How to Obtain your Marriage License on Maui..and other simple matters.

In spite of all the "fun" that I have in planning weddings, there are a few details that are REQUIRED by the State of Hawaii. We obtain your beach access permit for you, and most importantly we assist you in getting your MARRIAGE LICENSE.

Up until recently, we picked up a phone and called a local license agent to make an appointment for you. Now, we can simply book this for you on-line via a very simple process. This allows us to book this for you even though it isn't office hours. We can then send you the confirmation of your date (that you have requested) and provide the address, phone number and confirmation number of your appointment.

We will send you a PDF of the marriage license application and YOU FILL THAT OUT and TAKE IT WITH YOU TO THE APPOINTMENT. Do NOT sign the application and leave the minister's name and name of your wedding location blank so shoud that information change. Remember that this is a LEGAL document so if you are considering a name change you may want to discuss this with the agent at the number we provide for you. The fee paid to the agent is $70 and is only accepted in CASH. Both of you must appear and should show your identification (drivers licenses or passports). The license agent will provide you with an EXPEDITE form that you can fill out and send in with the fee for your marriage license process to hopefully be sped up a little.( Those who are waiting to be included on a new insurance policy with a spouse may need to call the Health Department in Honolulu if you are concerned about the time it is taking to receive this back.) We recommend you send in the form to expedite this process.

Please REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR LICENSE WITH YOU TO THE CEREMONY. Without this license your minister cannot marry you. (The license and the wedding rings are often forgotten in the excitement of the day so it is a good idea to place this in a special place so it will not be forgotten. The minister will sign this with you at the end of the ceremony. You may have two witnesses sign and if none are present then the Minister or photographer/coordinator or whomever can sign for you. The Minister will then mail in the license for you and then the State of Hawaii will return it to you after it is processed.

5 QUICK TIPS for planning a STRESS FREE wedding on Maui!

We hear it often..."The groom and I are just so STRESSED when we start talking about having to plan a destination wedding." I feel badly for newly engaged couples who really don't know where to start. The excitement of the engagement wanes a little bit when the reality that wedding planning across an ocean (and often much farther) is hard work. THUS, I'm hopeful that these 5 QUICK TIPS for planning a STRESS FREE wedding on Maui will provide you some relief!

1)DON'T TRY TO DO IT YOURSELF:
Enlist the help of a caring and very experienced wedding planner. This will save you time and in the long run money $$..time is money. (Just imagine,in the amount of time that you can call one photographer and ask about packages and specials and how he works, we could have already given you the names and shown you their work of at least 10 excellent photographers for consideration who we work with often! We know them, we trust them and so can you.) Your day is entirely too imporant to plan it from thousands of miles away without knowing who you can trust. We are trustworthy, experienced and very caring.
2)IF A PRICE SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, THEN IT PROBABLY IS..BEWARE.
Don't stress yourself out trying to find the BEST wedding package prices because less is not always more and more can be affordable but shouldn't be done cheaply. You may get what you paid for it..and nothing more.
3)WEATHER CAN'T BE PREDICTED ..EVEN BY THE BEST OF WEATHER MEN!
Watching the island weather report two weeks prior most likely will not give you an accurate report of what the weather will be like WHERE YOU ARE and THE TIME OF DAY where you are on Maui. With many eco-systems too numerous to count (almost!) please don't lose sleep seeing the smart phones show rain on your wedding day. And..showers are considered blessings and rainbows are added blessings.
4)WRITING YOUR OWN VOWS may not be your best choice for BOTH of you. The groom often stresses out seeking the PERFECT words for a short paragraph of vows while the bride may have written page after page of affirming vows..or visa versa. Instead consider using the ministers vows that you like and then memorize or just say something to one another after the vows. (i.e., "The first moment we met I....")
5)DECIDE WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO THE TWO OF YOU. Trying to impress or please others can ideally ruin your wedding day but also your entire honeymoon. Working with your planner to make sure that all planning is as YOU WISH. If you feel that someone is going to be a hindrance to the JOY of the occasion then seriously discuss whether they should be invited or not. AND.. Make time for YOURSELVES. Carve out time for yourselves and if necessary then spend a few days with guests and then choose some nights in another resort away from your guests. I hear people very often say, "We love our family but we really wish we could have some time to ourselves both before and especially after." Do it YOUR way and enjoy friends and family but remember that you are beginning YOUR life together so to be together is key.

