It’s no secret that elopements in Hawaii are some of our favorite celebrations to document. Part of this is of course due to how beautiful the islands are and how they’re a perfect setting for an elopement. Another reason we love elopements though is how unique they are and how creative couples can get with them. Today an elopement can look like practically ANYTHING you want it to, whether you want to keep things simple or go all out for the day! For some this flexibility is freeing, while for others though it can be a little overwhelming. That’s why at Olson Productions we offer a variety of options for elopements to fit the vision of any and every couple. Let’s go through the different options and find which is the best for you and your vision.

Our Three Hawaii Elopement Options

For elopements in Hawaii we offer three different styles of packages for our couples to choose from. We know that every couple is different, which means that every couple has a different level of engagement they’d like to have in the planning process. Whether you want to take care of every single detail, hand everything off to someone else, or you fall somewhere in the middle, we have you covered!

Full Service Hawaii Elopement

Starting things off we have our full service Hawaii elopement package. This package is for the couple looking for a completely stress free experience. Practically all you have to do is show up! When booking with us you’ll be able to add this service as an add on should you choose. From there you’ll receive an elopement questionnaire to give me an idea of what you’re looking for from your day. And that’s it, seriously! I’ll take it from there, booking all of your services with my network of dream team vendors. I’ll handle the entire booking process for each vendor you want, plan your timeline, choose your location, and handle any other planning to make your dream elopement a reality, all while you get to relax and enjoy the ride!

To see what this can look like check out my blogs covering Megan and Nelson’s, or Stephanie and Gilbert’s full service elopements!

Just Photo and Video

On the complete opposite end of the spectrum we have our standard elopement package where you and your partner handle all of the planning. This is for the couples that love to have a hands-on experience, and want to make sure they’re in charge of all the decisions for their day. This means you’ll be choosing and booking your vendors, planning your timeline, and coordinating the day with your vendors and guests. We’ll show up to document your day as it happens so you can relive it as it happened for years and years to come. Even with these packages we can offer some light assistance though in terms of location and vendor recommendations, you’ll be in charge of all the final decisions and bookings though!

Partial Elopement Planning

Last but not least we have our middle ground option. This is for the couple that wants to be hands-on in the decision making process, but would rather not have to deal with booking the vendors and planning their timeline. That’s where we come in. I’ll provide you with a list of top tier vendors for your day to choose from. Let me know the ones you want and I’ll take care of the booking process, timeline planning, and coordination. I’ll again be able to provide location recommendations, but the decision making will all come down to you!

Deciding Which is Best for You

So which of these options is best for your elopement day in Hawaii then? One of these options likely jumped out at you and sounds perfect for what you envisioned your planning to be like. If that isn’t the case though there are two things to consider to help you make that decision.

1. How Involved Do You Want to Be?

Ultimately the biggest factor in your decision is how involved you want to be throughout the planning process. In general, are you the type of couple that likes to handle everything when it comes to planning a trip with your friends or family? Or do you like having someone you can trust make those decisions that lets you show up and enjoy the trip? Or are you somewhere in the middle? There’s no right or wrong answer here, so just be true to you as that will lead to the most enjoyable experience!

2. What Do You Want to Spend Your Time/Energy On?

There is a LOT of planning that goes into an elopement in general, now add in planning one somewhere in Hawaii! If you’re planning a destination elopement here you’re going to be doing a ton of research if you intend on handling all of the elopement planning yourself. That’s totally fine if that’s what you’re most comfortable with, but for some that can be exhausting and cause more stress than it’s worth! In that case it may be better to hand everything off to a professional you can trust to put together an incredible experience, and focus your energy elsewhere.

Other Things to Keep in Mind for Your Elopement in Hawaii

How Much Coverage Do You Want?

For our Hawaii elopement packages we offer coverage in 2 and 4 hour increments, both with or without video coverage. Our 2 hour option is perfect for the couple that is looking for ceremony coverage along with portraits on location. Meanwhile our 4 hour coverage is for couples looking to get some more adventure into their day! This option allows us to document your ceremony and portraits on location while also letting us travel to other locations for a more full fledged experience for your day.

Where and When to Have Your Elopement

For couples that are looking to handle more of the planning of their elopement in Hawaii on their own, a large part of this planning is going to be deciding where and when to have your elopement. The good news is that I have a TON of resources on my blog to help guide you through this as well, including this complete guide to planning your elopement in Hawaii. This will cover the different islands and what the appeal of each is, the seasons and what they mean for your elopement, and a whole lot more. 

Of course reading through an in depth guide may lead you to realize that you really do want a full service elopement for your celebration in Hawaii! Whether that’s the case, or you still want to plan everything out yourself, and you’re looking to book me as your photographer be sure to head to my contact page. Send me an inquiry with the service you’re looking for and we can get the process underway! And if you’d like to see more of my work feel free to check out my blog or Instagram for a deeper look into my photography.