Hawaiian Beach Wedding

What can be more inviting than an outing on the beach? A Hawaiian beach wedding! From incredibly blue skies to the natural decor of trees and the sea as shown in the photos, a beach wedding oozes romance.

A Bohemian vibe is incorporated with the lovely wedding gown – this one is definitely fitting for the beach, we say – and the turquoise pillows, dishes, and other accents are divine!

What to Look for in a Venue for a Hawaiian Beach Wedding

The venue should be selected with utmost care for a Bohemian beach wedding in Hawaii. The wedding venue will set the whole theme for your big day. With all beach venues, you should ensure there is an indoor option in the event the weather changes suddenly. As with many outdoor venues, a tent setup would be necessary to host the ceremony and reception.

Many venues like large beach resorts offer wedding coordinators to help with the entire stage, event, and decor. If you have the option of working with a local coordinator, you could get the help of most local vendors and save on substantial venue-related costs for the wedding.

Colour Palettes for a Hawaiian Beach Wedding

A boho-chic beach wedding needs perfect colour palettes. When choosing the wedding colours, it is always essential to envision how you want your big day to look. This ultimately depends on the vibe you want to set for the wedding. If you're going to only include natural elements, then peacock blue, taupe, eucalyptus, sand, and salmon would be excellent choices.

A mix of sky blue, pumpkin, violet, cranberry, and butterscotch would look fabulous for a colourful bohemian chic look. These colours are vivid yet work gorgeously when paired together. An incredible wedding colour palette would also be eucalyptus, ruby red, sand, marigold, and aubergine. These are also natural tones but look extremely elegant.

Food for a Hawaiian Beach Wedding

The food served at the wedding is a massive part of the celebration. The wedding food also takes up a chunky piece of the wedding budget, so it is essential to get it perfect. Summer punch, cocktails, vintage champagne, and other beverages in martini glasses would also be instant favourites.

Canapes, mini sliders, small burgers, tiger prawns, steaks on sticks, and other easy-to-eat foods are excellent as starters or appetisers. You both could decide on some favourites and add them to the menu for the mains. Since it's a Hawaiian theme, you could add a variety of fish and chips, steaks, and of course, pork roasts. Some couples like adding cold meats and cheese stations for a quick nibble. Desserts should be focused on local cuisines with fresh fruits and cream.

Budget for a Hawaiian Beach Wedding

Hawaiian beach weddings can be as low-cost or as expensive as you want! Chances are you may have a wedding budget in mind but would have to make changes as per the vendor rates. If you have any local vendors already locked down, it's best to ask them if they could refer you to others. Most wedding vendors in Hawaii have collaborations with others or know people who can help you out.

The same goes for caterers, florists, decorators, and event planners. It is best to ask them about the rates, quotations, and samples. Doing this is essential if you plan a destination beach wedding in Hawaii. Experienced local vendors can help you pull off a magnificent Bohemian beach wedding within the budget (or as close to it as possible!)

Wedding Invitations for a Hawaiian Beach Wedding

It is essential to remember that the wedding invites set the tone for the entire theme of the wedding. The wedding invitations should either have a line or two explaining the theme or enough wedding colours with images, designs and detailing so that your guests understand the theme altogether.

Adding waves, floral crowns, dried pampas grass bouquets, printed flowers in old pink, marsala, pink-coloured seashells, and more can help set the tone. You could also add rustic styles to the invites with peach, terracotta, and dark browns. Paperless invites can also be customised according to your requirements to convey the wedding itinerary and any special events you plan to host.

Wedding Cake Ideas for a Hawaiian Beach Wedding

The best thing for wedding cake ideas should be to contact a local artisan baker and select the styles, flavors, and designs. Colourful detailing works impressively with neutral-coloured cakes to make all patterns stand out. Geometric, ethnic, and boho prints make the cake look incredibly chic and trendy.

Bohemian wedding cakes need not be monotone or with singular patterns. You can opt for classic tones for the frosting, with catchy detailing in stripes, bright feathers, and colourful blooms to bring out the theme. Bohemian brides can also select differently shaped cakes instead of the traditional round and opt for triangular or hexagonal patterns to add a slight twist to the beauty.

