Let’s Get Maui’d in Hawaii!

Aloha from Hawaii!

Have you thought about getting Married in Hawaii?  

Hawaii is one of the most popular destinations for both wedding ceremonies and honeymoons.  The Hawaiian islands offer amazing weather and gorgeous backdrops that make Hawaii an obvious choice!  So let’s get to the basics of what is needed for the BIG DAY!

Hawaii has pretty easy requirements for getting married within the state and can be done online at https://marriage.ehawaii.gov/.   

So you’ve applied for the marriage license online…what’s next?

Once you’ve applied for a marriage license, the couple must appear in person at the Department of Health.  Appointments are required and hours of operation are from 8a-4p Monday through Friday (except Holidays).  If you can’t get an appointment or meet with the DOH, then the couple has the option of meeting with a marriage license agent. You can find a list of marriage license agents online that can assist.  A marriage license agent is the only other person who can issue a marriage license outside the Department of Health.  A marriage license is issued immediately after the application is made and this process can all be done on the same day.   The marriage license expires within 30 days of being issued and is valid statewide. You can also pre-apply for a marriage license a year in advance.

To marry, both applicants must be at least 15 years of age in the state of Hawaii. Applicants who are under 18 years of age must have the written consent of both parents, or of the legal guardian, or other person in whose care and custody the minor has been placed, or of the family court judge who has jurisdiction over the minor child. Proof of age in the form of a certified copy of a birth certificate must be presented to the marriage license agent by any applicant who is under 19 years of age. Proof of age will be requested for those applicants over 18 in the form of an I.D. such as a driver’s license or passport. A blood relationship between Applicant I and Applicant II must not be closer than first cousins.  The fee for a marriage license is $60.00 plus $5.00 administration fee, payable at the time of filing the application. 

Once the application has been received and paid for, the State of Hawaii will issue a temporary copy of the marriage license which can be downloaded online a few days prior to the ceremony.  In addition, you will receive an authorization code to confirm the application was processed.  The couple will be mailed a certified copy of the marriage license within 120 days of the wedding date.  If you need a copy of the marriage license sooner than 120 days, you have two choices.  First option would be to go online and request a copy or the second option would be to call the Department of Health at 808-568-4544 for more information.

A few items that make Hawaii unique when it comes to getting married in the state is that you don’t have to be a Hawaii resident or a citizen of the United States.  No witnesses are needed to make the wedding official.  Lastly, Hawaii doesn’t require any blood tests prior to marriage.

When the BIG DAY arrives, make sure to bring the marriage license with you to the ceremony because you will need to provide it to the officiant and they must be registered in the state of Hawaii to legally marry you.  Then within 4-6 weeks after the ceremony you will receive your marriage certificate which is valid in all 50 states and around the world!

In closing, the best piece of advice if you want to get married in paradise is PLAN AHEAD!  Always Aloha Travel is here for you if you have any questions or concerns!  ALOHA!