Hawaii Wedding Planner: How to plan an outdoor wedding

Outdoor weddings in Hawaii are beautiful - except when the weather is not. This is what you need to know when planning your outdoor wedding (on or near the beach).

1)Get a backup plan in the event of rain. Light showers are normal in the islands and looked upon as a blessing. But torrential downpours make for a less comfortable ceremony and/or reception - so, if you can, have a backup scenario. Some alternatives are renting a tent or booking an indoor site. Another option is having your marriage at a beach location with indoor facilities such as a resort or estate.

2) If you're planning your ceremony literally on the beach, don't put chairs directly on the sand if at all possible. The sand is not stable, and many of your guests may not be dressed appropriately for walking and/or sitting on the sand. Find a grassy area to place chairs for guests. If you do want your ceremony on the sand, discuss renting some type of deck for the chairs to be placed on.

3)Don�t forget the glare of the sun for you and your guests. Attempt to seat your guests so that there is minimal time with direct sun exposure. The glory of the ocean backdrop gets lost when people can�t even open their eyes.

4)If it's a daytime ceremony, discuss having bottled water available for guests as they show up. Hawaii's sun can be quite warm; and folks can dehydrate rapidly in the afternoon sun.

5) Consider hand-held fans to hand to guests as wedding favors or as keepsakes to help keep the sun out of their eyes and provide a cool wind.

6) Consider the local weather service with regard to tide and sunset times. And consider this information when planning your ceremony time.

7) Be certain to find out all the laws and regulations for the beach or park you are using. Some guidelines to look for are restrictions on number of guests; use or availability of electrical outlets; use of amplified sound; time allotted. Usually public beaches and parks will only allow smaller groups.

John has been a licensed and ordained minister for 41 years. He and his wife have served as Maui Wedding Planners for more than 1,000 Maui Weddings with his wedding planning business, Maui Me Inc. All of his ceremonies are original and he performed his first wedding 35 years ago. John has written almost 50 Christian books (which have been translated into eight languages). In addition to performing wedding ceremonies, he shoots most of the photography.