Most people assume a Hawaii wedding costs about $53,000. But half of all couples who marry in Hawaii spend less than $21,117.[8] So what does Hawaii’s wedding data really say about destination couples? Here are the real numbers, from the State of Hawaii and wedding industry reports, and how we help couples plan a beautiful wedding without overspending. Every source is listed at the bottom of this page.
Published November 1, 2026 · Aloha Island Weddings, Oahu
Average vs median
The Real Cost of a Hawaii Wedding
Weddings are big business in the islands. The Wedding Report estimates that couples spent $927 million on weddings in Hawaii in 2025.[7]
The average Hawaii wedding cost $53,369, but the median was only $21,117.[8] The median is the middle couple: half spent less and half spent more. A smaller number of very large resort weddings pull the average way up, so most couples spend much closer to the lower number. From what we see with our own couples, those very high budgets usually include resort hotel costs too. Hawaii’s median was the highest of any state.
The industry is expected to keep growing. Future Market Insights forecasts that destination weddings in Hawaii will grow from about $2.8 billion in 2025 to about $8.4 billion by 2035.[10] This is a market research forecast, not a state count.
What drives the cost
What Really Drives the Cost of a Hawaii Wedding
1. The Venue Is the Biggest Lever
Where you hold your wedding changes the budget more than anything else. Big resorts usually set a food and beverage minimum, the least you must spend on catering. At the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel on the Big Island, for example, wedding packages run $10,000 to $15,000, and on top of that there is a $15,000 food and beverage minimum Monday to Thursday and $20,000 Friday to Sunday, plus a 25% service charge on food and drinks, and a minimum of ten room nights.[11]
A ceremony on a public beach is very different. Hawaii’s beaches are open to everyone, so there is no venue fee or catering minimum, just a State of Hawaii beach permit, which we take care of for you.
2. Guest Count
Every guest adds to the bill: a chair, a flower lei, a meal, a drink, and more space and setup. A ceremony for two can cost a small fraction of a wedding for 80, so the guest list is the second biggest decision you will make.
3. Day & Season
Weekends often cost more at resorts, as the Mauna Kea minimums show.[11] The busiest months for visiting couples in 2025 were May, October and September, and the quietest was January.[4] A weekday or a quieter month can mean more choice of dates and places.
4. The Extras
Photography, video, flowers, music, a reception and decorations all add up. Choosing the extras that matter most to you, and skipping the rest, keeps the budget where you want it.
Honeymoons
Hawaii Is the Number One Honeymoon Spot
In Honeyfund’s 2026 report, Hawaii is the number one honeymoon destination, ahead of Italy and Japan. Greece and Mexico round out the top five, and for the first time Mexico fell out of the top three.[9]
- The average honeymoon budget is $6,500.
- Couples now spend 26% of their wedding budget on the honeymoon.
- 23% of honeymoons are domestic, and Hawaii is the top choice in the U.S.
- 1 in 4 couples use AI to help plan their wedding or honeymoon.
The state’s own survey counted 336,950 honeymoon visitors in 2024.[2] Many couples do both: they get married on the beach and stay on for the honeymoon, a “weddingmoon.”
How we help
How We Help Couples Plan Without Overspending
Here is what the data says: most couples in Hawaii spend far less than the average, and the venue and guest count matter most. That is exactly how we plan. Aloha Island Weddings does one wedding a day on Oahu, on beautiful public beaches like Kahala, Waialae and Waikiki, with the beach permit, your licensed Hawaii minister, flower leis, setup and coordination taken care of.
Our wedding packages range from $350 to $15,000, so you choose what you want to spend, and we tell you the real price up front. See every item on our price list.
Hawaii by the numbers
Visitor arrivals
How Many People Visit Hawaii?
In 2025, 9,642,991 visitors came to Hawaii, almost the same as the 9,701,499 in 2024 (down 0.6%). They spent $21.75 billion, up 5.7% from $20.58 billion the year before.[1] These 2025 numbers are preliminary.
Oahu is by far the most visited island. In 2025, 5,679,047 visitors spent time on Oahu, about 6 out of every 10 visitors to the state.[1] Many people visit more than one island on the same trip, so the island numbers below add up to more than the state total.
Source: DBEDT, January 29, 2026 (preliminary)[1]
Compared with 2024, Maui grew the most (2,516,163, up from 2,352,272) as it keeps recovering, Kauai and Hawaii Island grew a little, and Oahu dipped slightly from 5,794,854.
Weddings & honeymoons
How Many Visitors Come to Get Married?
Every year the state surveys visitors about why they came. In 2024, 66,375 visitors said they came for a wedding or to get married (50,728 from the U.S. mainland and 15,647 from other countries). In 2023 it was 67,507.[2]
Even more come for their honeymoon: 336,950 honeymoon visitors in 2024 (197,410 domestic and 139,540 international), and 361,093 in 2023.[2]
The Hawaii State Department of Health counts the marriages themselves. In 2025, 17,530 marriages took place in Hawaii, and in 10,451 of them both partners lived outside Hawaii. That is about 6 out of every 10 marriages, or roughly 29 visiting couples every day of the year.[4][5] The 2025 counts are as of October 7, 2026, and may still be updated.
Source: Hawaii Department of Health, via the State Data Book[3] and the DOH 2025 table[4]
Which island?
Which Island Do Couples Choose?
