are extremely low.   I rode my bike past a rental car agency the other day.  There was a line coming out of the door that rivaled the Star War lines at Disney.  My advice, use TURO because it’s fast and painless.  A friend of mine rented a car from Turo and the owner dropped off the car at the baggage claim, and that was it.  No paperwork at all.  Then, at the end of the trip, the owner picked up the car at the curbside check-in.  Turo for the win.

Luas, restaurants, and activities should all be booked in advance.  Dining inside Waikiki is tough, but outside Waikiki isn’t too bad.  But book as many activities as you can, especially Luaus and restaurants.

MORE ADVICE FOR YOUR HAWAII WEDDING?

If you’re not vaccinated, and you’re willing to risk it, get the jab.   I recommend it not for safety, but it makes traveling to Hawaii a lot easier.  You won’t have to submit yourself to a stupid PCR test, which has to be timed perfectly, 72 hours or less, before you travel to Hawaii.  If you don’t time the PCR test results perfectly, or if your lab results are delayed, the State will quarantine you in your hotel room.  And it has happened!

Book on Oahu, as we have the most activities and support for tourists.   In other words, if you want to go snorkeling, you’ll find more companies that can fit you in.  Oahu is also less likely to lockdown as our mayor if very much, pro-business.  Plus, in case someone in your party does come down with covid, we have the most hospitals to treat them.

Keep your wedding party small.  Elope if you can.  Don’t plan a gala wedding.   If there are restrictions, gala weddings will be the first to get hit.

Have your wedding outdoors, as there are fewer restrictions.

Reserve as many activities and restaurants as you can, before you travel to Hawaii.

Book with me, because you’ll always get the straight deal….

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Steve Young

THE BIG MAN at Dream Weddings Hawaii

I pretty much do everything around here, from photography and video production, to the organization of all of my weddings. As you can see, I'm also the head writer too! If for some reason you can't reach me at my direct line, or my toll free number, feel free to hit me up on my company cell at (808) 479-0685. Call anytime...well, almost anytime. Don't call on Super Bowl Sunday or when the Philadelphia Eagles are playing!

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NOWS THE TIME TO START PLANNING FOR 2021

I was looking forward to this year, business started off strong, I had my eyes set on opening a bbq joint, vacationing in Iowa, and then BAM!  Freaking COVID-19 sideswipes all my plans!  Suddenly, tourism is dead and my business goes from hero to zero.  Weddings get cancelled, businesses are shut down, and then to make things worse, businesses are literally burning to the ground.

One overreaction after another and now it feels like the United States of America is committing suicide.

I’m ready for 2021, aren’t you?

As of my writing, on June 2, 2020, the 14-day quarantine is still in effect.  This means anyone entering our State will have to be quarantined in their hotel or residence, for 14 full days.   You can’t come out for food, or even air.   You’re imprisoned.   The inter-island 14-day quarantine was lifted.  No word yet on when it gets lifted throughout the rest of the world.    Even if it is lifted, I’m not sure how fun it will be to be a tourist in Hawaii.   Mask and social distancing sucks.  Who the hell wants to go to luau wearing a mask?

So my advice, if you want to get married in Hawaii, screw 2020 and go for 2021.  And you know what, even if this COVID crap wasn’t happening, you would want to start getting in touch with me right around now.   Start a dialogue with me.  We can put together a package without a date in mind, and when the travel ban is lifted, you book the flights, dates, book me, and get cheap hotels.   And trust me on this.  Flights and hotels are going to be cheap as hell because they want to tourism to come back.

Hope to hear from you soon!

Author information

Steve Young

THE BIG MAN at Dream Weddings Hawaii

I pretty much do everything around here, from photography and video production, to the organization of all of my weddings. As you can see, I'm also the head writer too! If for some reason you can't reach me at my direct line, or my toll free number, feel free to hit me up on my company cell at (808) 479-0685. Call anytime...well, almost anytime. Don't call on Super Bowl Sunday or when the Philadelphia Eagles are playing!

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PLANNING YOUR FUTURE HAWAII WEDDING

As I’m writing this, on March 21, 2020, it feels like we’re living in an episode of The Walking Dead.   The only difference between our lives and the Zombie Apocalypse is that no one told me that toilet paper would be more valuable than food, and that the real-life zombies would be invisible.   And maybe zombie is the wrong term to use, because this virus is not a death sentence in any shape or form.

