Best Hawaii Wedding Locations

Island weddings: Best spots for tying the knot in Hawaii

By JEANNE COOPER
SAN FRANSISCO CHRONICLE

Every season is wedding season in Hawai'i, thanks to its romantic venues, year-round warm weather and instant-honeymoon appeal. (And the same allure applies to same-sex commitment ceremonies in the islands, where legislation to allow civil unions was pending at press time.) For those who are "making it legal," a same-day marriage license costs just $60, with no blood tests or U.S. citizenship required.

While sandy settings remain popular -- so much so that most beaches now require permits for nuptials -- couples can choose from many other scenic sites, as independent wedding planners and hotel coordinators are happy to tell you. Here are five options that may be familiar to local lovers but not to the Mainland's marriage-minded, as well as some new twists on tying the knot in Hawai'i:

1. Shipshape ceremonies

The ordained captain of the 1,500-passenger Star of Honolulu performs legal weddings (and commitment cerimonies) on its 60-foot-high observation deck just before embarking on a sightseeing cruise from the Aloha Tower Marketplace. The basic captain's wedding package starts at $500 per couple, including a lei cake with souvenir server, reserved window seating, a toast and two glasses of sparkling wine, and commemorative photo, with cruise choices running from a lunch buffet with seasonal whale watching to three- , five- and seven-course dinner shows at sunset (the last with live jazz.) Private reception lounges are available for an additional fee if lots of guests are coming aboard.

Latest twist: Star of Honolulu's Rolls Royce Wedding includes the captain's wedding amenities, but adds a round-trip transfer from Waikiki hotels in a Rolls Royce and includes the two-hour sunset jazz cruise with seven-course French dinner and premium drinks. The package costs $1,655 per couple, with upgrades (bigger wedding cake, etc.) available.

2. Royal romance

Called the "Westminster Abbey of Hawai'i," Kawaiaha'o Church was the first church to be built in O'ahu, made of 1,000-pound coral slabs hand-quarried underwater and carried by canoes to shore. King Kamehameha III attended its opening services in 1842, an association with the Hawaiian monarchy that continues today: The royal pews are marked with kāhili (feather staffs), special Ali'i Sunday services honor eight royals on the Sundays closest to their birthdays, and 21 portraits of the ali'i hang on the sanctuary's upper walls.

Bridal parties who aren't church members may still walk in regal footsteps -- with a mandatory premarital counseling session, marriage license and approved minister -- by renting the historic sanctuary. The cost begins at $1,500, with decorations and minister's honorarium starting at $150 each and musicians at $75 per person; check the church's Wedding Center Web page for details.

Ultra-luxury twist: If exchanging vows in blue-blood surroundings is appealing, and your budget is well in the black, think pink. The rose-colored Royal Hawaiian Hotel, reopened in 2009 after a major makeover, offers distinctive wedding packages (also available as commitment ceremonies) in the royal coconut grove of Helumoa, a peaceful enclave off the now open-air lobby, and other picturesque sites. For the one-hour wedding packages, hosted in the coconut grove, the base price of $4,300 includes an officiant, a music duo, floral arch, bridal bouquet and groom's boutonniere, bottle of sparkling wine, two-tiered wedding cake, certificate and up to 50 chairs for guests, along with a wedding-day coordinator.

For those who'd also like a touch of Hollywood nobility on their big day, the "Pink Palace of the Pacific" recently announced new wedding packages created by event planner David Beahm, who designed the nuptials of Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas. The overnight packages, named for Hawaiian royalty, include chauffeur service from the airport, welcome leis, lomilomi massages at theAbhasa Spa, dinner at Azure or in a private cabana, a suite with breakfast in bed, wedding-day leis and bridal bouquet, and an hourlong photograph session, among other amenities; prices begin at $9,500 plus tax. (As with most hotel packages, wedding party members also receive discounts on room rates and spa treatments.)

3. Waterfall weddings

While Hawai'i has no cataract known as Bridalveil Falls, à la Yosemite, some cascades could earn the nickname as a photo backdrop. Wedding coordinators such as Merry Maui Weddings and Aloha Maui Gay Weddings can arrange nuptials at a private estate in Ha'ikū, on Maui's North Shore, where a waterfall tumbles dramatically down a steep cliff into the ocean. The approximate cost to use the unique cliffside perch begins at $1,650 for two hours, with additional fees to host a reception. For a location closer to the Valley Isle's resorts, photographer Vincent Salamander of Merry Maui Weddings also recommends the Tropical Gardens of Maui in 'Īao Valley. The intimate venue includes a koi pond with three-tiered waterfall, labeled botanical gardens and a Victorian-style wedding gazebo; the rental fee starts at $475, with a maximum of 20 guests.

