Paradise Cove FAQ’s
What will our day of timeline look like?
This will vary depending on the ceremony time you have picked - either 10:30am or 3:30pm. In the early stages of planning we just do a basic outline of timing to give you an idea of how the wedding day will flow. As we get closer to your wedding date, we will iron out all the details and give you a finalized PDF file of the timeline.
10:30am Timeline
8:30am set-up (vendors only)
10:00am groom & guests arrive
10:15am bride arrives
10:30am CEREMONY
11:00am Photos
11:30am end
1pm Lunch
3:30pm Timeline
2:30pm set-up (vendors only)
3:00pm groom & guests arrive
3:15pm bride arrives
3:30pm CEREMONY
4:00pm Photos
4:30pm end
5pm Luau or 6pm Dinner
We want to do a luau after the ceremony - any suggestions?
A lot of couples will choose to take guests to a luau after their wedding ceremony. We highly suggest the Paradise Cove Luau. It is one of the best luaus on the island and is steps away from where your ceremony will be. We suggest that guests can hang out on the beach cove next door until it starts. Here is more info.
Bookings at Paradise Cove
Schedule of Events - Luau
Directions to the Luau
Luau Dinner Menu - traditional Hawaiian meal (buffet style)
Seating Chart - you can choose your seats, or choose the “Royal Box” which is a raised platform special area that you get all to yourself. A lot of our couples will book out this area. You also have the option to bring in a small cake if you’d like and do a little cake cutting ceremony after dinner.
How early should we book the Luau?
- As soon as you know the total number of guests, you should book the Luau. You don’t want to wait too long, the tickets do sell out. It is easiest for you to book all the tickets at one time. Call 808-842-5911 to book.
Sample Timeline with a Luau:
2:30pm set-up (vendors only)
3:00pm groom & guests arrive
3:15pm bride arrives
3:30pm CEREMONY
4:00pm Photos
4:30pm end
5-7pm Luau opens (arts and crafts, live entertainment, mai-tai’s, music and dance, Imu ceremony)
7-8pm Dinner service (buffet style), unless you booked the Royal Box (then you will get served plated meals)
- Live music and dancing during dinner
- Cake (add in a cake cutting here if you want to, at the end of dinner
8-8:45pm Tahitian Fire Dance / Hawaiian Revue (this is the big part of the show, the finale)
- 9pm End
Are their restrooms or a changing spot at PARADISE COVE?
Yes, there are restrooms located on site at Paradise Cove. These will be open for guests to use as needed. They are clean, and you can use them to change in if you need to after the ceremony. We do suggest however, that you arrive to the wedding fully dressed and ready to go.
How likely is it to rain on my wedding day? What happens if it does rain?
On the morning of your wedding we check the weather report and radar and watch the rain carefully. If it is pouring all morning (this is really rare), then we'll call you and discuss options with you. 95% of the time even on a very rainy day there are patches of sunshine, especially near the ocean. Usually we wait out the passing showers and will do a ceremony in between showers. The skies usually clear beautifully and photos are magical. In Hawaii we consider rain showers to be extra blessings so don't be afraid of rain. So far we haven't had a wedding get completely rained out and even rainy days here end up being pretty. We have even had weddings go off without a hitch on hurricane/tsunami days. Please note, Paradise Cove is on the West side of the island - which means that it has the least amount of rainfall. We do always bring umbrellas (just in case).
We don't like your photographer and want to hire someone else can we do this?
We really think you'll be quite pleased with our photographers but if you're sure that you would like to bring in another photographer then we can credit you $250. Our main concern is that you are happy with how your wedding day turns out.
My friend is going to officiate, is that ok?
Yes, most definitely! You just need to make sure that your friend is ordained and that he or she is registered with the State of Hawaii to do the wedding. This must be done a few weeks prior to your wedding. Click here for more information. There are no pkg. discounts if you decide to bring your own officiant.
Do we need to do a wedding rehearsal?
We do not do rehearsals for our Paradise Cove weddings because the ceremonies are generally pretty simple. We will have a basic outline of the bridal party processional and will send this to you along with your timeline a week or two prior to your wedding day. You should go over the order of how your bridal party will walk down the aisle with everyone involved ahead of time. On the day of the wedding we will line everyone up and let them know when to walk, where to walk and how to stand. It is a simple process and we will guide you through all of it.
Any tips on how to make our wedding more personalized?
Check our our CEREMONY DECORATION page - adding a wooden arch with florals, matching bouquet, aisle flowers and a boutonniere, is an easy way to make a simple beach wedding feel a lot more special. Florals are personalized to your liking and look amazing in beach wedding photos. Also, little touches like pretty fans, parasols or sunscreen for guests and bright bouquets / boutonnieres for the bridal party can go a long way. Colored parasols look great in photos and provide good shade for guests too. I also love the idea of honoring everyone who flew all the way down for your wedding with a lei. You can present everyone with an orchid lei at the end of the ceremony, it's a nice touch and doesn't cost too much money. You could also honor parents with a parent lei ceremony (where you'll present your mom and dad with a lei honoring and thanking them for all they've done for you). Lastly, if theres someone you've lost that is very close to you like a parent or dear friend (one whom you wish could be there), you could honor them after the ceremony by throwing a lei out to sea as you say a blessing or prayer at the same time. Kahu's (a Hawaiian officiant/priest) can assist with this as well. Lastly, adding in the arch with fabric and florals, is really very pretty and can create a gorgeous backdrop to your ceremony. Adding chairs for guests is also a nice touch that guests seem to appreciate.
What is the address / directions to Paradise Cove?
Click here to see the address and to get directions.
When should we send out our invites?
Destination weddings involve a lot of travel planning and often taking vacation time. We suggest sending out a Save the Date as soon as you have your date set. You can send out an official invite 4-6 months prior.
Can we do a Champagne Toast and wedding cake at Paradise Cove?
Yes, we can, however because the timing is so tight, most of our couples choose to skip this and spend the time with the photographer instead. You will have about 30m after the ceremony for photos and if you decide to add in a champagne toast OR cake cutting, these items will take up at least half and maybe all of that time. We suggest that you do the celebratory toasts and cake at dinner. We can however incorporate a First Dance in right after the ceremony or a Bouquet toss. It’s quick and an easy way to add in a little bit of tradition into your wedding. If you want to add these things in, please let us know. If you choose to do a first dance, we will ask guests to gather around you as you and we’ll play the music and set it all up so that the ceremony transitions into the First Dance seamlessly.
If after reading this you still want to do a toast please let us know. We would need to arrange plastic glassware, a table, trash and cooler. We can put together a custom quote for you based on your guest count. The toast should be short and simple so you still have a little time for photos.
Got more questions?
send your planner an email and we'll get back to you as soon as we can :)
~ Nicole & the Best Day Ever team