With that being said, things will eventually get back to normal in the future.  Maybe not the “nearest of near futures,” but the distant future.  How far?  I can’t tell you.  But let’s just say that about a month ago, China, South Korea, and Japan were seen as the COVID-19 epicenter.   Life for them is normalizing and that was 3 to 4 weeks ago.   Here in America, we’ll see what happens.  I’ve been doing a lot of research on this virus and it’s far from the apocalypse as it’s advertised.  Even at the epicenter of Wuhan, the virus only affected 3% of that population.  Hubei had 3,200 deaths, but outside of that one province, death rates were very small, 22 was next nearest tally.    And now, China has reported that most of their population has recovered and the temporary hospitals are closing down.  So, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.   The regular flu takes about 2 weeks to recover from, which is the same as the Coronavirus.  And like the flu, if the case is severe, you can be down for 3 to 6 weeks.   So don’t expect things to look better until we’re about 3 to 4 weeks into this.

If you haven’t read my other post, my business came to a screeching halt as most couples decided to postpone their wedding till a later date.   Fully understandable.

I am still opened for business though.   I’m just not out in the field.  I’m answering emails, my phone, planning for future weddings, even 2021, when we expect this thing to be a distant joke we laugh about.

What’s my point here?

This will blow over and you’re still going to get married.

Hawaii is not going anywhere and we’re still a paradise.

And, I’m not going anywhere.

You can still plan your Hawaii Wedding, budget for it, choose the ingredients to make it tasty.   And then when this chaos ends, you choose the date and get married.

Give me a holler.

Author information

Steve Young

THE BIG MAN at Dream Weddings Hawaii

I pretty much do everything around here, from photography and video production, to the organization of all of my weddings. As you can see, I'm also the head writer too! If for some reason you can't reach me at my direct line, or my toll free number, feel free to hit me up on my company cell at (808) 479-0685. Call anytime...well, almost anytime. Don't call on Super Bowl Sunday or when the Philadelphia Eagles are playing!

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SHOULD YOU GET MARRIED IN HAWAII RIGHT NOW? ABSOLUTELY NOT.

On March 17, 2020 Today, our governor is:

• Directing all bars and clubs to close. Restaurants should go to take-out only, Ige said, and tour companies should limit or shut down operations immediately.
• Asking tourists to stay away for at least 30 days.
• Bolstering screening of cruise ship passengers, with temperature checks and questions about symptoms and recent travel. Airports would also be bolstering their procedures.
• Stopping all non-essential state travel, including inter-island travel. Those who do have to travel will have to go into self-isolation for 14 days.
• Directing all movie theaters, visitor attractions and places of worship to close.
• Closing all state libraries, parks, events at the State Capitol building, Aloha Stadium and Hawaii Convention Center.

This does suck but it’s what has to be done.

So, for the next month or so, at the minimum, Dream Weddings Hawaii will not be performing any weddings.   I will though, still be open, working from home, fixing photos, editing videos from past weddings, answering calls and emails.  If you have any questions, please feel free to get in contact with me.  We can still plan for your future Hawaii wedding because this will not last forever.

Be safe everyone!

Author information

Steve Young

THE BIG MAN at Dream Weddings Hawaii

I pretty much do everything around here, from photography and video production, to the organization of all of my weddings. As you can see, I'm also the head writer too! If for some reason you can't reach me at my direct line, or my toll free number, feel free to hit me up on my company cell at (808) 479-0685. Call anytime...well, almost anytime. Don't call on Super Bowl Sunday or when the Philadelphia Eagles are playing!

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HOLY COW IT’S CHEAP TO FLY

If I could fly right now I would, but I got weddings to shoot.  This Coronavirus has adversely affected travel and prices are dropping.  It’s not just prices in the immediate future, it’s prices in the future – period.  I pulled up these prices, HNL to LAX, on my agency computer.  No, you’re not dreaming, this is happening!   Check out this article!

