Hawaiian wedding services at spectacular waterfall gardens and secluded beaches are our specialty. Celebrate your s ...
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• Hawaii is home to the tallest mountain on the planet: Mauna Kea on the Big Island measured from the seafloor tops out at 33,476 feet. From sea level it measures 13,796 feet high. More >>
• Hawaii has no snakes in the wild.
• Hawaii is the most geographically isolated population center on earth. The Hawaiian Islands are 2,000 miles from the Marshall Islands; 2,390 miles from California; 2,500 miles from Tahiti; 3,850 miles from Japan; 4,900 miles from China; and 5,280 miles from the Philippines.
• Hawaii is home to the longest continuously erupting volcano in recorded history: Kilauea Caldera on the Big Island of Hawaii has been producing a lava flow since January 1983. More >>
• Hawaii has two official languages — English and Hawaiian. More >>
• 'Iolani Palace in Honolulu's Capitol District featured electricity before even the White House in Washington, D.C. More about the Palace >>
• Hawaiian monarch King David Kalakaua (reign 1874 to 1891), was the first reigning monarch to circumnavigate the globe and the first foreign head of state to speak before a joint session of the U.S. Congress.
1.
Unblemished Beaches
If saying "I do" to the sound of the surf is your idea of heaven, you've come to the right place. Kauai is home to beautiful, unblemished beaches many of them quiet, secluded and perfect for an intimate exchange of vows. Better yet, public beaches and parks are available free of charge. A few sand-strewn suggestions:
LUMAHAI BEACH Talk about magical...The musical, "South Pacific," was filmed along this superb stretch of sand on the North Shore, where Mitzi Gaynor "washed that man right of her hair." Remember Bali Hai rising in the distance? You'll find it here, at Kauai's most photographed beach, just a few minutes' walk from the highway. The given name of "Bali Hai" is actually Mt. Makana.
MAHAULEPU BEACH You're likely to find this romantic beach on the south shore quiet and largely uninhabited. Getting there is a bit of an adventure. A dirt road will take you to a security shack where you'll be asked to show ID and sign a liability release before continuing on to private property. The payoff? A good possibility of your own private piece of golden beach or sea cliff.
POLIHALE BEACH This remote expanse of shimmering sand, translated as "home of the spirits" in Hawaiian, is framed by dramatic cliffs. Located on the west end of the famed Na Pali coastline, this state park houses picnic facilities and restrooms.
SHIPWRECK BEACH Even the name sounds exotic, inspiring images of swashbucklers and buried treasure. Located on Keoneloa Bay, Shipwreck Beach is one of the biggest in Poipu and particularly suited to stunning wedding photos, especially with rocky Makawehi Point in the background. Several beautiful resorts lie conveniently near its sunny shores.
POIPU BEACH Plenty of sunshine, cool trades and soft white sand make this south shore location a favorite with travelers. Rated a "top beach in America," this sweep of shimmering shoreline is perfect for pictures, especially at sunset, and is conveniently located near Poipu resorts. The adjacent Poipu Beach Park, also encompassing Brennecke Beach, has an expanse of green lawn, towering palms, and picnic and rest facilities.
LYDGATE BEACH PARK This beach on Kauai's Coconut Coast seems to have it all: more than two miles of golden sand, grassy spaces nearby, picnic pavilions, shade trees, rest facilities PLUS a playground! (Keep that young ring bearer or flower girl happy!)
WAIPOULI BEACH or ALA KUKUI POINT Head to Kauai's east side for this picturesque garden setting: palm trees, a profusion of flowers, white sand and mountains rising in the background.
KE'E BEACH Considered "the place" to watch the sun set on Kauai's North Shore, this stunning beach boasts a lava peak that trails into the sea and emerald mountains beyond the beach. Consider an early, weekday wedding at this popular and often-busy beach.
HANALEI BAY Situated at the foot of a sheer cliff and bordered by a rocky point, picturesque Hanalei Bay is renowned for its unparalleled natural beauty. The sandy beach wraps around a shoreline at different times of the year calm and surf-strewn, but always lovely. The Pier at Hanalei is another option, promising magnificent memories and photos.
PRINCEVILLE BEACH This lovely spot on the celebrated North shore offers a white sand beach and Mt. Makana ("Bali Hai") as a backdrop.
2.
