Hawaii is one of the most picturesque places in the world, so it is no surprise that couples choose to get married on one of the many gorgeous islands of Hawaii! As a Hawaii wedding photographer, I know all of the tips.

Wondering how to make your marriage legal in Hawaii?

Let’s walk through it!

STEP 1: Find An Officiant A.K.A. “Performer”

First off, you will need a performer to officiate your wedding ceremony in Hawaii. Your performer can either be a professional officiant based in Hawaii or a friend or family member.

OPTION 1: HOW TO HAVE A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER OFFICIATE YOUR HAWAII WEDDING

If you are wanting to include a friend or family member to perform your ceremony, they must be ordained through an organization such as Universal Life Church.

Once your loved one is ordained, next will come registering as a performer. And good news: no matter what island your Hawaii wedding will take place, the registration will not be affected.

First, read the Marriage Performer Guidelines on the Hawaii Department of Health website. This will provide context for what to expect on the application. After that, they will need to register with the Minister Registration Office – Hawaii Department of Health online. Don’t forget, they will need to be registered at least two weeks before the ceremony date!

Once the application is completed and the $10 application fee is paid, they will get a payment confirmation via email right away. The application approval can take up to two weeks, so check that inbox, and be patient!

OPTION 2: CHOOSE A PROFESSIONAL OFFICIANT FOR YOUR HAWAII ELOPEMENT OR WEDDING

Many officiants call Hawaii home, and they all have so much to offer couples looking to get married. Recommendations are my jam, so you can count on me to help the two of you find a performer you love. After all, getting married is an intimate event. You want to be 100% certain that everyone involved has your back!

HERE ARE MY TOP TIPS FOR CHOOSING THE RIGHT OFFICIANT TO PERFORM YOUR HAWAII WEDDING CEREMONY:

• Hop on a Phone Call: Your officiant will be one of the most important parts of your day! When you are on your call, are they patient? Notice how you feel…does their voice bring you a sense of calm? If you want someone who is funny and joyful, do they make you laugh or smile? On your wedding day, you will naturally have a few nerves and having a calm and friendly officiant to guide you through your ceremony will make all the difference on your wedding day!
• Think about values that are important to you in an officiant. Do you want a religious or non-denominational ceremony? Are they LGBTQ+ friendly? Do you want Hawaiian elements infused into your ceremony, and if so, is the officiant actually native Hawaiian and performing these traditions in an honoring and authentic way!
• Read Reviews: Read through their reviews on google, sample ceremony scripts on their website, and if they have social media you can see some of their ceremonies, too!
• If you’re still unsure, ask the photographer who recommended them about what this officiant is like 🙂 I have a list of my favorite, and vetted officiants for each island in Hawaii and I love matching you with an officiant who aligns with your values! It’s so important for you to have an officiant that wants to know more about your love story, takes the time to learn about your personalities, is patient in a day where timelines can change, and most importantly, is grounding and adds to the joy of this incredible day!

STEP 2: AFTER YOU FIND AN OFFICIANT, APPLY FOR YOUR MARRIAGE LICENSE

After finding your officiant/performer, apply online for a marriage license!

How much does it cost to get a marriage license in Hawaii? As of July 1, 2023 the fee amount and duration of all marriage and civil union performer licenses has been updated to $100.00 USD for a 1-year license and $25.00 USD for a 60-day license per Bill SB1370. The DOH website is still being updated to reflect these changes.

STEP 3: MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH A LICENSE AGENT

After you’ve applied for your marriage license, make an appointment to see an agent on the island you will be eloping on. Appointments for the Oahu office based in Honolulu can be made online. If you are eloping on a neighboring island like Maui, Kauai, the Big Island, or Lanai, you can review this list of license agents, ask your hotel if they have a license agent on staff, or your photographer if they know of any other private agents.

• How do I choose an agent? Choose an agent who is based in a town closest to where your hotel, airbnb, or accommodation is. The list of license agents is sorted by town so hop on google maps to determine which is closest to you! If you’re not sure ask your planner, officiant, or photographer for help.
• When should I make my appointment? I usually recommend making your appointment within 1-3 days of your arrival and not leaving it to the day before your ceremony. You want to be able to relax the day before your ceremony so if you can knock out your errands in the first few days before your wedding, you can take this much needed rest day before the wedding.
• When are the agents available? The license agents typically don’t work on the weekends, so it’s important to factor this into your travel plans, and the date you choose to have your ceremony.
• Does the marriage license the agent issues us ever expire? Make sure this appointment is set within 30 days of your ceremony because once they issue your license, it expires after 30 days. And choose a license agent in the town closest to where you will be staying!
• Why do we need to make this appointment? What does the license agent do? The license agent is the person who creates and gives you the physical license after applying online. In order for them to do this, they need to verify your identity with the IDs your provide them, and ensure the information on the application is correct.
• What is their availability like? On Oahu there are LOTS of appointments and agents! As you move to the outer islands such as Kauai, Maui, and Big Island, the amount of agents gets smaller as does their availability. Particularly, on the Big Island. If you are getting married on an outer island, it’s best to make your appointment ASAP or look into private agents at hotels and resorts.

STEP 4: ONCE YOU’RE IN HAWAI’I, GO TO YOUR LICENSE AGENT APPOINTMENT

When you go to your appointment with your license agent, you need to go together. The license agent will either be at the health department or if they are a private agent they may actually work from their personal business office or even hotels (similar to a notary). Both of you must go, and bring your IDs!

If you’re not sure what agent to go with, I’m happy to recommend some agents who are closest to you or who may not be on the government list.

STEP 6: WEDDING DAY

Hurray, it’s finally here! On your wedding day in Hawaii, bring your license to the ceremony and the performer will sign it. Most officiants will have you sign it after the ceremony and then they take it and mail it for you, or you can mail it yourself. And now-a-days, your performer can simply submit the license online! After that, your official wedding license is mailed to you within 4-6 weeks of your ceremony. If your officiant files your certificate online, it usually only takes a week for your to receive your official marriage certificate!

Yay! You’ve gotten your marriage license in Hawaii, everything is signed, mailed, and made legal…congratulations!

Not so daunting, right?!

If you’re ready to begin the process of getting married or eloping in Hawaii, and are seeking a fun, laid-back, creative photographer who will help you plan out an adventurous, stress-free day, fill out my contact form to set up a call together and see if we’re a good fit!

Let’s do this!