On O'ahu, Captain Howie performs weddings and same-sex commitment ceremonies in Pukalani Falls Hawai'i Wedding Garden, his tropical oasis across from Waimānalo Beach; couples can get exchange vows in one location and shoot photos in the other. In addition to the natural-looking waterfall, the garden site includes a koi pond fed by two brooks and several parrots that will pose with the happy couple. The base rate, which includes consultation, an audio CD recording, conch shell blowing and toast with sparkling apple cider, starts at $225, with many other services available.

Rugged twist: Thanks to Ride the Rim Outfitters and Kona Weddings, adventurous couples can drive an ATV or ride in an open-air Kawasaki Mule to the rim of the Big Island's Waipi'o Valley, where a two-tiered, 60-foot waterfall flows into pools fringed by banana trees and wild ginger. After the ceremony, the wedding party can take a dip in the pools; the ride back includes magnificent views of other waterfalls across the 3-mile wide valley, which lies almost 2,000 feet below. The site fee is $1,500, with separate charges for other necessities arranged by Kona Weddings. Fastidious folks have the option of a van ride -- or just their wedding outfits, to keep them pristine -- to the waterfall.

A Must See: Hawaii's Volcanoes At Night

Taking a hike around the volcanoes at Hawaii are thrilling, but see them at night and it's even more spectacular.   For a unique way to see these awe-inspiring displays of nature, Hawaii Forest & Trail is offering a new Twilight Volcano Adventure— a full-day exploration of  Hawaii Volcanoes National Park that really comes into the best beauty at sunset where lava meets the sea on the coast of  Kalapana, Hawaii.

The new Twilight Volcano Adventure departs the Kona-Kohala Coast in a comfortable customized 12 passenger van and traverses the saddle between Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa—two of the world's largest mountains which are inhabited by some of the rarest plants and animals on earth; a real thrill for the nature lovers.

Upon arrival at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii Forest & Trail's Interpretive Guide will lead nature lovers to the must-see spots and hidden treasures of this World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Preserve. The afternoon includes a short flashlight exploration through Kaumana Cave and an up-close view of the current billowing eruption at Halemaumau Crater, legendary home of the fire goddess Madame Pele.

As sunset approaches, the tour heads north to Kalapana to view the flow at twilight, when lava glows red against the blued backdrop of dusk. The journey concludes with a sit-down dinner in the rustic old plantation town of Pahoabefore returning to the Kona-Kohala Coast.  Tour itineraries may vary due to any unexpected  volcanic activity during the day.

Why A Cruise is a Great Vacation

If you haven't ever considered taking a cruise, you really should.  It is a great vacation that affords visits to places you may not have never seen and offers so many benefits to relax and enjoy a vacation.  If you really haven’t made up your mind and you’ve never taken a cruise before consider the benefits of taking a cruise vacation.

First of all, Cruising Gives You a Vacation on your way to a beautiful vacation spot!  Even though flying to a vacation or resort is the fastest way to get where you want to go, consider that at a resort, you are really only at one location only.  A cruise offers you the benefit of having non-stop fun while you are en route to your vacation destination spots. There are several different types of on-deck activities for you to choose from or if you prefer to do absolutely nothing you can do that too by kicking back at the pool or working on that tan while relaxing on deck and while you are able to take in the wide expanse of ocean and the generous sun rays.

Cruises are All-Inclusive to include your room and all the food you can eat all day and all night.  When you cruise you don’t have the hassle of budgeting for meals and other necessities. The price of your cruise covers all your food, non-alcoholic beverages and even your activities and entertainment to include many great shows and in some cases, learning activities.
On a Cruise you only have to unpack once, even though you are visiting multiple locations.  If you want to have the trill of visiting more than one place, but you can’t imagine lugging around your bags and then packing and unpacking everywhere you go, a cruise is just the thing for you. Your chosen cruise stateroom is your home base. You get onboard, unpack and then you leave all your clothing and other items on the ship while you explore the latest port of call to shop, snorkel, dive, visit a scenic spot or whatever you would like to do.  Then, when you are ready, you just come back on board for the night to rest and relax.

