10 Best Places to Elope in Hawaii

Eloping in Hawaii

Hawaii is one of those places that really lives up to its hype - it truly is paradise and I always say it’s the perfect place to combine your elopement with your honeymoon! Hawaii is honestly glorious all year long, so that gives you a lot of flexibility with choosing your date and season! (Also a great way to escape the cold in the winter months)

There are 6 different islands to choose from in this beautiful state: Kauai, The Big Island, Maui, Oahu, Lanai, and Molokai, all offering their own uniqueness and beauty. You can even visit multiple islands during your elopement experience at a pretty low cost! My personal favorite for an elopement is Kauai!

Whether you’re looking for lush greenery, epic cliffs, tropical beaches, or rugged landscapes, the magical islands of Hawaii have it all!


How to Get Married in Hawaii

How to Elope in Hawaii

  1. Choose the island you want to elope on (I can help with this!)

  2. Book your Hawaii Elopement Photographer - heyyy!

  3. We’ll go in depth planning together

  4. Obtain permits for your location(s)

  5. Make travel plans

  6. Apply for a marriage license

  7. Elope in Hawaii!


Hawaii Elopement Locations

When it comes to choosing where to elope in Hawaii, one of the first things to think about is what type of scenery and landscape you want. Are you hoping for a hike to an epic overlook? A tropical beach filled with palm trees? A cozy bungalow? And not just that, but the overall vibe of the island, like whether it has a small-town feel or has city life and night life, etc. There’s so many options in this incredible place, so let’s explore each island and what it has to offer…

  1. Kauai

  2. Big Island

  3. Maui

  4. Oahu

  5. Lanai

  6. Molokai


Hawaii Wedding

Hawaii Wedding Locations

Hawaii Waterfall Wedding

Hawaii Mountain Wedding

Hawaii Beach Wedding

Hawaii Garden Wedding

Hawaii Jungle Wedding

Hawaii Canyon Wedding

Hawaii Forest Wedding

Hawaii Cave Wedding

Hawaii Secret Wedding Spots

 

Hawaii Wedding Venues

If you’re looking for a small space to hold an intimate wedding, there are also some small venues spaces on the island that may work well for you, like Kilohana Plantation and the National Tropical Botanical Garden on Kauai, or Wahiawa Botanical Garden and Male'ana Gardens on Oahu!

 

 

Kauai Elopement

Kauai has some of Hawaii’s most iconic spots such as the Na Pali Coast and Waimea Canyon (one of my personal favorites), which has been known as the Grand Canyon of Hawaii! Kauai is the beautiful, rugged, wild part of Hawaii, and if I had to choose color theme it would be green, red, and turquoise - it’s true paradise and often feels like existing in the jungle. It’s also a great place for a helicopter tour! I also have a whole guide on eloping on Kauai here! Here are some of the best places to elope on Kauai…

 
 

Na Pali Coast Wedding

The Na Pali Coast is one of the most quintessentially Hawaii locations you’ll find, here you’ll see lush green mountains along the shore of Hawaii, with hiking trails, caves, boat tours, and limitless views. The jagged formations of the green mountains are such a beautiful contrast with the reddish-brown dirt and gem blue water.

Waimea Canyon Elopement

You’ve probably seen this epic spot in your search for a fantastic Hawaii elopement spot, or somewhere on Instagram. You might recognize Waimea Canyon by the iconic red dirt combined with mountain views and waterfalls, and there’s endless hiking trails to enjoy!

North Shore Beach Wedding

There’s so many gorgeous beach spots on the North Shore, and of course you’ll still have the mountain views as a backdrop too. You have multiple options for locations in the North Shore region, including Haena Beach Park, Tunnels Beach, and Waioli Beach Park.

South Shore Beach Wedding

On the South Shore, you’ll find cliffside views and more beautiful beaches, like Shipwreck Beach and other iconic spots!

Kokee State Park Wedding

If you’re into hiking and camping like me, definitely check out some of Kokee State Park’s trails!

 

Big Island Elopement

 

The Island of Hawaii, popularly known as the Big Island, offers some great excursions like snorkeling with manta rays, hiking, exploring volcanoes, and more. From greenery to volcanic rock to mountainous views, and waterfalls there’s so much to see and do in this beautiful part of Hawaii. Big Island makes me think of that deep black lava rock, lava fields, and greenery - if I had to choose a color theme it would be green, black, and blue - it’s absolutely stunning! I also have a whole guide on eloping on Big Island here!

Hawaii Volcano Wedding

This beautiful place is exactly what it sounds like – Hawaii Volcanoes National Park offers incredible lava rock formations, craters, and even active lava flow! 

Waipio Valley Wedding

From black sand beaches to waterfalls to overlook hikes and cliffside views, Waipi’O Valley on the north shore is a beautiful spot for your Big Island elopement.

Beach Hawaii Wedding

Here at the State Beach Parks, you’ll find more black sand beach views and unique lava rock formations - and you may even see some sea turtles lounging in the sand! Remember to “Leave No Trace” and leave wildlife be, but it’s nice to watch them from afar.

