How To Plan A Dream Destination Wedding In Kauai, Hawaii

Get married in paradise! Learn about the steps I took to plan my own dream destination wedding in the most beautiful of all the Hawaiian Islands – Kauai!

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*Photographs taken by Kilohana Photography*

The Hawaiian island of Kauai is a dream destination wedding location for many brides and grooms around the world.

I was lucky enough to get to celebrate my own special day in that paradise!

Ever since I was young I had always had a dream to have a destination wedding. Whenever my family would go on a trip somewhere beautiful, I would say “I want to get married here!”. From Bodnant Garden to tropical cruise ships, I was inspired!

My goal of having a destination wedding wasn’t because I had always dreamed of being a bride. In fact, getting married was never at the top of my life’s “to-do” list.

The real reason I always said I would have my wedding in these beautiful places was because I love a great party. A wedding meant a big party I got to plan and I couldn’t wait to throw my party somewhere amazing. The best part of this party was that I got to bring all the people I love there with me celebrate!

After 20+ years I had visualized my “party of a lifetime” in every location I had ever visited.

That meant that when I finally decided to get married, I knew a tropical destination wedding was exactly what I wanted.

Below I walk you through how I turned my lifelong dream into a spectacular destination wedding on the island of Kauai.

Why I Chose The Island Of Kauai For My Wedding:

When searching for the best place for my wedding, it was important to me to find a place that reflected the things I loved. The energy, the people, the view – all things that made my soul happy.

The Weather

When you think of Hawaii, of course you think of tropical temperatures! The weather in Kauai was a big reason why I selected this island. And although on the north side of the island it rains a little each day, that wasn’t a deterrent. It is important to just be prepared for it! I knew what to expect that time of year because I did my research and checked the weather before picking a wedding date.

The View

There’s not a doubt in my mind that the view from Princeville is one of the most beautiful in the world. In one sweeping glance you can see so much untouched natural beauty! The ocean, mountains, beaches, and blue sky. It is a place unlike any other, and it was somewhere I wanted everyone I loved to experience in their lives too.

The Atmosphere

Kauai is the island that most reflects a feeling of “old Hawaii”. The island is the least developed of the most visited tourist islands. There is a slower pace and the feeling of nature is all around you. It is a beautiful thing!

How I Chose My Kauai Wedding Venue

Once I saw the view of the ocean and coast from Princeville, I knew this was my wedding location. From there the choice was easy as The Princeville Resort (previously the St. Regis Princeville) truly has THE BEST views and the most beautiful ceremony and reception settings around!

The Ceremony Location

The Princeville Resort offered something I couldn’t find at other resorts in Hawaii. A private wedding, on sand! That is because the beaches are all public in Hawaii, so most hotels actually have their weddings on a location overlooking the water, but not on the sand.

I knew that if I went all that way to get married, I wanted to feel like I was on a beach. Luckily, The Princeville Resort has a beautiful location called Kamani Cove, named for it’s two beautiful Kamani trees that create a lovely canopy over this ceremony location. Below the trees the resort has put sand, so those who get married here can have both a private space and a beach wedding experience!

Service & Allergy-Friendly Food Options

Not only does the resort have an amazing location and view, it also has world-class service. As someone with serious and life-threatening food allergies, it was incredibly important to find somewhere that could accommodate my needs. After speaking with the staff, it was obvious that they were willing to go above and beyond to make my day perfect. I felt at ease knowing I was in good hands!

Location & Activities

Another benefit of this location for the wedding was the available options for accommodations and activities. I wanted to make sure that guests who didn’t want to pay the cost to stay at The Princeville Resort would have lots of options to meet their needs. Princeville is a great location for that! It is a town made up of loads of options for places to stay at various price points.

Princeville has some of the best things to do in all of Kauai within just a few minutes. Nearby are lots of great beaches, places to hike, helicopter rides, kayaking, golf, and more! I knew my guests would not be disappointed with this location.

The Wedding Coordinator

Planning a destination wedding from such a far distance was a stressful idea. Knowing that the resort offered a wedding coordinator that was there to answer questions and make sure my wedding went off without a hitch was really helpful. They even offer a list of tried-and-true vendors to help ensure you have an exceptional experience.

The Process Of Planning A Destination Wedding In Kauai

After deciding that The Princeville Resort was a dream wedding spot, I knew I had to get to work. Once I had locked in my location, I had about 9 months to plan my wedding. That might seem like plenty of time, but with a destination wedding, it is really important to give your guests lots of advance notice.

Here is a quick version of the steps I took to plan my Kauai wedding:

1. Contact The Princeville Resort to request a proposal for my wedding, check to make sure they had my date available & then sign the contract.
2. Gather necessary information from the wedding coordinator and begin contacting vendors to lock them in for my date.
3. Organize and schedule activities for the guests over the wedding weekend.
4. Set up a wedding website with flight and hotel information, send out save the date cards to guests (with wedding website address).
5. Get a dress, wedding bands, accessories and shoes.
6. Make final decisions on vendors and send the requested detailed information.
7. Book the flights and hotel rooms for the wedding and honeymoon.
8. Order all items for the ceremony, reception, and welcome bags for guests. Decide how I will get the items to Kauai.
9. Lock in the menu options for the reception.
10. Send out invitations.
11. Apply for wedding license – set reminder to schedule and meet with a license agent when arriving in Kauai.
12. Check in with each vendor and give each a final guest count.
13. Pack all necessary items and head to Kauai!