This is SUMMER TRAVEL, to Honolulu from Los Angeles in peak summer travel – JULY!.    $453.71 with taxes?  What the hell?  This is freaking insane!  It’s usually $700 to $900 in the summer! So, if you want to come to Hawaii to get married in 2020, book your travel now.  This Coronavirus this will blow over.  We have zero cases in Hawaii because of our heat and humidity.   And once it gets hot in the rest of the world, it’ll kill the virus everywhere else.  But if you don’t want to travel now, that’s fine.   Book your Hawaii Wedding in the Summer and on…      I’m booking my trip to Iowa now and saving $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.    I’m heading there mid-August for a vacation, Iowa State Fair.

I’m not fearing the Coronavirus.  In any case, that virus only affects the elderly who have pre-existing lung conditions.   I’m in my 40s and I can breathe just fine.   So, if you’re healthy, which I’m betting you are, don’t sweat it.  At the same time, I would still take precautions when you travel as you never want to get even the common cold when you’re on vacation, or getting married.

Author information

Steve Young

THE BIG MAN at Dream Weddings Hawaii

I pretty much do everything around here, from photography and video production, to the organization of all of my weddings. As you can see, I'm also the head writer too! If for some reason you can't reach me at my direct line, or my toll free number, feel free to hit me up on my company cell at (808) 479-0685. Call anytime...well, almost anytime. Don't call on Super Bowl Sunday or when the Philadelphia Eagles are playing!

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PERFECT BEACH FOR THE PERFECT HAWAIIAN WEDDING

I’ll be pretty upfront and blunt here, in a perfect world, you shouldn’t have to worry about choosing the perfect beach for your wedding in Hawaii.  You should have full trust in your coordinator and not have to second guess anything.  BUT – we are not living in a perfect world are we?  Most wedding companies have personal agendas to fulfill, not yours, and they will choose beaches that are convenient for them, not the best for you.

So let’s cut to the chase.

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR SUNSET PHOTOS/CEREMONY

• You’ll need to choose a beach that faces west.  You can’t have your wedding on Waimanalo Beach, which faces east, and expect a sunset – that is, unless the world starts rotating in the opposite direction.
• You can have a sunset on the North Shore of Oahu, just make sure you choose a beach that faces west.

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR SUNRISE PHOTOS/CEREMONY

• Reverse everything I just said.  Now you’ll be looking at east-facing beaches
• Make sure you arrive 15 minutes before sunrise and wait for the perfect moment to start
• Sunrise weddings are great for busy locations because the beaches are freaking empty in the morning.
• If you’re choosing an east-facing location, make sure you use a lot of hairspray to keep your hairdo in place.  I’m not even joking about that.

This was photographed at 12pm

NOON WEDDINGS?

• They say the worst time to shoot photos is between 10 to 2pm, that may be true if that photographer doesn’t know how to shoot photos.   But if they are an experience fool like me, it’s not a problem.  Noon weddings are hot, but the skies and ocean are extraordinarily blue.   If you’re looking for blue sky, turquoise blue oceans, having your wedding around noon could be an option if your photographer isn’t a wannabe.

OAHU IS THE BEST ISLAND FOR BEACH WEDDINGS

• Out of all the islands in Hawaii, Oahu has the most white sand beaches.  They’re not rocky or muddy.
• The Big Island has the least amount of white sand beaches, but they have black sand beaches.
• Kauai was a green sand beach, but I’m not sure how good that will be in pictures.

HOMELESS ON THE BEACH

• On certain beaches, this is a definite problem.  And these are not poor Hawaiians are camping out on the beach.  More so, they are mainland transplants that somehow, found their way to our islands.   For the most part, they won’t bother you, but it’s just not a great look for photos.   If you are concerned about homeless being on your beach, simply google the name of the beach you want your wedding at, followed by the word homeless.   Or ask your coordinator -hopefully they’ll give you an honest answer.
• Here’s a news report on the homeless around Diamondhead Beach.

THERE ARE A LOT OF SECLUDED BEACHES

• If you look at my photos, you’ll notice that the majority of the shots make the beach look secluded.   Well, that’s because most are.   There are some that were taken at Waimanalo beach during peak hours and I was paid to photoshop out all the tourist.   In some cases, that couldn’t be done because there was literally more tourist than sand.
• I’ve heard from my clients that other companies claimed that there weren’t any secluded beaches on Oahu.  That’s 100% bullshit.  They either don’t know what they are talking about or they are lying.

