Adventurous Beach Elopement in Oahu, Hawaii
A Hawaii elopement. Just those words alone are enough to make any couple, photographer, or person feel excited. For decades, the Hawaiian Islands have drawn the attention of couples as an amazing destination to get married for their immersive beauty. Kylie and Chase’s Oahu elopement was no exception. Sitting down to write this post I have so many memories that it’s hard to recap every part of our amazing time together and their multi day elopement.
I appreciate all my couples so much and the connection we build together, but there’s something extra special when you get the chance to photograph your personal friends. Kylie and I met back in college and have known each other for close to five years now so when she and Chase asked me to photograph their elopement it meant so much to me.
Planning a Hawaii elopement on the island of Oahu.
Kylie and Chase both grew up visiting Hawaii, so the already breathtaking place had even more appeal to them. Kylie is especially familiar with the island of Oahu and had family member generously offer them their condo in Honolulu to stay at for the week. With an opportunity such as that, we were off to a great start. As with any of my elopement couples, we went through a discovery phase to determine what their ideal elopement experience would look like and crafted their multi day elopement with intention behind each segment. I then spent hours researching possible locations that would offer them the best experience.
With a lot of FaceTime calls we built out an itinerary for the few days I would be spending with them, adventuring around the island, and documenting this memorable time for not only them, but for us all. We were also fortunate enough to receive some guidance from Mark, the officiant Kylie & Chase chose to marry them. He and his wife Carrie were both so kind throughout our time together and did a wonderful job.
Featured on Wandering Weddings Oahu Guide & Wandering Weddings best places to elope
Eloping in Hawaii during COVID19
Planning a destination adventure elopement, while not necessarily difficult, is always a bit of a process. The steps in that process were also compounded with the current covid19 pandemic. While this is not something to take lightly, it’s still possible to have an amazing elopement experience amid such chaos. (Read more here about how to elope during covid19). A lot of time and effort was invested into planning everything which made it that much more rewarding when everything came to fruition so wonderfully.
Kylie and Chase had initially tossed around the idea of eloping back home in the mountains of Washington, but they their hearts had been set on Hawaii for a long time so we decided to commit to that and began collectively researching everything that would be involved to plan a destination elopement only 10 weeks out. Hawaii has strict protocols revolving around safety (click here for current guidelines) that must be carefully followed before they will allow you to enter the state. Each island’s regulation was varied and evolving based on the burden their community under with COVID-19 while we were planning. The best we could do was monitor the situation daily and plan to the best of our ability with what the circumstances were at the time.
The Elopement Day
On this morning I took the short walk from my Airbnb to Kylie & Chase’s condo two blocks away. Together we then walked beneath tower palm trees another five minutes down the street to get fresh acai bowls. Sitting on the condo balcony on the 31st story with our breakfast, we had amazing views of downtown Honolulu, Diamond Head, and Waikiki.
With the warm breeze drifting through the condo, Kylie & Chase took a few minutes to write their vows to one another. This is one of my favorite segments of an elopement day that couples can share together. It only takes a few minutes but adds so much intention and opportunity for intimacy. It also fosters a much better ceremony experience than say reading off your phone. They then began getting ready, staying in separate rooms to not see one another before the first look.
Couples often choose to elope because they value having a “just us” experience, but that doesn’t mean they don’t want to or can’t include family. Kylie spent hours on FaceTime with her parents and friends while she was getting ready and sent them photos throughout the duration of the day. Their parents also wrote letters for them to read. Click here to see more ways on how to include family in your elopement.
We chose a jungle location on a nearby mountain for their first look, so Kylie had to be shuttled in the back seat of the car with Chase’s promise that he wouldn’t peek during the short drive. Hawaii’s weather is so diverse and spontaneous, and we got a taste of this during the first look. It was both sunny and raining simultaneously which made for some beautiful first look moments, including multiple rainbows.
Afterwards we drove out to the beach where their ceremony would take place. We had scouted locations the day before and knew this was the spot. With the late afternoon sunshine upon us, Kylie and Chase said their vows to each other. Mark officiated a beautiful ceremony and everything was so wonderful. We chose to head back to the car to wait for sunset, for some much needed water bottles, and a respite from the heat. When we ventured back out an hour later, Kylie & Chase had the most beautiful first dance I’ve witnessed. There is something so amazing about the warm ocean breeze, soft sand, palm trees, and resplendent colors of a Hawaiian sunset, topped off with a full moon rising. From start to finish this elopement day was one of my favorites I’ve ever had the pleasure of photographing. We also had an amazing day after session that you can see photos from here.
The Hawaii Experience
With this being my first ever trip to Hawaii, I can attest to how truly unbelievable the beauty of these islands are. That first feeling of warm humid air when you step off the plane is something I’ll always remember. With only a 4 day trip I feel like I was able to experience so much. Driving up and down the coasts, through the mountains, visiting numerous beaches with sleeping monk seals, snorkeling with sea turtles, and every other amazing sight I’ll always remember. I walked to the same little café every morning for acai bowls and didn’t miss a single sunrise or sunset during my time there. Without a doubt I left my heart in Hawaii and can’t wait until I’m able to return for another adventure.
“I cried watching the slideshow. Your work is amazing!!!!”
-Kylie
Hey, I’m Warren and this is my why behind everything I do!
I believe this is where it all starts and is at the heart of everything, so let me tell you. I have a soft spot for sentimentality and I think love is awesome. I’m so grateful that I discovered photography early in life because I’ve been able to document my own journey in a creative fashion. For that reason, I have a strong passion for giving that same experience to others and take great pride in getting the responsibility of documenting their stories. Each picture has a story or feeling behind it and I love to capture that novelty. Arresting those moments in time allows us to remember and feel more intensely. I know how much I value that and enjoy passing that along to others through photography. I would love to be a part of telling your story.