A Cruise offers so many exciting places of interest and ports of call - you might even find a new place to vacation at for your next vacation.  Why should you pick just one resort or a single place to visit? A cruise is a great option if you are not sure where you want to go. You can choose a region and then narrow it down to one that stops at a few places you may be curious about while having a small taste of the region as a whole rather than being confined only to one country. After you have sailed through the area you might decide to take a second look on a more detailed visit but a cruise can certainly be a great eye-opener.  My wife and I have discovered that we just love visiting the Mayan Ruins and Pyramids, we have learned so much about the Mayan culture, and have visited many beautiful rain forests.
There are so many reasons and benefits to taking a cruise for a honeymoon (or wedding), anniversary, family vacation travel, quick getaway - you name it - the only question there is - "WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO?"

If you need help picking out a great cruise to Alaska, Europe, Hawaii, The Caribbean or anywhere you would like travel - give us a call, we can help you plan it.  Melodyfarms Travel - 866-526-2929.

Carnival Valor vs. Celebrity Solstice: A Comparison

Introduction 

As a travel agent, I have to tell you that to me, cruising is a lot of fun regardless of which cruise line you are traveling on.  It’s pretty much all what you make it.  If you look for all the positives or negatives, you can find pro and con on any cruise line.  The main thing that you should get out of a cruise is the fun and the education of new places to visit.   There is something to do for everyone on any cruise line, older, younger, family, anniversary, vacation, wedding, honeymoon – you name it, there is something for you on any cruise line.  There are lots of activities on each cruise ship all designed to either educate you, offer new or familiar activities, provide relaxation in the sun, have dancing and night life, and the list goes on. 

For me, the best part is the travel to places that you might have not been to, or to gather ideas for your next vacation.  For example, a few years ago, we visited St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands and fell in love with it; we liked it so much that the following year we went back and stayed on St. Thomas for one week, also visiting St. John’s Island nearby.  The beaches are just gorgeous and there were so many to choose from on each island, we visited a different one every day while there. 

If you are into cultural history, as we are, we love to visit Mexico and Central America to see all the Mayan Pyramids and Mayan Ruins.  In May, we went aboard the Carnival Valor to see the pyramids Altun Ha in Belize – very beautiful site.  This month, we left on July 4^th aboard the Celebrity Solstice and will get a chance to see some new pyramids in Costa Maya.  Do we have fun on the cruise ships?  You bet, each offers something different and I’m going to do my personal comparative analysis of the Carnival Valor and the Celebrity Solstice.

Have A Beautiful Wedding in Mexico!

Whether you want to have a festive destination wedding or a secluded honeymoon escape, Mexico has everything you want and need. From a practical standpoint, Mexico offers myriad options that combine the wedding ceremony and honeymoon, in some cases at a fraction of the cost of a traditional wedding. All-inclusives abound, making it more affordable for you and your guests. Here are some of the best locations to consider for your wedding or honeymoon.

Riviera Nayarit
Mexico’s newest resort destination is continuing to grow by leaps and bounds, and the wedding and honeymoon packages are extraordinary. The region extends along the entire coast of the Pacific state of Nayarit including the resorts of Nuevo Vallarta, the historic colonial town of San Blas, exclusive Punta Mita, picturesque fishing villages, miles of serene beaches and spectacular Banderas Bay. With 100 miles of golden sand beaches just north of the Puerto Vallarta airport on the Pacific coast of Mexico, Riviera Nayarit offers couples a beach getaway with endless activities and entertainment. There is something for everyone—nature, adventure, culture, history, spas, dining, entertainment, shopping, beaches and plenty of sun. Construction on new hotels is underway including top brands such as Park Hyatt,Capella, Grupo Vidanta, Iberostar and Grand Hyatt over the next two years.

Cancun
Planning a wedding or honeymoon may only be a few years removed from their own spring break adventures in Cancun, but be assured that this destination has plenty to offer for couples. In fact, each year nearly 5,000 couples head to Cancun to have a destination wedding. Located on the northeastern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula and bordered by the Caribbean Sea and tranquil Nichupte Lagoon, Cancun boasts a 16-mile stretch of beach filled with numerous hotels, from four-star luxury to group-friendly all-inclusives. As everyone knows, when the sun goes down, Cancun lights up. Rock, jazz, Latin, salsa and reggae seep from numerous clubs and discos. For a quieter scene, the newly married couple may prefer to check out the more sophisticated lobby bars of hotels for flamenco and jazz. Another good option is dinner cruises offering music and dancing on the waves.