DON’T BOOK AT WAIALAE BEACH PARK

• This remains one of the most popular places to have a wedding on Oahu and it’s a piece of crap, at least in my opinion.   I wrote an article about this that you can find by clicking here.  Let’s just say that you didn’t fly 1000’s of miles, crossed an ocean, to get married behind a condo.

HOW I CHOOSE LOCATIONS

• I wrote an entire article on how I choose wedding locations that can be found by clicking here, but to sum it up, it’s much more than just choosing a photographic area.
• Sometimes, couples don’t care about crowds.  Sometimes, couples need a beach that is wheelchair accessible.   And then there are times where couples found something on the web and I’ll say, “Let’s do it!” or “Whoa nelly!”
• I do favor secluded locations
• I do favor west-facing beaches because the wind blows the hair of my brides the right way.
• I do favor west-facing beaches because the weather will be a lot more stable.

So that’s it peeps.  Hopefully, that clears everything up.  Oh, by the way, if you’re wondering why I don’t disclose publically where I go, that’s because I don’t want my competitors finding out my secret spots!  They already steal my photos, I would hate for them to steal my locations – haha!

[srizonfbalbum id=103]

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Steve Young

THE BIG MAN at Dream Weddings Hawaii

I pretty much do everything around here, from photography and video production, to the organization of all of my weddings. As you can see, I'm also the head writer too! If for some reason you can't reach me at my direct line, or my toll free number, feel free to hit me up on my company cell at (808) 479-0685. Call anytime...well, almost anytime. Don't call on Super Bowl Sunday or when the Philadelphia Eagles are playing!

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DRESS TO IMPRESS…YOURSELF

Full disclosure – I’m a dude and have never worn a dress before in my life.  Not even on a dare.  Not even on Halloween.

Full disclosure – I don’t design dresses.  That just isn’t my thing.

Full disclosure – I have been a wedding photographer for over 20 years, with most of those years spent photographing and planning beach weddings, so there’s a pretty good chance I could generate a pretty good opinion.

WHEN IS THE RIGHT TIME TO BUY A WEDDING DRESS?

Technically, there is no such thing as a “right time” to start dress shopping when you are planning a beach wedding.  You technically just need to make sure you have a dress for your wedding and show up with something on, right?  I had a client jury-rigg a bikini with tule, to make into a “wedding dress” the night before she tied the knot.   If you’re wondering, the groom wore white speedos.   I’m not posting those photos, by the way.  My website is family-friendly.

With that all being said – Ideally, the minute you’ve decided to get married, you should start shopping for a wedding dress.  That means back at home before you leave to Hawaii.  If you’re ordering online, make sure you have time to tailor it to your size.

Make Sure it’s Not See-Thru!

You would think this is common sense, right?   I mean, who would design a dress that leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination.   You’d be surprised.   If possible, take your dress out in normal sunlight to make sure it’s not see through.  I would say about 10% of my brides showed up with dresses that revealed way too much and I ended up having to CGI out things to make their pics G-rated.

Consider The Weather

Hawaii’s humidity is at around 80% all year around, but it’s doesn’t feel that bad because we have cool tradewinds that break up the moisture.  It’s nothing like how the South or North East feels like during the summer.   With that being said, summer is still a lot warmer than other months.   So if you’re planning on getting married during the summer, and closer to noon, you may want to consider a dress doesn’t have layers of material, aka heavy.  It gets sweaty hot under the dress.

Front and Side Angles are Very Important

While the back of the dress is always great, sometimes I feel many brides focus too much time on energy on how the dress looks from the back.  The majority of the photos will be taken from the front and side.  Make sure your dress looks great from those angles too, not just the back.

Over at Ko’olina in the morning.

Make Sure Your Dress Is Comfortable to Sit In

You’re going to be doing a lot of sitting on your wedding day and not just for certain poses.  You’re going to sit in the limo.  For dinner, you’ll be sitting quite a bit.   And if you’re planning on eating some great food, you may want to make sure that dress isn’t too tight around the waist.  Also, you can always change into a more comfortable dress for dinner that’s a lot easier to sit in.

