Weddings · Elopements
Eloping on Oahu
Eloping on Oahu takes less than most couples expect: a $65 license, a licensed officiant and the two of you. No witnesses, no guest list and no waiting period required. Here is what the law requires, the straight answer on courthouse weddings, five Oahu elopement companies with the prices they publish, where to hold the ceremony, and what it all costs, line by line.
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Evening at Kailua Beach, on Oahu’s windward side. Photo: Floyd Manzano, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
The Short Version
What You Need to Elope on Oahu
- A marriage license$65 from the state Department of Health. Apply online, then both of you meet a license agent in person on Oahu. The license is good for 30 days. How to get one.
- A licensed officiantRequired. A state-licensed officiant performs the ceremony, with both of you there in person. You can check any officiant’s name in the state’s directory.
- WitnessesNone required. Hawaii’s marriage law, HRS 572-1, lists what makes a marriage valid, and witnesses are not on the list.
- A beach permitOnly if anyone is paid and you marry on public sand. A state Wiki Permit starts at $20, plus liability insurance. Many packages handle it. Permit rules.
From the Hawaii Department of Health, HRS 572-1 and DLNR Wiki Permits, as of September 2026.
Is There a Courthouse Wedding in Hawaii?
No. Hawaii has no courthouse weddings. No courthouse, city hall or state office on Oahu performs a ceremony, and there is no clerk’s counter to walk up to. State law requires the ceremony to be “performed in the State by a person or society with a valid license to solemnize marriages,” with the couple and that person “all physically present at the same place and time.”
The Oahu version of a courthouse wedding is a civil ceremony with a licensed officiant: no religious wording, at the place you choose. The lowest published price we found for an officiant alone is $250, and Hawaii Wedding Minister even has a state license agent in its office. The license itself is a separate step with the Department of Health; our guide to the Hawaii marriage license walks through it.
Finding a Licensed Officiant
Every officiant in Hawaii needs a license from the state, whether they work alone, for a hotel or for one of the package companies below. Before you pay anyone a deposit, search their name, or the name of the officiant they will send, in the state’s find-a-performer directory. You can search by name, city or ceremony type, including civil ceremonies.
Licenses expire and get renewed, so search again a week or two before your date. If a friend is marrying you, they register with the state first; the marriage license guide covers how.
Oahu Elopement Packages With Published Prices
These five Oahu companies publish their elopement prices, and each one bundles the officiant with some mix of leis, photos and paperwork. Every price here comes from the company’s own page, read in September 2026. Some add tax and fees on top, noted on each card. Ask each one what happens if the weather turns, and who files your marriage afterward.
I Want to Marry You Weddings
The lowest published starting price we found on Oahu. Every package includes a registered officiant, your choice of a non-denominational Christian or a non-religious civil ceremony, a keepsake certificate and online filing of your marriage, at the place and time you pick. The prices are “from” prices: the company adds 4.712% sales tax, site fees, and surcharges for ceremonies outside Honolulu and Waikiki, after 4 p.m., or on weekends and holidays.
- Officiant Onlyfrom $250The officiant and ceremony planning, nothing else
- Alohafrom $295Adds a Hawaiian ceremony: conch shell, lei exchange, two shell leis
- Moanafrom $495Adds 20 professional photos
- Mailefrom $695Adds a 1-hour photo shoot, 80 photos
- Makanafrom $1,295Adds a shoot of up to 1.5 hours, plus video
- Aliʻifrom $2,095Adds a bouquet, in-room hair and makeup and a 2.5-hour limo
Prices from the company’s own page, as of September 2026, before tax and fees.
See the packages on iwanttomarryyou.orgHawaii Wedding Minister
Rev. James Chun officiates every package, at the location you choose, and his office handles the paperwork to register your marriage with the state. The office also has an in-house state marriage license agent, by appointment, weekends and holidays included, so you can get the license and book the ceremony in one place. Ceremonies away from central Honolulu, such as the North Shore, Ko Olina or Kaneohe, add a $50 to $150 travel fee.
- Aloha$299 or $349Ceremony at your location, certificate and registration; $299 Monday to Thursday, $349 Friday to Sunday
- Mango$449Adds liability insurance and a beach permit, for up to 20 guests
- Coconut$999Adds a 60-minute photo session
- Pineapple$1,349Adds in-room hair and makeup
- Lilikoi$150 or $200For active-duty military: a legal signing in the office; $150 Monday to Thursday, $200 Friday to Sunday and holidays
The Mango, Coconut and Pineapple packages say a beach permit is included; ask which permit. Prices from the company’s own page, as of September 2026.
See the packages on hawaiiweddingminister.comWeddings of Hawaii
A Waikiki company at 1888 Kalākaua Ave. with the longest price ladder we found, from a simple beach ceremony to a private garden venue. Every package includes unlimited coordinator communication, the officiant and ceremony, two shell leis, a keepsake certificate and marriage license processing after the ceremony. The first three packages take a $100 deposit.