Wedding Photo Shoot Ideas for a Hawaiian Beach Wedding

Wedding photoshoots for a Bohemian beach wedding can be conducted in several ways. One of the prettiest would be setting up a tent with light, airy drapes, a gorgeous table setting on the floor, and having the bride and groom resplendent in the wedding attires. Couples' photography should be intimate yet have all the wedding colours and knickknacks from the ceremony around them.

Beach wedding shoots with the Pacific Ocean in the background, portrait shots with the bride and groom in complete profile, and an occasional wave with a parasol will make for beautiful pictures. Another fabulous idea would be to have a floral mohawk to celebrate the Hawaiian wedding vibe, as we see in this gorgeous photo shoot, and have plenty of colourful flowers to add contrast to the wedding dress and the groom's style.

Ceremony Decor for a Hawaiian Beach Wedding

An ideal ceremony decor is minimal, especially considering a bohemian theme with the Pacific Ocean as the backdrop. Lining up wooden benches, placing a hand-fan for each guest, and adding black lava rocks with floral arrangements for the aisle will help make the ceremony look gorgeous. Ensuring that the wedding takes place in the sand, with the sound of the waves crashing, is all the decor you could need.

However, if you want to go all out, you could also add tall candle votives, decorate them with flowers, and have fairy lights or lit candles for the ceremony. A floral arch and a small pedestal for the ceremony would also look magical.

Wedding Reception Music and Entertainment for a Hawaiian Beach Wedding

The reception dance floor should be under a canopy of twinkling lights. Fairy lights set the tone for romance and magic. After the first dance, the music should reflect the overall theme of the wedding. Wedding music could range from classic numbers to newer albums, artists, and dance numbers. The trick is to ensure enough foot tapping music to get everyone on the dance floor.

For entertainment, it is best to rely on the locals. Hawaiian fire dancers, dance shows, entertainment acts, and even stand-up comedy can get the reception up and running and turn your big day into a celebratory party.

Gifts & Favours for a Hawaiian Beach Wedding

Wedding welcome kits should always be about making your guests feel extremely special and unique. A survival kit with lotion, Tylenol, sunscreen, flip-flops, sanitiser, and a small bottle of wine is excellent yet cute. You could also add the wedding itinerary and a 'Do Not Disturb' doorknob hanger with your initials or names on it (with a small wedding message).

Wedding favours can be candy in the shape of shells on a bed of chocolate sand, some local coffee, and flowers as a thank you. Whenever you're planning wedding favours, ask local vendors which Hawaiian elements should be added for authenticity.

Bohemian Beach Wedding with Flower Mohawk

This gorgeous bohemian beach wedding inspiration shoot from Matthew Ree Photography shows a few reasons why I’m missing the Hawaiian islands so much.

It captures the beauty of Oahu perfectly as well as the free-spirited, bohemian vibe that Hawaii has. With coordination by yours truly, a custom couture wedding dress from Hawaii’s very own bridal designer Joelle Perry, and simply stunning styling and floral designs from Designs by Hemingway… this editorial has it all!

There are so many details to adore in this wedding inspiration shoot. I’m simply head-over-heels for the floral mohawk – such a unique twist on the flower crown! The vintage surfboards are a beautiful nod to the history of the sport in Hawaii and that gown – wow. It was designed just for this shoot and it couldn’t be more perfect. I’d like to give a big Mahalo to everyone involved in this gorgeous editorial!

See another inspiration shoot from Matthew Ree Photography here and Designs by Hemingway here.

Credits:Photography: Matthew Ree // Floral Design, Styling, & Props: Debbie Hemingway* // Custom Wedding Dress: Joelle Perry // Paper Goods: Katie Fischer // Makeup: Heather Saffery // Planning: Sara Burnett // Vintage Surfboards: Dave Miyamoto // Location: Makapuu Beach and Waimanalo Bay, Oahu, Hawaii.