Dolphin Dream Weddings strives to make sure that your wedding planning can be as "stress free" as possible. Often as planners and coordinators we try to aleviate your stress by asking you to let us worry about the little and big details. We may not know every answer to a concern or problem but with having planned thousands of weddings we have learned to be problem solvers and most of the time we can prevent a problem before it occurs anyway! And, isn't this what a great wedding professional should be doing for you anyway?

Call us today so we can answer your questions, lead you in the right direction and relieve some of that stress for you! 808.669.8787

WHICH SEASON IS BEST FOR YOUR MAUI WEDDING?

Each Season on Maui offers wonderful reasons to get Maui'd!!! However, almost every day of the week I have someone ask me, WHICH SEASON IS BEST?

Planning your wedding date is often one of the most perplexing tasks for an engaged couple. One of you may love the idea of a wedding in the SPRINGTIME and another may think that waiting until SUMMER is best. And, for many reasons the best answer is not always ONE SEASON but Maui really does have something to offer for anyone wanting a wedding any day of the year. However, I do suggest that you consider some of the following tips for planning one of the most important days of your lives!

1)Determine WHO you want to invite (if anyone!) and consider when will be the best times for them to be away for your weddingmoon. Those with school aged children may not be able to travel until a school break or the summer. And, grandma in Alaska may be snowed in during January. Check first with your KEY guests /family members and those whom you have asked to be in your wedding party.

2)If your ceremony is indoors then weather may not be of huge concern. And although it is highly unpredictable EVERYWHERE , we do have some past SPRING rainfall records that can help us steer you away from particular months for outdoor ceremonies that may be known to often have a bit more precipitation. However, it is very true that almost every day on Maui is considered a beautiful day...even those days of few morning showers which allow for beutiful rainbows for your afternoon weddings. A good rule of thumb is to just make some back up plans in case of rain for anytime if you want to be guaranteed to always stay dry! Some of private estates either require or highly recommend a tent with certain guest numberes and in some locations.

3)SUMMERs on Maui tend to warm up through September or even October with higher humidity and some days are windier than others any day or time of day. It can all change quickly. Don't speculate that because your MARCH is windy in your city that this will also be the case in Hawaii! We welcome some light trades and often the stronger trades push out some clouds or voggy conditions. (Just remember that a voggy day often paints the sky the most beautiful vivid colors at sunset!)

4)You might reconsider a FALL wedding if you have always visualized the changing of the color of the leaves. We have an abundance of lovely orchids of all colors, as well as ginger, antheriums, plumeria and more vibrant greens that you can imagine much of the year.

5)WINTERS with ice and snow on the mainland may deter you from making a flight due to a cancellation on your end, but December here may be just as warm and sunny as a summer day anywhere else. You might want a light jacket in the evening but if the men are in long sleeves or tuxedoes then they may be quite uncomfy during ceremony and the photo shoot. Enjoy the lighting of the BANYAN TREE and see the lovely lights at all resorts and especially at The Ritz and Four Seasons which makes for some lovely dinner and reception lighting without the added cost to you!

Anytime of year really is beautiful for your Maui wedding. Call and discuss the pros and cons of each month with us, but remember that almost every day on Maui is the BEST day for you to get "Maui'd".

A NEW YEAR OF WEDDINGS..HAPPY 2011! START YOUR YEAR RIGHT BY PLANNING A LOVELY DESTINATION WEDDING ON MAUI!

It is a NEW YEAR and a time for NEW BEGINNINGS! Hopefully now is the time that you are ready to begin planning a lovely DESTINATION WEDDING or VOW RENEWAL on Maui! CONGRATS!

To get started, here are a few questions that we are frequently asked.

How do we book your planning/coordination services? Call us to reserve your date, time and location with a very small deposit! (A credit card over the phone or a check mailed to us if time allows.) Many couples tell us that they waited to book with a planner because they thought that they would need to place "large sums of money" toward their wedding at the time of the booking. This is simply not the case with DOLPHIN DREAM WEDDINGS. We reserve your date and time to ensure you are on our schedule, we set up your file and then begin planning the location, the vendors and special details. In most cases you can pay your entire wedding balance anytime up to 31 days prior to your wedding!

Why use a planner? We can save you time, $$$, and much STRESS. You might want to plan a birthday or anniversary party but unless you live on Maui and have all vendor contacts, knowledge of wedding planning and locations for wedding and receptions..do you really want to plan your own wedding? Don't trust yourself or friends for the many hundreds of hours that it would take you to do what we do every day of the week. Trust us, we will take great care of your most special day.