- Kamaʻaina$395Officiant and ceremony at a public location; no photo or video
- Gardenia$795Adds a 1-hour photographer, orchid leis and champagne or sparkling cider
- Maile$1,095Adds an 8-passenger limousine, round trip from Waikiki
- Lehua$2,149Adds 1.5 hours of photography and video, and a bouquet or lei
- Kalani Ilima$8,995The top package, with the ceremony at Nalo Gardens or Noelani Gardens
Prices from the company’s own page, as of September 2026. Two more packages sit between Lehua and Kalani Ilima: Royal Ilima ($3,155) and Monarch Elite ($5,945).
See the packages on wedhawaii.com
Rental car
A car for your elopement day
Between the license office, the venue and the beach, a rental car keeps the day simple. Compare Oahu rental cars on DiscoverCars.
We may earn a commission if you book through this link, at no extra cost to you.
Islander Weddings
Islander publishes one price on its Oahu elopement page, the Islander Extra plan, built for a simple, intimate beach ceremony with a professional photographer. It includes planning and consultation, license filing with the state, a licensed officiant, Hawaiian ukulele songs from its musician, a keepsake certificate and a 1-hour photo shoot with more than 100 photos to download.
- Islander Extra$645Officiant, ukulele music and a 1-hour photo shoot
- Without music$545Islander takes $100 off if you skip the musician
Price from the company’s own page, as of September 2026.
See the packages on islanderweddings.comI Do Hawaiian Weddings
Packages written for couples marrying on their own. The Kiss & Go ceremony is on the beach in Kahala, just past Diamond Head, with the officiant snapping a few photos on your own camera. Ke Aloha is “just the two of you” on the south or east shore, at Waialae Beach in Kahala, Duke Kahanamoku Beach, Magic Island or Waimānalo, with professional photography. Ke Aloha also comes as an ASL ceremony at the same price.
- Kiss & Go$725 plus taxThe Honi & Hele package: officiant, two shell lei, certificate, a few photos on your camera
- Ke Aloha$1,495 plus tax15-minute ceremony, lei, professional photography, license help
- Aloha Mele$2,015 plus taxAdds a live ukulele song and a hula dancer
Each of these packages says a beach permit is included; ask which permit. Prices from the company’s own page, as of September 2026.
See the packages on idohawaiianweddings.comWhere to Elope on Oahu, and Which Permit It Needs
A small ceremony is the easy case on the sand. The state’s $20 minimum Wiki Permit covers 200 square feet, plenty for two people and an officiant, and a permit is needed only when someone is paid. If your package includes a beach permit, you don’t touch the state’s system at all. If you hire an independent officiant or photographer, ask who is getting the permit and carrying the insurance: DLNR lets either the professional or the couple hold it.
| Where | Permit | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Lanikai BeachWindward | State Wiki Permit | Five mapped permit sites. Parking is limited on weekends and holidays; walk in on a public beach access path. |
| Kailua BeachWindward | State Wiki Permit | Eight mapped sites; pick the one closest to your spot. The park lawn behind the sand is city land, with its own permit. |
| Duke Kahanamoku BeachWaikiki | State Wiki Permit | Fronts the Hilton Hawaiian Village. The one stretch of Waikiki with Wiki Permits. |
| Waikiki Beach, Hilton pier to Elks ClubWaikiki | No commercial permit | No paid ceremony here. Use Duke Kahanamoku Beach or a hotel lawn. |
| Waialae BeachKahala | State Wiki Permit | Fronts the county park by Waialae Country Club, just past Diamond Head. |
| Magic Island and Ala Moana BeachHonolulu | City Parks Department | Not a Wiki Permit site. Here the city, not the state, covers the sand. |
| Sunset Beach and Waimea BayNorth Shore | State Wiki Permit | Winter surf, roughly November to February, brings a dangerous shorebreak. Waimea Bay has limited parking. |
| Kailana ChapelWaimānalo | None: private property | An oceanfront chapel at Sea Life Park. $3,500 for a ceremony after 4 p.m. (150 minutes); you also need a designated coordinator. |
Our guide to Oahu beach wedding permits covers every agency, what you can bring onto the sand, and the steps in order. To skip the permit question entirely, pick a private venue: the Oahu wedding venues guide compares ranches, gardens, hotels and chapels with published prices.
Your Elopement Timeline, Landing to Ceremony
Checklist
From Booking to Married
- Pick your officiant or package. Look the officiant up in the state’s performer directory before you pay a deposit, and again close to your date, since licenses expire.
- Choose the spot. If it is public sand and anyone is paid, confirm who is getting the permit and carrying the insurance: your vendor or you.
- Before you fly, apply online and pay $65 on the state’s marriage license site. Save the Authorization Code, then book a license agent appointment.