Tropical Retreats
The Garden Isle is known for its lush landscape, so consider a tropical garden or other green retreat for your special day. Explore these possibilities:
NA 'AINA KAI This once-private estate spans 240 acres and encompasses 12 distinct gardens, a hardwood plantation, an orchard, and an untouched beach between a meadow and the ocean. More than 60 bronze sculptures dot the landscape. Site fee
KILOHANA PLANTATION Charming Kilohana Plantation takes visitors back to the days when sugar was king in Kauai. The 36-acre estate offers idyllic garden wedding sites plus a horse-and-carriage tour of the property, which also houses a renowned, romantic restaurant, Gaylord's at Kilohana. Free admission with dinner at Gaylord's
KUKUIOLO GARDENS These beautiful gardens on the island's south side feature ancient rock walls and tropical flowers. $50 fee
WAIOLI GARDENS This charming and private setting showcases expansive flowering gardens, waterfall views and a 200-year-old missionary home with a white picket fence. Free
JAPANESE GARDEN/Kukuiolono Golf Course This pretty garden features lovely flowers and foliage plus a footbridge. Free
WAILUA TROPICAL GARDENS Step back in time about 2,000 years to marry amid this authentic Hawaiian village with lush flowers, peacocks and a pond graced by white swans. Site fee
KUKUI HEIAU One of only a handful of heiau sacred ancient Hawaiian sites of worship open for weddings, Kukui is near the mouth of the Wailua River and is especially scenic at daybreak. Free
3.
Charming Chapels
There's nothing ordinary about a church wedding in Kauai, home to charming, historic churches as well as lovely wedding chapels. Here are a handful of serene and spiritual settings to consider:
CHURCH OF THE PACIFIC This pretty Princeville church lies on a peaceful country road and overlooks the ocean and mountains. You can select the sanctuary or an outdoor gazebo.
CHURCH AT KOLOA Built in 1859, the landmark Church At Koloa is one of the oldest and most gracious churches in Kauai.
ST. RAPHAEL ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH The island's oldest Catholic church, St. Raphael's was founded in 1841 in Koloa on land originally owned by King Kamehameha III.
CHRIST MEMORIAL EPISCOPAL CHURCH Built with native stone in 1941, this Kilauea church has stained glass windows and a hand-carved altar.
UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST This charming green church in Waioli was shipped in pieces to Kauai from New England in the 1920s.
WAIOLI HUI'IA CHURCH Dating from the 1830s, this church in Hanalei is a fine example of the merging of traditional Hawaiian taste with New England architecture.
ST. SYLVESTER'S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Lava rock and wood form this octagonal church near the banks of a stream that flows through Kilauea. Artist Jean Charlot painted its interior frescoes.
THE CHAPEL AT COCO PALMS The chapel made famous in Elvis' "Blue Hawaii" offers a picturesque setting thatched roof, swaying palms and nearby lagoon in the celebrated Coconut Grove.
CHAPEL BY THE SEA Designed just for weddings, this exquisite, octagonal chapel at the Kauai Marriott Lagoons has European flair in a tropical setting with tranquil lagoons.
Princeville Resort
4.
Romantic Resorts
Kauai has a number of romantic resorts to choose from, each with its own distinctive character. All happily accommodate weddings and honeymoons, and can offer the convenience of an "all-in-one" package plus show-stopping grounds and shorelines.
PRINCEVILLE RESORT Indulge yourself at this luxurious resort, featuring private terraces that afford uninterrupted views of beautiful Hanalei Bay and Mt. Makana ("Bali Hai"). The hotel has gorgeous grounds and beach, waterfall views, fabulous sunsets and fine restaurants that also offer private dinners.
RADISSON KAUAI BEACH RESORT Spacious garden and ocean settings are available at the delightful Radisson, located oceanfront in Lihue.
KAUAI MARRIOTT HOTEL Located on lovely Kalapaki Bay, the 800-acre Marriott offers superb tropical gardens with waterfalls and romantic private dinners.
5.
Standing on Ceremony
Quiet Kauai has long been a favorite for weddings. Think Elvis in "Blue Hawaii," floating on a barge through coconut palms crooning "The Hawaiian Wedding Song." You can retrace those famous steps if you opt for a Blue Hawaii Wedding. Marry in the same chapel then float on a decorated canoe with two paddlers through lovely lagoons and stroll the lush grounds profuse with flowers, foliage and immense palms.
One of Kauai's most famous ceremonies is the Fern Grotto wedding, performed at a tropical oasis along the Wailua River. This private spot is only accessible by boat about a 15-minute journey and is secluded. The grotto is actually a magnificent fern-draped cave that creates a natural chapel for your wedding vows.
