Best Wedding Locations On Oahu – Based on Your Personality

July 1, 2022

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With many beautiful wedding locations on Oahu, it can be difficult to select the perfect spot. You can make it easier to narrow down the many options by considering your personality. Whether you’re a type-A personality needing as much control as possible or an easy-going pair (or somewhere in between), there’s a great Oahu wedding location just for you.  

Oahu has two basic types of wedding venues: dedicated Oahu wedding venues which are private and have a dedicated location or an Oahu beach wedding venue, which is on a public beach. A dedicated wedding venue is more exclusive and can take a great deal of uncertainty out of your wedding experience. A public beach wedding can be busy and comes with many uncertainties as nature is the one in charge. Laid-back couples may be ok with the excitement a beach wedding brings. 

But what’s best for you? We’ll highlight some key personality points that will help you decide if you’re a beach couple or a venue couple. Keep reading to see which Oahu wedding location type will give you the destination wedding of your dreams. 

Wedding locations Oahu
Oahu wedding venue – Kualoa Secret Island

Beach Weddings in Oahu

A beach wedding is a barefoot celebration for a couple ready to go with the flow. If the following traits fit you and your partner, a beach wedding could be calling your name. 

Laid-Back

Are you a laid-back pair who isn’t phased by changed plans and uncertainty? Beach ceremonies are simple but can lack a lot of structure since each day is different at the beach. 

You’ll delight in a wave washing over your feet and embrace the wind-swept look the sea will give your hair. Umbrellas look cute in photos, and dogs running behind your ceremony are welcome guests. An easygoing attitude is essential for the unique situations beach weddings bring. 

If any of that sounds horrifying to you, then an Oahu venue wedding may be best, so keep reading to learn more about both kinds of wedding sites. 

Rain at Beach Wedding Oahu
Rain at an Oahu Beach Wedding

Flexible

A beach wedding requires a lot of flexibility. We cannot reserve a specific spot for the ceremony, so we may have to work with tides and crowds to choose a place for your nuptials. 

Sometimes on rainy days, we may even move the ceremony to a totally different beach just hours before the ceremony in hopes of getting a dry location. 

Not only is flexibility required on the wedding day, but also during the planning process. The state may change permitting rules at any time, causing us to change beaches, guest count, or parking plans.

But flexibility works both ways. Since we aren’t paying a site fee to rent a specific spot, it’s sometimes possible to change your location if you change your hotel or find a beach you like better. 

Happy-Go-Lucky

Do you know you’ll be happy with your wedding no matter what? The ideal beach couple keeps smiling through wind, rain, and crowds – it’s just part of their personality! It’s about marrying the love of your life, not the complete flawlessness of the day.

If the uncertainties of a beach wedding won’t get you down, you may be rewarded with a picture-perfect wedding day. 

Beach vs Venue wedding Oahu

Simple

If you want an effortless experience, a beach wedding will allow you to invest little thought and money into your ceremony. A planner like Simple Oahu Wedding can help keep things even more easy by taking care of all the logistics.

Beach wedding couples typically have no decor, no official bridal party, and no processional besides the bride’s entrance. While it’s possible to incorporate some of those elements on a beach, it goes much more smoothly at a venue. 

Budget Minded 

Oahu beach weddings cost less, so they’re great for budget-minded couples. There’s no site fee, only the cost of getting a permit from the state. Restrictions on seating and decor mean it’s impossible to go overboard with your spending. 

So if you can’t imagine spending a lot of money on a wedding, a simple beach ceremony will ensure you cut costs as much as possible. 

Outgoing

There will likely be other people around enjoying the beach as you wed. Usually, beachgoers keep a polite distance, but you still may feel eyes upon you during the ceremony.

We’ve seen outgoing couples really enjoy this, especially if people on the beach cheer as they are pronounced newlyweds. Shy couples may prefer a more private experience at a venue, though.

Venue Weddings on Oahu

Venue weddings allowed you to have a seated ceremony in a reserved space. The site fee also buys you peace of mind, a structured plan, fewer restrictions and some offer rain backup options.

If you identify with the personality types below (or think you may as wedding nerves come over you), consider venue Oahu wedding locations. 

Romantic Oahu Wedding at a venue with arch

Sophisticated

Do you have a discerning taste and an eye for detail? If you want to ensure your wedding is stylish and tasteful, then you may want to book a private venue to ensure you’re as happy as possible on your wedding day. 

Easily Stressed

If you can imagine yourself feeling stressed or anxious on your wedding day, the uncertainties of a beach ceremony could elevate that and make it even worse. So if you often find yourself anxious and crave perfection, choose a venue for your Oahu wedding. 

The structure, weather backup plans, and the reserved site will keep you composed as you look forward to your ceremony. That’s especially valuable for destination weddings when you want to be enjoying your vacation instead of stressing over the uncertainties beach weddings bring. 

Rigid

All weddings require some amount of flexibility. After all, you’re dealing with many moving parts and people. But a venue wedding will allow you to plan things with more certainty. 

A beach wedding will require you to give your guests general directions to the small parking lot, and then an onsite coordinator will guide you all through the moments based on the day’s unique beach conditions. A lot of plans will need to be adapted to fit the tide, conditions, crowds, and unforeseen situations. 

A venue wedding has a set place where you will plan your ceremony. They’ve reserved a time, parking spaces, a ceremony space, and seating. So you can make plans for entrances, photos, and moments that shouldn’t have to change much.

Creative

Couples who love elaborate decor and breathtaking scenery should choose a venue for their wedding. These wedding locations in Oahu will allow you to have a more creative design for your ceremony, from floral arches to bespoke seating. 

While beach weddings will force simplicity due to the strict rules, a venue wedding will give you the freedom to express yourself through beautiful decorations.

Venue wedding locations Oahu - Royal Hawaiian Golf Club
Oahu wedding venue – Royal Hawaiian Golf Club

Spendy

If you don’t mind spending money for an improved experience, then a venue wedding location in Oahu is an excellent option. You’ll pay a site fee for a beautiful space and the amenities that come with it. 

A larger wedding budget can go toward decorations, which are allowed and encouraged at venues. Arches, flowers, draping, and stylish seating are great ways to use your greater wedding budget to make the day unique and beautiful. 

You can impress your guests with a world-class Oahu view as they enjoy comfortable seating and access to an exclusive location. 

While there are many budget-friendly Oahu wedding venues, they will still cost more than a basic beach wedding. 

How to Reserve Oahu Wedding Locations

Have you narrowed down the kinds of Wedding Locations in Oahu that will work for your personality? Now it’s time to select the perfect spot to say “I Do” in paradise. 

Click the link to view all of our venue and beach Oahu Wedding Packages.

Get In Touch

Get in touch with one of our expert Oahu Wedding Planners to book your package and begin looking forward to your perfect day!

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Karma Hill is the owner of Karma Hill Photography, Simple Maui Wedding, Simple Oahu Wedding, and Simple Hawaii Wedding, marking a significant presence in the Hawaii wedding community since 2007. With a wealth of experience and a vast collection of informative posts on weddings and photography in Hawaii, Karma Hill offers unparalleled expertise. Explore the world of photography and wedding planning across Hawaii by visiting Karma's websites.

Wedding Locations on Oahu

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