One major factor in preparing for your travels will be the size of the event. Are you planning an elaborate celebration at one of the island’s most popular resorts, or did you choose one of many Kona elopement packages for a more intimate experience? The bigger the wedding, the more you’ll probably end up bringing. This isn’t to say that you should try to limit yourself just to cut down on the number of suitcases; it’s just important to be prepared!
Planning a wedding requires insane attention to detail, even if you’ve hired a wedding planner. However, your to-do list could get even longer if you’ve decided on a destination wedding! Flying to Hawaii’s Big Island for your dream wedding should be a magical experience, and to make sure it lives up to your expectations, you should pack everything you need – and nothing that you don’t need. You may end up with quite a bit of luggage, but you’ll also hopefully have peace of mind that you brought exactly the right things. 
Most important items to bring: an overview
If you left out the lip balm, your favorite flip-flops, and other non-necessary items, what would be left? You’d be able to replace or do without a surprising number of “essentials”, but these are the things you’ll definitely need to bring.
- A reliable form of payment, such as a credit card, cash, or traveler’s checks
- Plane tickets and boarding passes
- Copies of both your birth certificates
- Passports
- Wedding outfits for the bride and groom
- Wedding shoes
- Veil
- Wedding rings
- Your vows
- Cell phones and chargers
- A few changes of clothes
- Permits from local authorities for a beach wedding, if applicable
If you arrived at the Big Island with these items and nothing else, you might feel a bit under-prepared, but you’d still be able to pull everything off. However, for the best possible experience, it’s recommended to bring other items as well.
Wedding day essentials
Let’s assume that things like decorations, the cake topper, guest favors, etc. have already been prepared at the destination – what do you need to bring for yourself on the big day?
- Wedding jewelry
- Wedding night lingerie
- Change of shoes for the reception
- Garter
- A copy of itineraries for the rehearsal dinner, the wedding day, and any other plans you’ve made
- Contact information for each vendor
Personal items/toiletries
You can’t show up to your own wedding with greasy hair or dry skin. Even though it will be possible to replace pretty much any personal item or toiletry on the Big Island, you may as well save yourself the hassle and expense. Plus, who wants to worry about buying razors when they’re about to get married?
- Sunscreen
- Insect repellant
- Toothpaste/toothbrush
- Razors and shaving cream
- Tweezers
- Nail clippers
- Deodorant
- Contraception
- Feminine products
- Nail polish/remover
- Medication
- Lip balm
- Cologne/perfume
Hair and makeup essentials
Sure, these items may not be strictly essential…but at the same time, they pretty much are for most women (and some men!). Even if the bride is planning on having her hair and makeup professionally done for her wedding, she’ll probably still want to bring her own supplies for the rest of the trip.
- Brush/comb
- Shampoo and conditioner
- Curling iron or flatiron
- Hairspray
- Hair gel
- Facial cleanser
- Makeup remover
- Moisturizer, toner, exfoliant, etc.
- Makeup brushes
- Makeup such as eyeshadow, foundation, concealer, blush, mascara, etc.
Important paperwork
This isn’t exactly romantic, but getting married on the Big Island does involve a certain amount of paperwork. Here are some documents that you’ll probably need to bring along.
- Wedding planner that contains printouts of email communications with vendors, which details have already been taken care of, and which ones still need to be completed
- Proof of travel insurance (if applicable)
- Photocopies of health insurance cards, prescriptions, or vaccinations (if applicable)
- Receipts for payments made to vendors
- Copies of every contract with vendors, venues, and resorts
- Details about your hotel reservation, and those of your guests
Miscellaneous items
If you want to win the “best destination wedding traveler prize”, here are a few things you could bring to be extra prepared.
- TSA-approved locks for your luggage
- Luggage tags with your name and contact info (in case anything gets lost)
- Beach bag and beach supplies
- Small sewing kit
- Camera (if you want pictures besides what you’ll get with your phones, or from the wedding photographer)
Honeymoon checklist
The excitement may die down soon after the wedding for the guests, but things will just be getting started for the happy couple! You can’t forget to pack plenty of good stuff for your honeymoon.
- Casual, summery clothes
- Sandals
- Walking/hiking shoes if you’ll be going on outdoor adventures
- Sun hats
- Lingerie
- Swimwear
- Swimwear cover-up
- Jackets or cardigans
- Evening wear/shoes
- Evening purse/bag
- Strapless bras
- Local guidebooks
Other important travel tips to consider
Getting married in Hawaii won’t involve as much red tape compared to other wedding destinations, since it’s part of the U.S. However, you should still make some of the same preparations as if you were going to a foreign country.
- Leave copies of your passports, credit cards, and other important documents with someone who won’t be attending the wedding.
- Delegate whenever possible, and focus on just getting there and making special memories. This should give you more time to get to the airport early, arrive at the hotel at a reasonable time, and generally be more relaxed.
- Don’t rely on yourself to remember everything off the top of your head. Write everything down, and cross things off the list once you’ve completed/packed them.
- Focus on what’s important: you’re getting married! Try not to get stressed or distracted by petty dramas, things that haven’t been done yet, or other little details. Remember that as long as you end up getting married to the person you love, you’ve accomplished the goal of the trip.
The takeaway
Traveling to the Big Island to tie the knot can make you feel like you’re herding cats, but with a bit of planning ahead, you’ll have more confidence that your dream wedding is on its way.
