the 5 step maui elopement guide - 2022 edition

Escaping to Hawaii for a tropical elopement is seriously what dreams are made of. There’s no better way to step into wedded bliss than by exchanging vows under dreamy palms or overlooking golden beaches. Maui is meant to be where you unwind, relax, and leave refreshed. We’re firm believer’s in this relaxed approach to life which is why we created our five step elopement guide. This guide was created to be as efficient and worry free as a carry-on only traveler. If travelling light isn’t your thing we’ve also create our complete elopement guide which you can check out here. 

So here it goes- our 5 Step Maui Elopement Guide!

Step 1: Location, location, location! This is the backdrop and setting to your intimate elopement. There is really no bad place to get married on Maui; we’ve made things easy with our top three beach elopement venues. Ideally, you’d want to choose somewhere not too far from where you’ll be getting ready. 

White Rock Beach - Makena: Otherwise known as Palauea Beach this beach is easily accessible from Wailea and Kihei hotels. A long uncrowded golden beach surrounded by greenery and a kiawe forest. 

Ironwoods - Kapalua: A secluded wide beach that offers minimal amounts of people, seclusion, and beautiful panoramic views of cliffs, ocean, and lush greenery. 

Nakalele Blowhole - West Maui: An epic cliffside secluded location on the bluffs of the west side overlooking crashing waves and surrounded by soft grasses. The perfect location for an adventurous elopement. 

Secret Cove (Makena Cove) Makena: A hidden gem featuring lava rock, palm trees, and crashing waves. The perfect picturesque location for couples staying on Maui’s south side. 

Step 2:  Marrying on any Maui beach requires having a permit. This will enable you to perform any commercial activities which would also include photography and videography. The permit fee is $50 and can be obtained here. 

Step 3: Once you’ve secured your permit, you’ll now need to get your marriage license. Anyone can marry on Maui regardless of their residency or citizenship. An important note to keep in mind you will need to make an in-person appointment with a marriage licensee once here on Maui. Everything you need to know to apply can be found here. 

Step 4: By now you’re over halfway done with your elopement planning. Now it’s time to decide who you’d like to have marry you. Selecting an officiant can be a super important yet under thought element of an elopement. Most elopements by nature tend to be shorter weddings which means couples often book shorts amounts of photo and video coverage. As videographer’s we’ve seen some ceremonies run 30 minutes and on which means there is far less time for couple portraits. With that said we think it’s best that you think of what is important to you and ask the appropriate questions to ensure a ceremony will best suit your elopement desires. 

Step 5: Here we are at the final step and it’s honestly a fun one. Eloping in Maui is an intimate experience, but that doesn’t mean you need to keep it entirely to yourself. Photo and video coverage is the best way to remember, relive, and also share your elopement experience. There’s so many amazing photographers here on Maui to choose from all with varying styles and prices. We suggest checking out Pinterest or even Instagram to get a view of some different styles. Of course we are here to help with any videography needs as well as to answer any other questions that you may have whether that be planning your stay or elopement. 

We hope this 5 Step Maui Elopement Guide has been helpful and we hope you have the most stunning elopement of your dreams here in paradise!