Creating Welcome Bags For My Kauai Wedding Guests

As a little gift to my guests for their effort to come to my wedding, I created welcome bags for each person.

The women received their goodies in an adorable pineapple beach tote. While the men’s gifts came to them in an insulated beach bag.

After packing each bag, I then attached a welcome tag and itinerary to each to make sure the guests had the necessary information for the weekend at their fingertips.

What I Put In My Welcome Bags:

• Personal Fan (and batteries!)
• Turkish Beach Towel
• Sunscreen
• Rain Poncho
• A “Stay Well” Kit – Packaged perfectly in these adorable bags!
  • Pain reliever
  • Upset stomach medication
  • Vitamin C packets
  • A few sizes of bandages
  • Motion sickness medication
  • Mints
  • Hand sanitizer
• His & Hers favorite snacks – one sweet and one salty pick from both the bride and the groom
• Bottled Water
• A “Mini Bar”
  • An tropical-themed insulated cup, with three small liquor bottles inside
• Personalized golf tees for the guys and custom glass nail files for the girls
• Just for fun, we also threw in some leis!

Getting The Welcome Bags To Kauai

I looked into a few options for getting all the goodies for the welcome bags to the destination. The easiest option was to ship the items to the resort ahead of time. After doing a little research on this option, I discovered that there is a hefty shipping charge to Hawaii.

Instead I decided to bring an extra suitcase packed with all the welcome bag goodies inside. This option actually turned out to be a convenient choice, as I could use the same suitcase for packing my wedding dress on the way home!

Weekend Activities For Wedding Guests Staying in Kauai:

Have you ever traveled to a destination wedding only to get under thirty seconds to say hello to the bride and groom in the whirlwind of the wedding day? I have, and I knew I didn’t want to repeat that for my own wedding.

We planned a wedding that was meant to include quality time with all the people who made the effort to come. We wanted to share memories with our guests of this beautiful place! That’s why we intentionally decided to plan optional activities for our guests everyday. Our wedding was on a Saturday, but many of our guests were arriving on Thursday, so we started the festivities that day.

Thursday: Dinner, Drinks and Music at Tahiti Nui in Hanalei

On Thursday evening we let our guests know we would be heading to Tahiti Nui in Hanalei to enjoy their live Hawaiian music and famous Mai Tais. We invited our guests to come and eat, or just stop by for a drink if they felt so inclined.

Friday: Na Pali Sunset Dinner Cruise on a Catamaran

The most special experience I could imagine for our weekend (other than the wedding itself!) was to share a catamaran ride with our friends and family. The very first time we went on vacation together we went on a catamaran ride at sunset. The experience was one of our favorites of all time, and we couldn’t wait for everyone we loved to enjoy the beauty of the Na Pali coast with us!

Sunday: Farewell Brunch at The Princeville Resort’s Makana Terrace Restaurant

As a final “thank you” to our guests for sharing this beautiful weekend with us, we wanted to treat them to our favorite breakfast on Kauai. The spectacular breakfast buffet is second only to the jaw-dropping views offered on the terrace. It was the ideal way to end our time together as a group.

The Wedding Dress & Accessories

I found my dream dress at the awesome a&be bridal shop in Minneapolis. For those of you interested, it is the Sydney by designer Alyssa Kristin.

Although I was getting married on a beach, I didn’t want the typical flowy beach dress. I had a vision of a dress that was elegant and a little sexy. As soon as I trued it on I fell in love with the fitted silhouette and the square neckline. It had sophistication and style without being over the top.

To make it my own, I added some sparkle by adding a beaded belt and having it sewn on. I chose to have it attached instead of tying it because I wanted to make sure it laid flat and that a ribbon didn’t take away from the look of the back of the dress.

Finding The Best Undergarments For A Destination Wedding Dress

I absolutely loved that the dress was fitted, but what I didn’t realize when I purchased the dress was how much the fabric would show imperfections. Although the stretch crepe material is sleek and very comfortable to wear, it does require some really good undergarments!

For this dress, I tried a lot of different options of shapers to help things look smooth. I finally found one that worked perfectly. This Spanx catsuit kept everything tight and smooth. The fabric was light and breathable which was an absolute lifesaver in the hot weather. Due to the cut of the dress, I did end up making a small adjustments to the shaper, but it was just a few simple cuts to make sure it did not show.

My Wedding Shoes

My heart told me I wanted to go barefoot for my beach wedding, and if I had been marrying someone else I probably would have! In this case, because my groom is 6’6″ and I am only 5’4″, I wanted to try to make up some of the height difference with my shoe choice.

I looked at wedges, but because we were planning a dance during the reception, I felt a heel made maneuvering the moves a little easier.

