Just married ! — in Hawaii

If you visit Hawaii you hardly can avoid to see newlywed couples. It is a popular wedding destination among Japanese…

So this was the first encounter walking along the beach. Couples come to the beach in their wedding outfit for a photo session. The outfit does not have to be perfect, look at the shoes….

It can be done in a better way…

And in a much better setting. For example at the Kahala Beach on Ohau.

So let´s “attend” the wedding of Junko Kondo and Naoyuki Kamiyama. Their name was on a board guiding members of the wedding party to their seats. All of them were wearing muumus (for women) and aloha shirts to give this event it´s hawaiian touch.

The Kahala Beach Resort offers different wedding packages. Looking at the setup I assume it was the Marquise Wedding package for 4.800 USD plus tax:
Package includes:
Ocean front ceremony
Ivory carpet runner
40 white chairs
Non-denominational minister
Musical soloist
Amplification system with two microphones and sound technician
Bridal bouquet
Groom’s boutonniere
One hour photography: (24) 4″ x 6″ photos
Exclusive use of The Kahala Hotel & Resort property for wedding photography

The groom is awaiting with the minister the arrival of the bride guided by her father….

Uups, we got a yoga class in the way. Well, the hotel business has to continue. But now from the right angle..

The wedding takes it´s course with a speech of the minister, a piece of music by the soloist on the left and we finally come to the central part, which is always nice to watch, even from the distance..

Congratulations Junko and Naoyuki !

In 2012 1,8 Million Japanese visited Hawaii. And 11,5 % stated, that their travel to the islands was related to wedding or honeymoon. Of course, also for US-Citizens Hawaii is a top wedding destination, but only 6,7 % had the same travel purpose. Even with somewhat declining statistics, in 2011 27,500 Japanese couples got married on Hawaii. (2000: 32,756). The amount spent on a wedding is hard to estimate. You have to add rental costs for the outfits, travel and accommodation expenses etc. But it is safe to say, that a wedding in Hawaii is much cheaper as in Japan, where you are socially obliged to invite a much larger circle of guests such as your working colleagues.

As we left a different couple was getting ready.

I actually planned to continue my story with more wedding pictures and saw Chinese and American couples at different hotels. But the Japanese were prominent.

Of course you can choose a lot of different settings or add-ons to your wedding adventure. I talked to the driver of this Rolls Royce from the 60´s. She was from a rental company and the basic fee was 270 USD for three hours. She was taking the groom to his wedding at a popular chapel. I leave the rest of hawaiian wedding scenarios to your imagination…