Also on Kauai, you can choose a private, beachfront Hawaiian Wedding Special that includes all things Hawaiian: A Hawaiian minister who provides a blessing in Hawaiian, traditional wedding leis pikake for the bride, maile for the groom; a Hawaiian conch shell blower; a Hawaiian musician and other extras, like keepsake champagne flutes and wedding photos.
6.
Hoofing It
Limos are lovely, but if you really want to travel in style, consider a fairytale carriage ride by Plantation Carriages. Climb aboard a circa 1827 French wedding carriage drawn by a pair of magnificent Clydesdales and travel down lovely Island roads to your wedding or reception destination. Both carriage and patent leather harness are polished to a shine.
Some favored romantic routes include the grounds at the Kauai Marriott's Lagoons, an oceanfront jaunt at the Hyatt Regency Kauai, Na 'Aina Kai's botanical gardens and sculpture park, the gardens at Gaylord's at Kilohana Plantation and from Waioli Church through quaint Hanalei town.
7.
Making Beautiful Music
Nothing puts you in the mood for love like beautiful music. And though Hawaiian music is an obvious choice, couples can choose from an array of musical styles.
Celestial Music features harpist Carmen Dragon and other accomplished musicians performing classical, jazz, Celtic and opera. Gordon Marron, Hal Kinnaman and Kauai Musical Arts perform Hawaiian music, classical, jazz, and pop.
Helen Turner performs a classical repertoire of wedding songs from Ode to Joy to the Hawaiian Wedding Song on flute or, accompanied by guitarist Jeff Iglesia, numbers ranging from Debussy, Chopin and Bach classics. The pair can also perform jazz, Latin and pop numbers.
Get your groove on with Kustom Sounds Kauai, a mobile DJ company with more than 14 years of wedding experience, that can bring the party to you. The company offers a wide sound collection, experienced DJs, and top equipment with sound and light.
8.
Food, Glorious Food
Why confine your wedding menu to cake and champagne, when you can toast your vows with some of the most innovative and delicious food found in the Islands. Choose from lavish receptions or intimate dinners even a romantic repast for two! A few ideas to nibble on:
Pacific Rim and Pacific Ocean pleasurably combine at the Beach House Restaurant on Kauai, a popular, award-winning restaurant on the Poipu coastline. This multi-level restaurant, named "one of the Most Romantic Restaurants in Hawaii" by the Travel Network, happily accommodates private parties for special occasions like yours. The restaurant is famed for such signature dishes as the ahi taster, mahimahi lightly crusted with macadamia nuts, and Kalua taro cheesecake.
A historic home once owned by sugar magnate Gaylord Parke Wilcox now houses Gaylord's at Kilohana, known for its fine food, gorgeous grounds and special events. Couples can choose a quiet dinner or a more lavish affair to celebrate their vows. Menu items are enhanced by the use of fresh herbs and vegetables grown right on the estate. The picturesque restaurant is particularly known for venison, lamb, seafood, pastas and desserts, like its signature Gaylord's Passion Fruit Parfait.
A table for two, tiki torches and a secluded bit of beach that's the setting at A Tropical Romantic Dinner, prepared by chefs Richie and Jay Sklar. Your pre-selected gourmet meal is served complete with beverages and dessert for parties of two to 12. Choose from such starters as tropical shrimp cocktail with spicy papaya sauce or Cajun-spiced ahi, seared to perfection, and served with pineapple tamarind dipping sauce. Dive into fish grilled with tropical salsa or macadamia nut-crusted and accompanied with ginger beurre blanc and then wrap up your meal with Banana Foster or a slice of macadamia cream pie.
Heavenly Creations chef Steve Star serves up an array of gourmet menus to order Hawaiian Regional Cuisine, low-fat, vegetarian, vegan, French, Pacific Rim, Mediterranean, traditional, even your own favorite recipes. Savor Island flavor with appetizers like pineapple shrimp kabobs with passion fruit glaze or Kauai organic greens with lime ginger dressing, and macadamia nut baked brie with champagne crackers. Choose an entrιe of grilled fish or chicken with macadamia nut sauce or butter mustard soy sauce or tomato ginger relish. Wind down your Hawaiian-style meal with tropical cheesecake, pecan coconut squares or guava cream cake. Just a few mouth-watering selections!
