Best Elopement Locations Maui Hawaii
Ironwoods Beach, Kapalua ( Oneloa Beach )
Congratulations ! If you are on this post that means you are ready to take the next step in your love story and have chosen beautiful Maui, Hawaii as your destination location to elope. You may be feeling excitement / a little overwhelmed on planning or a bit of both - With having been a wedding photographer in Hawaii for 7 years both of those feelings are completely normal. The goal of this post is to help give some insight of the top areas in Maui to elope to help with planning the perfect wedding day. Let’s dive on in !
Po’olenalena Beach, Wailea
Maui Beach Elopement
When dreaming of your day maybe you envision a white sandy beach, palm trees swaying in the breeze, and the bright blue ocean as the backdrop for your wedding. It’s hard to beat the stunning beaches here on Maui when planning a beach elopement. To help with narrowing down locations I first want to address that here in Hawaii not all beaches allow for weddings to place. The state has a list of beaches for each island that are permitted for weddings/photoshoots to occur on. If you choose to work with local vendors ( which I highly encourage you to do to help support the wonderful local economy here ) all registered businesses with the state have access to the list of legal locations and are able to pull the needed permit(s) for a wedding ceremony to happen. With my packages I offer the permit for elopements is already included in the package prices - it super important to make sure you have verified vendors for your day so that you do not risk a fine with DLNR. Now that the important but not so fun to talk about info. is out there let’s go over the fun part which is discussing the best beaches here on Maui for elopements. If you have yet to visit Maui each side of the island is unique from another which is fantastic since there is a location that is ideal for what anyone is looking for.
South Side
Kihei, Wailea, Makena
If you want the classic Hawaiian coastline South Side is where that is located. Wailea is one of the main go-to areas for beach elopements here in Hawaii overall with the beautiful beaches it is home to. Each of the beaches I will list below have light colored sand, palm trees, bright blue water, and some wonderful views of the West Maui mountains in the background :
Ulua Beach
Wailea Beach
Polo Beach, Wailea
Palauea Beach aka White Rock
Po’olenalena Beach
Maluaka Beach
Pa’ako Beach AKA Secret Cove in Makena
Palauea Beach, Wailea
Maluaka Beach, Makena
Po’olenalena Beach , Wailea
Ulua Beach, Wailea
Ulua Beach, Maui
Polo Beach, Wailea
Wailea Beach, Wailea
North Shore
Paia
One of my absolute favorite beaches here on Maui is located on the north shore - Fronting Mama’s Fish House is a beautiful little cove. It has crystal clear water, palm trees everywhere, and waves that roll in yet do not crash upon the shore. I would recommend a ceremony for the early AM here since once the famous restaurant opens that fronts this beach parking is difficult to find.
West Side
Lahaina, Kaanapali, Napili, Kapalua
The West Side of Maui is home to two of the main elopement locations here in Hawaii : Kapalua Bay and Ironwoods Beach. The coastline of Maui’s west side transitions from tropical beaches into rocky cliffs with waves crashing below making for breathtaking photos. Please note that all of Kaanapali is illegal for weddings or photoshoots to take place on the beach by the state. However, if you are staying at a resort in the Kaanapali area you are allowed to have photos on the resort’s property but not down on the actual beach even if it fronts the resort. Don’t let that discourage you though, each of the below locations is only a short drive away from Lahaina/Kaanapali and absolutely incredible for your wedding day :
Kapalua Bay
Ironwoods Beach
D.T. Flemings Beach
below images of Ironwoods Beach, Maui
below images of Kapalua Bay
below images of D.T. Flemings Beach
Maui Adventure Elopements
If you and your partner gravitate more towards adventure you may be wanting a more unique experience when it comes to your Maui elopement. One of my favorite locations with my couples is our volcano, Haleakala. Imagine saying your “I do’s” 10,000+ ft above the clouds ! Another option is to book a helicopter elopement where you have the option to fly to a hidden waterfall in the West Maui mountains or fly to our rainforest side to tie the knot. I am happy to send over recommendations for a helicopter company to go with as well as jump on in to capture this amazing day/those stunning aerial views. Another out of the box idea is to be married on a boat out at sea ! I have some strong sea legs and am always ready to jump on to capture your “I do’s” out on the big blue ( you can even charter to our neighbor island Lanai to have photos on near empty beaches with some stunning scenery ). If you would like to chase some waterfalls on our rainforest side at the beginning of Hana is a farm called Twin Falls. This farm does allow permits for wedding ceremonies to take place where you and your partner may be married at one of the gorgeous waterfalls on the property. Whatever it is you envision just say the word and I am happy to help you plan.
Sunset on top of Haleakala, Maui
BEST MAUI ELOPEMENT VENUES
Some couples prefer a destination location but would still like to have a wedding venue which I 100% get. Whether your Maui Hawaii elopement is just the two of you or you have a handful of loved ones in attendance below are the best locations on Maui for an intimate elopement :
Gather on Maui, Wailea ( three unique areas on the property to choose from )
Hotel Wailea * one of my favorites here on Maui
Four Seasons Lawn Ceremony Wailea
Andaz Wailea
Olowalu Plantation * one of the top wedding venues in the world
Four Seasons Lanai
Pineapple Chapel, Kapalua
Ritz Carlton Maui, Kapalua
Merriman’s Restaurant , Kapalua * Perfect for having an ocean view and reception at the same location
Montage, Kapalua
Hana Maui Resort
Haiku Mill
Ready to plan your day ? Send me an inquiry telling me of your vision and let’s get to planning the perfect Hawaii elopement ! If you need any recommendations for local vendors I have you covered and am here to offer helpful guidance each step of the way - let the no stress planning begin now. Let’s connect !
