I’m going to take a small diversion from my regular writing about yoga, clean beauty, and healthy living. I had the privilege to get married in Maui this spring and it was everything (and more) I could have hoped for. As we were planning, I found it hard to research how to plan a simple Maui wedding, so I figured I’d use this blog as a way to support the amazing people we met along the way.
My husband and I wanted to get married in Maui to avoid the stress of “traditional” weddings, so we boarded a plane and headed to paradise. Below I’ve outlined some of the best recommendations for getting married, since planning from afar is tricky, especially when you haven’t been to the island before.
We decided to travel with just the two of us (so this was more of an elopement than a destination wedding), and we’re throwing a party for close friends and family in Malibu this fall. You can read more about how we’re planning a sustainable/green wedding HERE.
Why Maui?
We chose Maui over Kauai and Oahu for a few reasons: Maui is known as a romantic getaway island, catering to newlyweds, honeymooners and babymooners. Second, we wanted an island that was easy to navigate and still had some night life. Kauai is on our short list, but for more of an adventure-oriented vacation (hiking, camping etc). Oahu is a vibrant city, but living in L.A. we needed a break from the hustle and bustle.
Selecting a Beach to Get Married On
This was probably the most challenging of tasks since beaches can be crowded and we didn’t know the island. We ultimate chose a beach that was a short ten minute drive from our hotel, in Makena State Park, on the southwestern side of the island. We chose Makena Cove Beach, also known as “secret” beach which is located after the first three beach entrances for Makena State Park. The location was stunning and spoiler alert, the beach is far from secret. We shared the small beach with several other families and one other wedding couple. We were hoping for something very private, but to be honest it didn’t matter because the scenery was so stunning. You’re surrounded by black lava rocks, crashing waves, and beautiful greenery.
We stayed at the Andaz Hotel (more on that below) and noticed there were very long private stretches of beach that would have provided for a very private and beautiful wedding ceremony. Keep in mind we only had the two of us and a photographer, so the beach at Makena Cove or Andaz Beach wouldn’t work for larger groups. The Andaz does provide a stunning view of the ocean for those that want to get married on a grassy knoll right next to the beach (something I would highly recommend if you have a group that is less than 50 people or so).
There were many beautiful beaches in Hana as well, but they weren’t as easily accessible as the western side of the island. Lahaina has some beautiful, but shallow beaches, so I would recommend sticking to the Wailea area.
How to Obtain a Beach Permit
A beach permit is required for weddings, but is easy to obtain. The first step is to go to WedSafe to secure insurance for your event, after you have chosen your beach. After completing your online wedding insurance (approximately $100), apply for a beach permit through the Hawaii Parks and Recreation Department. Their team was incredibly helpful and send a one page permit to be shown if asked (no one asked us for a permit).
Time of Day
Based on feedback from the photographer we chose to get married at 6:00 PM, an hour before the 7:00 PM sunset. The lighting was perfect and I’m grateful we chose to get married in the evening, we spent the morning snorkeling, working out, and lounging by the pool!
Time of Year
We chose mid-May based on Maui’s weather, our work schedules, and tourism trends on the island. Mid-May is popular for weddings on Maui, however it’s in between busy seasons for most tourists. This made for a relaxed vibe at the hotels we stayed at, less traffic on the Road to Hana, and perhaps most important, we always got a beach chair!
Photographer
We hired a photographer for one hour to capture our vows and then take some wedding photos. I would HIGHLY recommend Pacific Dream Photography, who was personally recommended by a friend who lives on Maui. We had Zach as a photographer and he captured our style perfectly, was easy going, and took stunning photos (see photo above!). The price tag per hour is high (~$900), but worth it. We had 200+ photos, all of which we love, and they were delivered to us within four days. The cost of the one hour includes all photo editing and the photo kit (with USB drive) mailed to your house.
Florist
Another tricky thing is choosing a florist who will meet your needs, Bella Bloom Maui made a perfect bouquet, boutonnier and flowers for my hair. They hand delivered the flowers to our hotel, were very affordable (~$350) and made the perfect arrangements based on a few simple directions and pinterest photos.
Hair & Makeup
I have a friend, makeup artist and hair stylist Jill Mahon, who is one of Maui’s finest wedding stylists. She will come to your hotel room to get you ready for your special day and tailors styles based on the bride’s personal taste. She has spent her career owning hair salons so she knows what she is doing. The best part is she wrapped up my hair and makeup in 90 minutes and actually got my stick straight hair to curl! Another huge benefit, she uses non-toxic makeup, which not only lasts all day, but is formulated with safer, non-toxic ingredients. My safer makeup recommendations for your wedding day can be found HERE.
Hotel/Lodging
We spent the first four nights at the Andaz Hotel in Wailea… it’s probably the best resort on the island. Beautiful rooms with a clean and modern design, four infinity pools, free access to snorkel equipment, traditional canoe rides, large gym, and incredible reefs for snorkeling right in front of the hotel. We booked through Costco to receive savings on our room, if you’re a member I would take advantage of this discount, as the hotel is pricey.
From there we took a trip down the Road to Hana, which is highly recommended. You get to see the jungle parts of the island, waterfalls, black and red sand beaches. We stayed at a little (affordable) room in the jungle and went on the 7 Sacred Pools of the Ohe’o hike, heading two miles to the Waimoku Falls, through a bamboo forest…it was amazing! (I have heard that the Travaasa Hotel is one of the best places to stay in Hana.)
Then we headed to Lahaina to end our trip and stayed in a lovely condo just south of town. This was nice for a few reasons, by this point in the trip we were ready to cook our own food and Lahaina is a quaint—albeit touristy—little beach town. The mountains prove to be a stunning backdrop to your beach and pool time.
Surfing
While we were in Lahaina we wanted to take surf lessons, and the Rivers To The Sea surfing company did not disappoint. Tide River, the owner of the company is a native Hawaiian, laid back, excellent instructor and has rave reviews by major new publications like The New York Times. As it turns out, Tide has also taught major celebrities (like Jake Gyllenhaal, Claire Danes, Zac Efron) how to surf. We chose the semi-private lessons, where it was the two of us, 90 minutes and surfing for the first time. We got up on our boards several times, and Tide taught us how to time the waves, stand up and ride the wave. We loved his lesson so much that we went back for a second one two days later.
Sunscreen that Won’t Harm Coral Reefs
I’d be remiss not to mention the importance of choosing safer sunscreen when you head to Maui. Still unknown to many, common ingredients in sunscreen, like oxybenzone, are not only linked to health impacts, they harm coral reefs. The snorkeling is amazing in Maui and it stirs up a deep appreciation for protecting our brilliant and fragile environment. Many people unknowingly spray or rub on conventional sunscreen before heading out on a snorkeling trip, without knowing that the product they just applied to protect their skin is bad for the coral reefs.
I would highly recommend purchasing this All Over Protect SPF 30 sunscreen (cream form & water resistant) and Body Stick SPF 30 (stick form & water resistant… I use this on my face!) before heading to Maui. These two products are mineral based sunscreens that apply easily, without white streaks, and won’t harm you or the environment. They have also consistently ranked as the best Sport Sunscreens by Environmental Working Group’s Sun Safety Report. To learn more about the importance of choosing non-toxic sunscreen, click HERE.
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