Elizabeth & Brian: A Stargazer Beach Wedding in Kailua

Elizabeth and Brian fell in love in Hawaii on a trip with mutual friends, and the islands stayed a soft spot for them ever since. When Brian proposed, he was wearing a Hawaiian shirt and Elizabeth had an orchid in her hair. They live in Southern California and dream of one day retiring to a beach house on Oahu, so getting married here meant the world to them.

Walking in rays of gold, hand in hand

Planning a May Beach Wedding

Elizabeth hoped for May 15th on a quiet, secluded beach. Her first choice was Lanikai, but she understood that the residents there need to be respected, so we planned the ceremony on a nearby beach and saved Lanikai for a romantic photo shoot. They also wanted time at Kailua Beach, where Brian’s aunt and uncle live, so the whole day stayed close to family on the windward side of Oahu.

Getting Ready in Kailua

The bridal party got ready together at a house in Kailua: hair set with a white flower, makeup by the window, beaded gown and jewelry for bare feet. Their colors were bright and tropical, with Stargazer lilies tucked into lime and turquoise sashes, and bouquets of Stargazers with orange and pink baby roses and light pink Hawaiian ginger.

Stargazers wrapped in ocean blue

Laughter in black and white

Stepping Out of the Limo

“It was a great surprise to step out of the limo, look down the beach and see the bright colors of the chairs and the beach arch,” Elizabeth wrote after the wedding. When the girls were handed their bouquets she almost cried at hers, wrapped in a beautiful blue ribbon. Even the music for the ceremony was just what they had chosen.

A promise sealed by the sea

Sisters of the sun and sand

A Ceremony Full of Song

Their minister, Mahalani, put everyone at ease and filled the ceremony with song, prayer and Hawaiian tradition. Elizabeth and Brian said it made the day extra special. Afterward they took photos under the twisted tree at Lanikai in the soft light and on the cliffs above the blue waters of Makapuu.

Morning light through twisted branches

Smiles as bright as Lanikai

See Their Wedding Page

Elizabeth & Brian’s Wedding

Beach Wedding Prices

• Beach wedding packages: from $350 to $8,000 (all prices)
• Wedding minister: $300 to $550, licensed by the State of Hawaii (ministers)
• Harpist: $250 the first hour, $200 each additional hour (harpist)
• Sunset or sunrise photo shoot: $350 (photography)
• Wedding cake: one tier $250, two tiers $450, three tiers $650 (wedding cakes)

All prices are plus 4.712% Hawaii state tax.

Hawaii Wedding Stats

• The average Hawaii wedding costs about $53,369, but half of all couples spend less than $21,117.
• Couples spent an estimated $927 million on weddings in Hawaii in 2025.
• Our own couples usually spend between $10,000 and $15,000.

Figures from The Wedding Report, see our Hawaii wedding statistics page for sources.

Plan Your Windward Oahu Wedding

See our Oahu beach weddings, wedding ministers and reviews. Learn more about Lanikai on Wikipedia.

Aloha Island Weddings · 1154 Fort Street Mall, Suite 210, Honolulu, HI 96813