Makapu’u overlook wedding FAQ’s
What will our day of timeline look like?
You are probably either doing a morning wedding at 9:30 or 10am or an afternoon wedding at 3pm. Your planner will customize a timeline for you and send you a sample outline if she has not done so already.
9:30am Ceremony Timeline SAMPLE
8:30am setup (vendors only)
9-9:15am park, get settled, use restroom if needed / at this time set-up will also be happening by your planner
9:30am CEREMONY
10:00am Photos
10:30am end
10:30-11:30am *add on an extra hour of photos at the beach
followed by Brunch/Lunch - 11:30am or 12pm
3:00pm Ceremony Timeline SAMPLE
2:00pm setup (vendors only)
3-3:15pm arrive/park, get settled, use restroom if needed
3:00pm CEREMONY
3:30pm Photos
4:00pm end
4-5pm *add on an extra hour of photos at the beach
followed by Dinner - 6pm
We want to take our guests to lunch after the ceremony - any suggestions?
Yes, tons! But it depends on a lot of factors, the type of food you like, how many guests you have, where you are staying, etc. Your planner can send you a custom outline of lunch or dinner options - you just need to reach out to her and request it.
Are their restrooms or a changing spot At the ceremony site?
Yes, there are restrooms located on site at the garden depending on the ceremony location you picked. These will be open for guests to use as needed. You can use these spaces to change as needed but we highly suggest you come dressed and ready to go.
How likely is it to rain on my wedding day? What happens if it does rain?
On the morning of your wedding we check the weather report and radar and watch the rain carefully. If it is pouring all morning (this is really rare), then we'll call you and discuss options with you. 95% of the time even on a very rainy day there are patches of sunshine. Usually we wait out the passing showers and will do a ceremony in between showers. The skies usually clear beautifully and photos of the clouds over the mountains here are magical. In Hawaii we consider rain showers to be extra blessings so don't be afraid of rain. So far we haven't had a wedding get completely rained out and even rainy days here end up being pretty. We have even had weddings go off without a hitch on hurricane/tsunami days. There is a backup chapel here we can use if it’s too rainy.
We don't like your photographer and want to hire someone else can we do this?
We really think you'll be quite pleased with our photographers but if you're sure that you would like to bring in another photographer then we can credit you $250. Our main concern is that you are happy with how your wedding day turns out.
My friend is going to officiate, is that ok?
Yes, most definitely! You just need to make sure that your friend is ordained and that he or she is registered with the State of Hawaii to do the wedding. This must be done a few weeks prior to your wedding. Click here for more information. There are no pkg. discounts if you decide to bring your own officiant.
Do we need to do a wedding rehearsal?
We do not do rehearsals for our wedding packages because the ceremonies are generally pretty simple. We will have a basic outline of the bridal party processional and will send this to you along with your timeline a week or two prior to your wedding day. You should go over the order of how your bridal party will walk down the aisle with everyone involved ahead of time. On the day of the wedding we will line everyone up and let them know when to walk, where to walk and how to stand. It is a simple process and we will guide you through all of it.
Any tips on how to make our wedding more personalized?
Check our our CEREMONY DECORATION page - adding some simple florals like a bridal bouquet, aisle flowers and a boutonniere, is an easy way to make a simple wedding feel a lot more special. Florals are personalized to your liking and look amazing against the bright turquoise blue backdrop. Also, little touches like pretty fans, parasols or sunglasses for guests and bright bouquets / boutonnieres for the bridal party can go a long way.
Bright colors look amazing against the bright blue ocean backdrop. Colored parasols look great in photos and provide good shade for guests as well (order on Etsy or Amazon).
I also love the idea of honoring everyone who flew all the way down for your wedding with a lei. You can present everyone with an orchid lei at the end of the ceremony, it's a nice touch and doesn't cost too much money. You could also honor parents with a parent lei ceremony (where you'll present your mom and dad with a lei honoring and thanking them for all they've done for you).
What is the address / directions to the garden?
Click here to see the address and to get directions.
When should we send out our invites?
Destination weddings involve a lot of travel planning and often taking vacation time. We suggest sending out a Save the Date as soon as you have your date set. You can send out an official invite 4-6 months prior.
Can we do a Champagne Toast and wedding cake after the ceremony?
Champagne & cakes are best saved for the lunch or dinner reception. If you would like to do a wedding cake, special request one from the restaurant. Or you can have one made from a specialty cake company and delivered that day. If you need cake company recommendations, check out our Preferred Vendor Page.
Got more questions? send your planner an email and we'll get back to you as soon as we can :)
~ Nicole & the Best Day Ever team