After ordering what seemed like 100 pairs of shoes, I found the winners. When I first put them on, I couldn’t believe these 4″ high sparkly scalloped pumps were so incredibly comfortable. The best part? They cost less than $30!

The only issue I encountered with these heels was when I walked through the grass down to the ceremony location. I definitely sank into the soft ground! Luckily, I had one parent one each arm to keep me up. Other than that, I have no regrets with this choice. I danced all night without any pain or discomfort!

Getting The Wedding Dress To Kauai

If you’re like me, your dress is the most precious piece of cargo you’ll be bringing with you to Kauai.

The safest way to transport your dress is to carry it with you on the airplane. You’ll want to make sure you have it packed in a bridal gown garment bag, so it is well protected.

You can contact the airline in advance and let them know you’ll be carrying your dress on the plane. This can help ensure they have a place saved for your dress to hang in a closet instead of getting stuffed under a seat or in an overhead compartment.

What I Loved About My Destination Wedding In Kauai:

How I Felt On My Wedding Day

I don’t think anyone knows exactly how they will feel on their wedding day. I guess I had always assumed there would be stress and anxiety, running around like crazy, and lots of nervous energy.

That is why I felt so lucky that on my wedding day I felt at peace. I woke up in a beautiful hotel room, with a view of the ocean. Those closest people to me were all there, ready to celebrate.

My amazing beauty team came right to my room to make my getting ready process an absolute breeze! I enjoyed every moment getting ready with my mom and sister by my side. We enjoyed a glass of champagne and some laughs – the time flew by! Before I knew it, I was dressed and heading down to start the next chapter in my life.

The Wedding Location & Decor

I knew I wanted my wedding to be elegant and of course, tropical! I love tropical flowers and greenery with their the bright colors and unique shapes.

Working with this dream, the florist was able to create a magical setting for me for both the wedding ceremony and the reception. It was even more beautiful that I could have imagined!

The (Allergy-Friendly) Food

I cannot even express how amazing the chef and serving staff were about my special food needs! Due to my allergies, and some of my guests also having allergies, I requested a very specific menu from the hotel. Their staff went above and beyond to give me out-of-this-world delicious food, including a beautiful gluten free and vegan wedding cake!

My Tips And Recommendations For Planning A Destination Wedding In Kauai:

Personalize Your Wedding Decor

Don’t forget to bring along items to make your wedding decor extra special! That includes items such as:

• Cake topper
• Wedding card box
• Guest book, “bucket list” cards for inside, corners to hold the cards, and a pen
• Place cards for the seating chart
• Sand ceremony set
• Any other special items or photos for your welcome table!

Communicate Clearly & Be Flexible

Planning from a distance means you need to have excellent communication. Make sure to clearly express your wants, expectations, and desires to the vendors when booking them. I found that sending along pictures was also really helpful. I recommend booking things as far in advance as possible, because it is a small island and your options will be limited if you wait too long.

After you have expressed yourself clearly, try to relinquish control. You will be doing yourself a favor! Let your crazy expectations go, and decide that whatever happens, your day will be perfect. Guess what, if you believe it is, then it will be!

Listen To The Professionals!

I learned that the people I was hiring were much more experienced and smarter than I about the best way to do things. For example, I told the florist I only wanted certain flowers, then she explained why adding some others would make it match my vision better – and she was right! The same was true with makeup. I thought I wanted airbrush makeup, but after speaking with my beauty team, it was clear why their application method was smarter. Hot weather = melting makeup! I am so thankful I was able to listed to the smart professionals I hired, they made my day complete.

Get The Groom A Useful Gift

Although we both love warm weather, getting married in a hot weather while wearing formal wear means that sweating is very likely. To help make the topic fun, I ordered my groom a wedding day sweat towel. The towel was a cute and practical way to help him stay sweat-free that day.

I also ordered him a wedding day survival kit, with all the essentials for that day. I chose it because not only did it include just about everything I would need to give him, it was also light and took up almost no space in either of our luggage.

My Kauai Destination Wedding Vendors:

• Ceremony and Reception: The Princeville Resort (Previously The St. Regis Princeville)
• Flowers & Decorations: Kreate Designs Kauai
• Photographer: Kilohana Photography
• Makeup & Hair: Artistry By Stefanie
• Officiant: Larry LaSota
• DJ: Kustom Sounds Kauai
• Wedding Ceremony Musician: Kirk Smart
• Dress: Alyssa Kristin from a&be Bridal Shop
• Alterations: Evermore Wedding Gown Care

Conclusion

I hope this information has helped you as you dream up your own perfect destination wedding in Kauai. I am so thankful that I was able to have my own perfect wedding in such a unique and beautiful place. As our officiant said to us during the wedding ceremony, Kauai is now part of our story – and I can think of nowhere that better represents what we love than this spectacular island!

Now I want to hear from you – Are you currently planning a destination wedding? What inspired you to have your wedding away? Tell me in the comments below!

Wondering what to do after your Kauai wedding? Check out my article: The Best Hawaii Honeymoon 3 Island Itinerary

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