- In your first day or two on Oahu, meet the agent together, each with photo ID. The license is good for 30 days, anywhere in Hawaii, and there is no waiting period.
- On the day, hand the license to your officiant. On state sand, the permit covers 2 hours, setup and breakdown included.
- Within 3 business days, your officiant files the marriage. Your temporary certificate becomes available once it is filed.
- Order a certified copy online when you need one for a name change or paperwork: $17.50 for the first copy. The Department of Health says it usually takes up to 4 to 6 weeks.
Plan a buffer day between landing and the ceremony so the license appointment isn’t a rush. Where you stay shapes the logistics: our guide to where to stay on Oahu compares Waikiki, Ko Olina, the North Shore and the windward side, and our best Waikiki hotels guide helps you choose which end of Waikiki to stay in.
What It Costs to Elope on Oahu, Line by Line
Only two costs are fixed, both from the state: the $65 license, and $17.50 later for a certified copy. Everything else depends on the package or venue. Every number below is published by the agency or business named beside it, as of September 2026.
| What you pay for | Cost | Published by |
|---|---|---|
| Marriage license (required) | $65 | Department of Health |
| Officiant only, lowest published price | from $250 | I Want to Marry You, Officiant Only |
| Officiant, ukulele music and a 1-hour photo shoot | $645 | Islander Weddings, Islander Extra |
| State beach permit, if your package doesn’t include one | $20 minimum | DLNR Wiki Permits |
| One-day liability policy for that permit | starts around $75 | DLNR Wiki Permits FAQ |
| Beach permit and insurance, as one vendor’s add-on | $150 flat | Hawaii Wedding Minister |
| Packages with photography and video | $1,295 to $2,149 | I Want to Marry You, Makana (from); Weddings of Hawaii, Lehua |
| Private chapel, ceremony only | $3,500 after 4 p.m. | Kailana Chapel; a coordinator is extra |
| Private garden venue, all-inclusive | $8,995 | Weddings of Hawaii, Kalani Ilima |
| Certified copy of your marriage certificate, afterward | $17.50 first copy online | Department of Health |
Put together, an Oahu elopement runs from $65 plus an officiant at $250 and up, to just under $9,000 for an all-inclusive private venue. Packages with a professional photographer start at $495 (from) with I Want to Marry You and $645 with Islander Weddings.
Hiring an Elopement Photographer
Most of the packages above include the photographer, which saves you from coordinating two vendors and two permit questions. If you would rather hire your own Hawaii elopement photographer, ask three things before you book: whether they carry the liability insurance a beach permit needs, who will get the permit, and how long photo delivery takes. One permit and one permit holder cover each ceremony, so settle who holds it before the day.
Time of day and day of the week can change the price. I Want to Marry You adds a surcharge after 4 p.m. and on weekends, and Hawaii Wedding Minister’s base ceremony is $50 more Friday to Sunday. Ask for the price at the exact time you want.
After the Ceremony: Registering Your Marriage
Your officiant, not you, files the marriage with the state, within three business days. Once it is filed, your temporary certificate is available online. For a name change, a passport or insurance, order a certified copy; the marriage license guide covers every way to order one.
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Oahu Elopement Questions
Can you elope in Hawaii with just the two of you?
Yes. Hawaii needs a marriage license and a state-licensed officiant, with the two of you and the officiant all there in person. No guests and no witnesses are required, so the smallest legal Oahu wedding is three people.
Do you need witnesses to get married in Hawaii?
No. HRS 572-1, the Hawaii law that lists what makes a marriage valid, has no witness requirement, and the Department of Health’s marriage license page doesn’t ask for one.
Can you get married at a courthouse in Hawaii?
No. No courthouse or state office in Hawaii performs weddings. The closest thing is a civil ceremony with a state-licensed officiant, which on Oahu starts from $250 at the lowest published price we found.
How much does it cost to elope on Oahu?
The only fixed cost is the $65 marriage license, plus $17.50 later for a certified copy. Published Oahu elopement packages run from $250 for an officiant alone to $8,995 for a private garden venue with full photo and video, as of September 2026.
Do you need a permit to elope on the beach on Oahu?
Yes, if anyone is paid, such as the officiant or a photographer, and the ceremony is on public sand. On most Oahu beaches that is a state Wiki Permit, from $20, plus liability insurance. Many elopement packages include a beach permit; ask which one.
What are the best places to elope on Oahu?
For a small ceremony on public sand: Lanikai and Kailua beaches on the windward side, Duke Kahanamoku Beach in Waikiki, Waialae Beach in Kahala, and Sunset Beach or Waimea Bay on the North Shore outside the winter surf season. For no permit question at all, a private chapel or venue.
How far ahead should you plan an Oahu elopement?
Book your officiant or package first. Apply for the license online before you fly and meet a license agent once you arrive; the license is valid for 30 days. For a beach permit, DLNR asks for at least a week or two.
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