The Department of Health counts marriages by the county where the ceremony took place. For couples who both live outside Hawaii, Oahu (Honolulu County) is number one, with 4,835 of the 10,451 marriages in 2025, or about 46%.[4]
Source: Hawaii Department of Health, 2025, as of October 7, 2026[4]
Maui County includes the islands of Maui, Molokai and Lanai. Counting every marriage, residents included, Oahu had 10,071 of the 17,530 marriages in 2025, Maui County 3,400, Hawaii County 2,036 and Kauai 2,023.[5]
The Busiest Months
In 2025 the most popular months for visiting couples were May (1,219 marriages), October (1,199) and September (1,027). January was the quietest, with 604.[4] On Oahu, October (565) and May (560) were the busiest months.[4]
Why Oahu? It is the easiest island to reach, with the most flights, hotels and things to do, and it has a beach for every style, from Kahala Beach and Waialae Beach Park near Diamond Head to the calm lagoons of Ko Olina on the west side.
The couples
Who Gets Married in Hawaii?
The state’s 2023 numbers give a picture of the visiting couples (both partners living outside Hawaii):[3]
- The median age was 36 for men and 33 for women, a little older than local couples (32 and 30).
- About 1 in 3 had been married before (33.6% of men and 32.8% of women).
- 89.6% had a religious ceremony rather than a civil one.
- 527 were same-sex marriages, 4.7% of visiting couples.
Hawaii is also a favorite place to come back to. Many couples return to renew their vows on the beach for their 5th, 25th or 50th anniversary.
State rules
Hawaii Marriage License Facts
Getting married in Hawaii is simple for visitors. According to the Hawaii State Department of Health:[6]
- You do not need to live in Hawaii or be a U.S. citizen.
- The license costs $65 ($60 application fee plus a $5 portal fee), and fees are not refundable.
- You apply online, then both of you meet a license agent together in person with a valid government photo ID.
- You must be at least 18. There is no blood test and no waiting period.
- The ceremony must take place within 30 days, and the license is good only in the State of Hawaii.
- Your officiant must be licensed by the State of Hawaii. All of our ministers are.
The Marriage License Office in Honolulu
On Oahu, the Department of Health’s office is now in downtown Honolulu at City Financial Tower, 201 Merchant Street, Suite 100, on the first floor at the corner of Merchant and Alakea Streets. It is open Monday to Friday, 7:45 AM to 4:00 PM, except Hawaii State holidays.[6]
Rules can change, so always check the Department of Health’s marriage license page before you travel. If you plan with us, we will walk you through each step.
Where the numbers come from
Sources
State of Hawaii Government Sources
- DBEDT news release, “Visitor Spending Increased in December 2025 as Visitor Arrivals Declined,” January 29, 2026 (preliminary 2025 figures). dbedt.hawaii.gov/?p=15180
- State of Hawaii Data Book 2024, Table 7.10, Trip Characteristics of Visitors: 2023 and 2024 (from the DBEDT Annual Visitor Research Report). files.hawaii.gov/dbedt/economic/databook/2024-individual/07/071024.pdf
- State of Hawaii Data Book 2024, Table 2.40, Marriages, Resident and Nonresident: 2021 to 2023 (Hawaii State Department of Health records). files.hawaii.gov/dbedt/economic/databook/2024-individual/02/024024.pdf
- Hawaii State Department of Health, 2025 Statistics: Marriages Where Both Are Non-Residents, by County of Occurrence (as of October 7, 2026). health.hawaii.gov/vitalstatistics/2025-vital-statistics-for-non-resident-marriages/
- Hawaii State Department of Health, 2025 Statistics: Births, Deaths, Marriages and Civil Unions (as of October 7, 2026). health.hawaii.gov/vitalstatistics/vital-statistics-2025/
- Hawaii State Department of Health, Marriage Licenses. health.hawaii.gov/vitalrecords/marriage-licenses/
Wedding Industry Sources
- The Wedding Report, 2025 Wedding Market Size by State. wedding.report/action/wedding_statistics/view/2025_wedding_market_size_by_state
- The Wedding Report, 2025 Average Wedding Cost by State and 2025 Median Wedding Spend by State. wedding.report/action/wedding_statistics/view/2025_median_wedding_spend_by_state/
- Honeyfund, 2026 Honeymoon Destinations & Wedding Trends Report. www.honeyfund.com/content/travel-trends-report
- Future Market Insights, Destination Wedding Industry Analysis in Hawaii (forecast 2025 to 2035). www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/destination-wedding-industry-analysis-in-hawaii
- Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, 2025 Wedding Packages. www.maunakearesort.com/pdf/mauna-kea-wedding-packages.pdf
The Wedding Report, Honeyfund and Future Market Insights are private industry sources; their numbers are estimates and surveys, not state counts. DBEDT is the Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism. Visitor counts by island include people who visited more than one island. Marriage counts are by place of ceremony. Percentages are rounded.
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Quick Answers
How many people visit Hawaii each year?
In 2025, 9,642,991 visitors came to Hawaii and spent $21.75 billion, according to preliminary figures from the Hawaii Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.
How many people come to Hawaii to get married?
In 2024, 66,375 visitors said they came to Hawaii for a wedding or to get married. In 2025, 10,451 marriages in Hawaii were between two people who both live outside the state.
Which Hawaiian island is most popular for weddings?
Oahu. In 2025, 4,835 of the 10,451 marriages between out-of-state couples, about 46%, took place on Oahu (Honolulu County), followed by Maui County, Kauai and Hawaii Island.
How much does a wedding in Hawaii cost?
According to The Wedding Report, the average Hawaii wedding cost $53,369 in 2025, but the median was $21,117, so most couples spend closer to the lower number.
Is Hawaii the top honeymoon destination?
Yes. Honeyfund’s 2026 report ranks Hawaii as the number one honeymoon destination, ahead of Italy and Japan, with an average honeymoon budget of $6,500.
Do you have to live in Hawaii to get married there?
No. According to the Hawaii State Department of Health, you do not need to be a Hawaii resident or a U.S. citizen. The license costs $65, there is no blood test or waiting period, and the ceremony must take place within 30 days.