Are you planning an elopement to Hawaii and wondering how to pull it off with your budget? Take it from someone who lives here - Hawaii can be a very expensive place to visit and also live. Without proper planning, expenditures can skyrocket!
Before you start planning an elopement to Hawaii, know your budget. There are certain non-negotiables that you will need to account for.
MARRIAGE LICENSE - $65.00 Payable to Hawaii State. This is required. You may also need to meet with a private agent to obtain the license in hand, which is an additional $5 cash (Total $70.00).
FLIGHTS - Depending on where you are departing from, flights can range from $500 to $1200 round trip. If you are on a tight budget, plan to visit in January or February, when flights are the lowest. You can scout out flights on Google, which will send you flight notifications when prices drop. When you are 100% set on your flight, you can even book through Expedia, which offers "Price Match" and will give you money back if there is a decrease in your flight. Buyer beware, however, you can't change your flight with Expedia, so if you decide to make changes to your flight, you could end up paying more. If this is an issue for your, booking directly through the airline may be the way to go.
HOTELS- You can find an awesome hotel or Airbnb if you look around. I love Booking.com because most of the rentals offer free cancellation. Just be sure to check the distance of your place to the distance to Kailua Kona, Hawaii (KOA) or Hilo, Hawaii (ITO) so you know how far away you are staying from the airport and general amenities. If you can find a place with a tiny kitchen, get it! Then you can go to the grocery store to prepare your own meals and avoid the high costs of eating all our meals out.
CAR - Rent one, you need one. You will end up spending all your money on Uber or just be stranded in town. Big Island, Hawaii is huge and a vehicle is necessary. I always use Costco Travel to rent cars. You can book, cancel, and wait for better rates. Hands down, it is the best, no fuss way to rent vehicles in Hawaii.
FOOD- Big Island has several chain stores for picking up groceries and small local stores, such as Walmart, Target, Safeway, Costco (Kona Side), KTA (local grocery) and Foodland. You can stop at one of these stores within your budget to prepare your own meals and plan a few meals out to save your budget.
WEDDING TEAM - This can be as simple as just your wedding officiant or your all inclusive wedding package. There are many services island-wide that offer basic to elaborate Hawaii wedding planning services for couples looking to elope. Depending on how much you would like to splurge on your elopement will determine what type of service you need. You can explore our all inclusive elopement packages here - ELOPEMENTS
FUN- Locals love Hawaii because it is free to have fun here. You do not actually need to pay to sight see, explore, and have a great time. The beach is free and so are all of the incredible sights. If you want to do something incredible with your money, check out some tours that you cannot do on your own! - such as Mauna Kea Summit Adventures, Ehu and Kai Kayak Adventures, Body Glove Whale Watching Tours, Kahaluu Surf & Sea Surf Lessons, Umauma Falls Ziplining, or Kulaniapia Falls Waterfall Rappelling.
SAVE MORE MONEY - If you want to really explore the island, you can consider renting a camper van. There are a few places to camp and explore the island, including many outdoor public showers and the incredible Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. You will need a National Park pass to entire the park, and do some more exploring of Hawaii County Parks to learn of public facilities available to you.
Once you have your accommodations, marriage license application, vehicle and officiant, you'll be ready for your Hawaii elopement on a budget!
Need more help? Check out our post - Elope On Big Island In 5 Easy Steps
Aloha - Deanna - Kona Wedding Officiant®, Owner, Licensed Minister & Marriage Officiant.
To learn more about planning your perfect wedding day in Hawaii, explore our main page - http://www.konaweddingofficiant.com or connect with us anytime to book your dream destination wedding at Kona Wedding Officiant® konaweddingofficiant@gmail.com 808-209-6275
Photography Provided by Kona Wedding Officiant® Associate Photography Team All Images protected by Copyright of Kona Wedding Officiant®
#konaweddingofficiant #wedding #brides #weddingday #weddingphotography #weddingdress #bigislandhawaii #weddinginspiration #destinationwedding #idoatthebeach #hawaiiwedding #alohaweddings #hawaiiweddingplanner #beachbride #hawaiiweddingstyle #hawaiiweddingcoordinator #beachlife #hawaiiweddingvenue #hawaiiweddingpros #hawaiiweddingideas #bohowedding #hawaiiweddingflorist #hawaiiweddingphotograher #hawaiiweddinghair #hawaiiweddinginspiration #beachweddingideas #hawaiiweddingofficiant #dreamwedding #hawaiiweddingdecor #hawaiiweddingflowers