If You’re Plus Sized

Choosing a big ballgown dress does wonders when it comes to photography.  Yes, ironically, a ballgown tapered dress will make you look smaller.    If you are conscious about your arms, choose a dress with nice sleeves, maybe down to the elbow.   By the way, there are little non-CGI tricks to always make you look skinnier in the photos that I always use.

If You’ve Got the Legs, Flaunt it

I’m not talking about sporting a wedding dress that is cut way too short, but aleg slit helps when it comes to photos.   One of the biggest problems I face as a photographer is trying to make sure a wedding dress doesn’t look like a gigantic comforter, especially when we are doing sit-down poses.   Those slits help.  If you don’t have a slit, make sure your dress is light enough where we can hike it up just a little.

Apparently, I’m known for pictures like these, even though I shoot much more than just this pose – haha.

Make Sure You Can Move

You’ll be getting married on the beach and will be without your high heels, but you don’t need to taper your dress to fall perfectly when you’re barefoot.  Taper it to the height of your heels.  When you’re in the sand, it really doesn’t matter.   What matters more is that you can walk freely with one foot in front of the other, and you can possibly sit down.  Some of my past client’s dresses were so tight, it really limited us on what type of poses we could do.   Many were so tight that it was too dangerous to do walking in ocean pics (what I’m apparently known for, I had no idea).

Not Exactly Kahkis, but it does work!

How Grooms Should Dress

All the same rules I listed above also apply to men when it comes to weddings in Hawaii.  Dressing casually does the job.  Khakis with a light-colored long sleeve shirt that’s rolled up, does the job.  If he’s wearing white pants, make sure his pants are not see through.  I hate photoshopping out pockets and underwear lines.

Getting Your Dress to Hawaii

There really is no easy answer on how to do this.  The “poofier” your wedding dress is, the more likely you’ll have to dedicate a suitcase to it and pay the extra baggage fee.  Don’t pack anything else in there that can stain or ruin your dress.   The good news is that if you follow this route, your poofy dress can double as packing material to bring back fragile gifts you may buy in Hawaii.

If you’re wondering how you should get wrinkles out of your dress, the answer is that you’ll most likely need to do it yourself or ask the hotel if they can do it.  I think it’s best to pack a travel steamer that you can purchase through Amazon for around $20.   Unfortunately, we don’t have any company that can do it well in Hawaii.   We used too.  I’m not sure where that lady who did it went, but she suddenly disappeared.

Well, kids, that’s about all I’m writing about, regarding this topic.  I’m honestly fresh out of answers!  If I missed anything please let me know or comment below.

Remember, there are no rules when it comes to weddings as long as you have fun!

Author information

Steve Young

THE BIG MAN at Dream Weddings Hawaii

I pretty much do everything around here, from photography and video production, to the organization of all of my weddings. As you can see, I'm also the head writer too! If for some reason you can't reach me at my direct line, or my toll free number, feel free to hit me up on my company cell at (808) 479-0685. Call anytime...well, almost anytime. Don't call on Super Bowl Sunday or when the Philadelphia Eagles are playing!

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As every year, as if it’s been a tradition, I am announcing that I have no discounts for my packages over this weekend.   And, just for the record, I never have any Groupon or specials – period.  My prices are pretty cheap already.   I’m a tiny company, can’t afford it – haha (especially with the cost of living in Hawaii being sky high!)

I found out something really strange, though.  Many popular retailers such as Lululemon, didn’t have any Black Friday specials, yet people were lining up outside their store this week.   Isn’t that funny?

Here’s something new I just learned:

TRAVEL DEAL TUESDAY

Apparently the day after Cyber Monday there are great travel deals to be found.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ON THAT

And – tacos are still on sale on Tuesday.

Author information

Steve Young

THE BIG MAN at Dream Weddings Hawaii

I pretty much do everything around here, from photography and video production, to the organization of all of my weddings. As you can see, I'm also the head writer too! If for some reason you can't reach me at my direct line, or my toll free number, feel free to hit me up on my company cell at (808) 479-0685. Call anytime...well, almost anytime. Don't call on Super Bowl Sunday or when the Philadelphia Eagles are playing!

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