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Sunrise Camping Elopement in Hawaii

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Jimmy and Linda were on a tight budget and knew they wanted to do something unique and different. So they decided to camp overnight and get married with their closest people in attendance. Afterward, they celebrated with freshly brewed coffee, mimosas, and a lovely tried and true camping breakfast.
Sunrise Camping Elopement in Hawaii

Linda + JImmy

Honokaa, Hawaii
- 08/14/2021
Total wedding budget $2,800

Budget Breakdown

Below is an estimated wedding budget breakdown provided by the couple.

  • Photography
    54%
    $1500
  • Attire
    14%
    $400
  • Hair & Makeup
    7%
    $200
  • Flowers
    11%
    $300
  • Miscellaneous
    4%
    $100
  • Food & Bar
    11%
    $300
  • Total wedding budget
    $2800
camping elopement in Hawaii
camping elopement in Hawaii
bride and groom

How did you meet?

My husband and I met in high school, one week before the summer break. We had mutual friends and ended up together most of the summer. We have been inseparable ever since!

What is your proposal story?

We got engaged at Botanical World Adventures in Hakalau, HI. It was our first zip-lining experience. After the tour, my husband took me to through the botanical garden to take photos. We ended up near a waterfall where he staged a camera to take a ‘photo’ (he ended up filming the proposal too!)

bouquet
camping elopement in Hawaii
camping elopement in Hawaii
camping elopement in Hawaii

Tell us about your wedding vision.

Like most couples who engaged in 2019, our original wedding plans were paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Come May 2021, we were camping along the coast of Honoka’a with friends and decided we would get married there. Plans came to fruition on another camping trip over the 4th of July. All we knew is that we wanted to camp at one of our favorite places on the island and marry at sunrise. The day was unstructured and perfect in every way.

Tell us about your attire choices.

I ordered a dress online from Lulu’s and crossed my fingers that it would fit. The dress was inexpensive, beautiful, and fit perfectly. I bought new hiking sandals to help me balance along the rocky terrain. I found my hairpin on Amazon and limited my jewelry to the wedding rings I got from Jewel Box Hawaii.

bride and groom
camping elopement in Hawaii
camping elopement in Hawaii
camping elopement in Hawaii

What was your biggest splurge?

The most important aspect of our planning was keeping things simple and low-stress. We wanted our wedding to be casual and fun! We decided to splurge the most on an amazing photographer so we could capture our special day. We found Two Tides Photography online were blown away!

What was your favorite part of the day?

Our favorite part of the day was getting ready for our sunrise photo shoot. We were running on six hours of sleep combined and our campsite was only accessible by 4×4. We started at 3 am when my husband drove out to the main road to pick up Tia for hair and makeup. I got ready with two girlfriends under a pop-up tent while we hid from the rain. We used camping lanterns to light the area while Tia had a headlamp to get me ready.

At 5 am, my husband drove again to pick up the photographer, Jamie. Shortly before sunrise, we jumped into our tent and quickly dressed into our wedding attire. As the sun began to rise, Jamie directed us onto the cliff’s edge where some of our most cherished photos were captured. A light drizzle and rainbow kicked off the best day of our lives.

rainbow bride and groom
camping elopement in Hawaii
camping elopement in Hawaii
camping elopement in Hawaii

Tell us about your wedding flowers.

A friend referred me to The Little Flower Shop just one month before our ceremony. We picked them up the night before our ceremony and put them in a cooler for the night. The dainty white flowers survived the night and looked beautiful the next morning.

Tell us about your wedding cake.

We bought muffins at Costco. Poppyseed and coffee cake, our favorites!

What did you do for favors?

We did not offer any favors or ask for any gifts. We felt blessed to share the day with those closest to us in Hawaii.

camping elopement in Hawaii
camping elopement in Hawaii
camping elopement in Hawaii

Describe any DIY or personal details.

With the love and support of our closest friends, we did almost everything ourselves. From setting up the campsite to pouring the champagne, everyone pitched in to make our day happen.

Did you include any family heirlooms or special traditions?

My engagement ring was crafted by Jewel Box Hawaii using an heirloom diamond from my husband’s great-grandmother.

Do you have any advice for couples planning their weddings now?

Focus on what makes you happy. Don’t stress over planning a large event to make others happy. Instead, have fun with the day and remember: it is all about you!

camping elopement in Hawaii