What to consider when planning your wedding budget for a Big Island Destination Wedding

If you have thought about getting married in Hawaii, you have likely wondered how much it will cost. The answer is: it depends.

There are many factors that dictate how much a destination wedding in Hawaii will cost. Of those, there are a few key elements that make a big difference.

Wedding Guest Count: How wedding size affects your wedding expenses and overall budget

First, the guest count of your wedding will impact your budget in more than one way. Typically, the larger the wedding the more expensive it will be. Aside from just the basic costs of food and beverage, a larger guest count might require a larger venue or a resort venue as many private estate restrict guest count to under 50-75. Additionally, it means more tables, chairs, florals, favors, etc. all that add up.

Wedding Catering: An event vendor to consider if you want to save or splurge on your Kona Wedding

While a resort can be a cost-efficient option, they offer less flexibility on another major determining factor of budget: catering. Catering is a large but highly variable expense for a wedding. For example, a more casual menu will likely be less than a multi-course plated meal. Additionally, a private venue will allow you to bring in any catering option you like while a resort will tie you to their in house catering menus. They will also impose a food and beverage minimum expenditure. At a private estate, you would be able to self cater your beverages and hire a bartender. While at a resort you will be paying for their premium bar and cocktail pricing. There are pros and cons to each option which we can help you navigate when making this important wedding decision.

Wedding Decor: Highly variable, this key consideration can greatly impact your overall budget

Another large expense tends to be decor. The cost of florals has been on the rise and while it may seem that flowers should be abundant in Hawaii -and thus, inexpensive – the reality is most are not grown on island and need to be shipped in. So, if you have a specific color pallette and variety in mind, you’ll need to be aware that your floral decor may be a large expense. If you truly want to save big here, you would need to be comfortable with the florist’s choice of what is grown locally and in season. We also can suggest ways to maximize your florals and repurpose items to help you save.

Other decor items such as lighting, linens, stationary, furniture, etc. can also add up but there is a wide range of flexibility here. Most resort venues provide white linens and basic white china and silver flatware as part of their packages. However, if you are wanting something more customized, these items will need to be rented from an on island company or even brought in through a company with a larger selection. This is a really important area we can help with. We know how to get the most impact from whatever you are willing to spend on your decor.

Planning your Big Island Wedding Budget

So, while I would love to provide a clear answer on how much your wedding might cost, it really is impossible to do so without connecting with you to see what you envision.

However, in an effort to give you a general idea of an average budget, here is a quick estimation of costs (but please remember, all of these are highly variable depending on what you envision!).

Sample Hawaii Wedding Budget:

Estimating 100 Guests at a Private Estate

Officiant: $400

Marriage License: $65

Venue Site Fee: $3,000

Photographer, assuming about 4-5 hours: $4,500

Florals, assuming a mix of local and imported: $6,500

Hair and Makeup for the bride: $500

Live Musician, for 1 hour: $450

DJ: $2,000

Food and Beverage, assuming a more cost effective, buffet style option: $10,500 -$12,500+

Equipment Rentals, assuming some custom items are brought in but nothing too elaborate: $4,500

Estimated Total: $34,415

This also reflects the average price of a wedding in Hawaii. However, many of our clients spend closer to $1,000 per person as they tend to choose top wedding venues, multi-course meals, and more detailed decor.

Whatever your budget, having us on board to help you navigate all the expenses, priorities of your wedding, and ways to potential save without sacrificing your vision can make all the difference. We highly encourage you to reach out so we can give you a more customized estimate and help you plan accordingly.