 

Oahu Elopement

 

Although Oahu has some stunning locations for a Hawaii elopement, it can also have more tourists and traffic, so we need to plan accordingly. Here you’ll find incredible Honolulu and Waikiki, and some famous spots including where Jurassic Park was filmed!

Makapuu Lookout Wedding

Makapu’u Lookout is another beautiful Hawaii location. I love to point out beautiful lookouts that don’t require much hiking to get to, and this is one of those spots! There’s nothing like catching a sunset at an overlook like this, with a short lighthouse trail hike. 

Kahana Bay Wedding

There’s definitely no shortage of beach views in Hawaii, and you’ll find more here at Kahana Bay, along with hiking and mountain views. 

Crouching Lion Wedding

If you want to do some real hiking for your elopement, Crouching Lion trail will bring ocean views, cliffside scenery, and mountain beauty.

Kaena Point Wedding

State Parks are some of my favorite spots, and I love Ka’ena Point State Park in particular. You can find opportunities for hiking and offloading here and some incredible sunset views.

 

Maui Elopement

*NOTE: Due to the devastating wildfires in 2023, I’m advising couples to hold off on Maui elopements for the time being*

 

Maui is one of the most popular honeymoon spots - I’ve had multiple couples who have honeymooned there too! You might have heard of the famous Road to Hana, which is a must-see, along with the whale watching and other fun tours.

Haleakala Wedding

National Parks have a special place in my heart, and I’ll always recommend them for your elopement experience. As one of Hawaii’s National Parks, Haleakala National Park it truly lives up to that. For a beautiful sunset spot, I’d recommend Haleakala Summit.

Red Sand Beach Wedding /
Kaihalulu Beach Wedding

Red Sand Beach is just as magical place is just how it sounds, a beautiful scenery of red sand and a marvelous beach location. You also get to experience a lovely hike to get there.

Makaluapuna Point Wedding

Here at Makaluapuna Point, you’ll find more of Hawaii’s lava rock formations, beaches, and epic sunset views. You can check out Oneloa Beach, and several gorgeous lookout spots for your Maui elopement.

Honokalani Black Sand Beach Wedding

It’s amazing how many different colors Hawaii’s sands come in – at Honokalani Black Sand Beach you’ll find enchanting black sand contrasted with luscious greenery and beach views.

 


 

Lanai Wedding

Lanai has some of the coolest excursions in Hawaii and is actually one of the smallest islands. You can find some fantastic 4-Wheel-Drive adventures, red rock formations, abandoned shipwrecks, and more.

Shipwreck Beach Wedding /
Kalolohia Beach Wedding

If you want to do a little offloading, you can drive out to Shipwreck Beach with a 4WD vehicle and check out the shipwrecks, which are pretty surreal to see. 

Sweetheart Rock Wedding /
Puu Pehe Wedding

With a story rooted in Hawaiian folklore, Sweetheart Rock offers a short hike brings an incredible reward looking out to the bay.

 


 

Molokai Wedding

The island of Molokai brings some of Hawaii’s beautiful culture and history, massive sea cliffs, and best of all it has less tourists too, so you’ll get more of the local experience of Hawaii. 

Kalaupapa National Historic Park Wedding

Another of Hawaii’s glorious parks, Kalaupapa National Historic Park is a historical site with an interesting connection to Hawaii’s history and offers beautiful sea cliff views.

Halawa Valley Wedding

One of Hawaii’s many natural beauties, Halawa Valley is the perfect place for a waterfall hike and scenic drives through the island.

 

Hawaii Beach Wedding

 

Hawaii Beach Wedding Locations

Kauai Beach Wedding

Oahu Beach Wedding

Maui Beach Wedding

Big Island Beach Wedding

 

Best Time to Get Married in Hawaii

Weather in Hawaii

Weather is one of things we can never truly predict, so we just plan as much as we can and embrace what the day may bring! I have photographed in rain and snow and think it’s absolutely beautiful! That being said, here’s a few things to consider when it comes to Hawaii’s climate…

April to June is what I would recommend most, likely bringing more warm days and less summer tourists. July to August tend to be hotter and will mean more tourists. September to November is less hot but may be more rainy as well. December to March will probably have a more moody vibe to your day, with possible fog, dramatic skies, and some sunshine too. 


Hawaii Elopement Photographer

 

PC: Julia Kathleen

I’m your Hawaii Elopement Photographer & Guide, experience creator, resource provider, planning consultant, location scouter, idea machine, and adventure buddy

I’m your personal GUIDE, your PLANNER, and your BEST FRIEND! As both your Hawaii expert and your elopement expert, I’m here to help craft the experience of your dreams - and capture it all for you! I’ll be there every step of the way to help make your vision come to life…

LET’S DO THIS!!

 

 

HEY - I’M SARAH!

I’m your elopement expert + experience creator, designing and capturing your unique wedding.

 
 

I’m your PLANNER too!

I’ll help you plan your elopement from start to finish!

*You’ll have an EXPERT by your side the whole way*

 

Contact Me

I’ll email you back right away!