Any suggestions on officiants/ministers to contact about getting married on the beach…with no guests…. as inexpensively as possible… yet nice enough to have good memories of the event? An inexpensive but good photographer would be nice also.

 We hear so much these days about ‘bridezilla’s’ that it’s really kind of nice to come across a couple who just wants a simple yet classy and memorable wedding.  Fortunately, it seems that Hawaii is 2nd only to Las Vegas when it comes to weddings.  

 After researching several sites, you have a lot of freedom in how you want your wedding and how complicated you want to make it.  The starting rate for most packages is right around $100.  The cost jumps when you start including things (especially a photographer). 

A bare bones wedding generally includes:  help with deciding the location (which is typically somewhere in Waikiki), a minister and the marriage ceremony, some sort of Married in Hawaii keepsake certificate (some include vows, some don’t), and processing of your marriage license.  From there, there is a huge assortment of things you can add on, ranging from photographers, leis, limosines, champagne, etc.

I do not profess to be an expert in this category, and I do not have experience with any of these people, but here are a few websites that seemed to understand the mindset of those couples who want small and simple weddings and just some help in putting it all together:

http://www.beachwed.com/ This simple website was one had the most options that were reasonably priced.

 http://www.wedhawaii.com This one will even book your flight and hotel for you.  It has a lot of options, an 800#, and will even do outer island packages.            

http://www.hawaiiweddings.com/ WOW.  This guy who officiates seems kind of new-agey, but they offer weddings everywhere from on a beach to on a boat to even underwater!  His prices were higher, but if you’re looking for something unique, check out his site.

http://www.lovehawaii.com/ This one shares many similarities as the rest, but it had a helpful area where the weddings automatically included a photographer, and I thought that could be useful.

To all the other wedding consultants, guides, and ceremony locators out there, I wish I could have included all of you.  I’m sure you provide excellent services, but we simply do not have the room here to list everyone.

Hope this gives you a start on planning your wedding.  Let us know how everything works out!  Sarah