Why Maui? Why NOT Maui? Maui is a world apart from the mainland but it still in the United States, with safe drinking water, same currency, and the most beautiful beaches and private locations for lovely photos. The resorts are great, the shopping is better than most imagine and if you want to see Pearl Harbor, spend some of your time island-hopping then you are just a day trip away. Best of all..our VENDORS are GREAT!

Why DOLPHIN DREAM WEDDINGS? We love doing weddings, are experienced and CARING planners. We have a great team of assistant on-site coordinators who do an absolutely wonderful job on your wedding day.

DON'T DELAY..CALL US TODAY TO BEGIN A NEW BEGINNING AS HUSBAND AND WIFE AS YOU PLAN YOUR WEDDING WITH DOLPHIN DREAM WEDDINGS!

I Hope This Gets To You

Private Estate or Beach Wedding ??

When does a bride know whether she should consider a PRIVATE ESTATE WEDDING rather than a BEACH WEDDING? First I suggest that you should take into account the overall vision of your wedding day and think about options that are best for you. We should discuss with you what is and is not allowed on our beautiful Hawaii beaches. The good news is that if we can't create your decor on the beach that it is absolutely possible at one of our beautiful private ocean or mountain estates on Maui. Simple beach weddings can be beautiful and still some of our favorites to plan but we do have our limitations due to regulations and we are happy to answer any and all questions. Here are a few tips that will help you get started:

Consider the number of GUESTS you are anticipating, your BUDGET, the TIME of day, and the DETAILS of your ceremony that are very important to you. Needless to say if you are expecting 40 or more guests then a beach ceremony may not work well. (Because the Department of Land and Natural Resources doesn't allow CHAIRS on the beach, your guests may not all have a great view as they are all standing!) You may have only 20 guests but prefer to have a private site where only you and your guests are present. (But, can you afford the site fee?) If you want a later morning wedding, mid-day or early afternoon weddings then the BEACH will most likely be too crowded with tourists and locals alike. (Just how important is it to do that time of day..consider just prior to sunset or consider a smaller private site!) AND..if you want the CHAIRS, the ARCH and a D.J. and dancing then know that you simply MUST choose a PRIVATE SITE!

So, you want your feet in the sand and yet still want a private location? We do have a FEW such locations but know that since ALL beaches on Maui are considered PUBLIC that you may still have someone wander into the background photos. Or, do you prefer GRASSY LAWN where you can see water but can drive less than 5 minutes to a great beach for photos as your guests are enjoying cocktails after the ceremony? We have the place for you.

Your ceremony and reception location should be a perfect reflection of you and your personality! Tell us what you have in mind, give us as much info as possible so we can steer you the right direction and as uneasy as it may feel..it is VERY true that providing us with some beginning amount of BUDGET really helps us begin the best planning process that will be more "stress free" as we know realistic cost options. And in the meantime...we want you to ENJOY the process of decision making so let's all remember to have fun ( LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE) and our goal is to provide you with the most beautiful wedding whether PRIVATE ESATE or BEACH!

For the LOVE of Summer and Fall!

As each season of the year brings many different changes, our SUMMER and FALL are often bringing new and exciting changes as well. We were extremely busy in JUNE and JULY doing weddings. We planned and coordinated weddings (small and large) all over the island. Makena Cove is a beautiful location South Side location for small ceremonies and always a favorite for photos. Kapalua Bay is larger and has a restaurant within steps of the site so it remains as one of our favorite West Side beaches and in the highest rankings of "Most beautiful beaches in the WORLD" so Dr. Beach says! Our private site locations of Paradise Point and Ka'anapali Coffee Farms (our newest private venue with amazing PANORAMIC views of the ocean and only minutes within all major resorts of Ka'anapali, Lahaina, Kapalua and Napili) have been very busy spots in the past few weeks.

It was our honor to do an Indian Wedding for a wonderful bride and groom from San Francisco. Their family flew in from all over the world and Paradise Point was just a magical backdrop for their 100 plus morning wedding and lunch reception. We also did a wedding at Ka'anapali Coffee Farm for a beautiful couple with 40 or so guests who chose to do wedding only and then drive 3 minutes to DUKES for their reception.

We love doing different types of ceremonies, with all sizes of weddings and budgets. We would love to assist you with YOUR wedding planning. Remember our motto, "If you can dream it..we can arrange it!" We LOVE all of our wedding seasons! Call us at 1-800-793-2933 and if on island at 808.669.8787.