So you’re getting married on the island of Maui. Weddings are hard enough to plan when it is set in your own backyard, sometimes literally, but to have a destination wedding somewhere you may be unfamiliar with like Maui, the task can be monumental. Whether you have been to Maui and know what to expect or not, below are some tips to assist you with your wedding on this beautiful island.

Some tips are well advised for any wedding and others are important to know when your nuptials are actually in Hawaii.

Hire a Maui Photographer                                                  

Other than a wedding consultant, your selection of a Maui wedding photographer can be the difference maker in your wedding day memories. Hiring a local professional will give you such advantages as to ideal photo locations before and after the wedding based on the weather, lighting and terrain, in the event it is an outside wedding. Even if the reception is inside, a professional will know how to use the angles of the facility to get the shots and the people you want taken without any intrusion, just as if the photographer wasn’t there.

A professional generally doesn’t miss the important moments that an amateur will. After your day is over, they will then edit and enhance your photos with professional editing equipment that your cousin probably doesn’t own. Once completed, you should be invited to your own photo gallery on the photographer’s website to review.

Grouping of the Tables

This isn’t always the easiest of tasks depending on your family or guests. However, one of the more tedious tasks is deciding who is going to sit at what table during the reception. You could just make it first come, first serve or plan it out yourself.

Often we put family together and people who know each other, but you can make it fun by mixing it up a bit and sit people based on their backgrounds, their common interests or by personalities. You don’t want to have a party group sitting near your much older grandparents after all.

Spend Time Visiting with your Guests

Be sure that the new couple spends some quality time at either the wedding or the reception with each of your guests, especially if they paid to come all the way out to be there for you. Probably the best time to achieve this task is during the eating part since you will catch each one sitting at their tables.

You will have a lot on your mind, and of course you will want to be with your mate, but be respectful and acknowledge your guest’s presence. Another great thing to do is have your wedding photographer follow you around while you great your guest and capture some candid shots of you all interacting and also grab a formal shot of you and your guests. You can use the image as a thank you for attending following the wedding.  It’s a magical day for you and you can share your magic with others. After all, they are there to support you.

Consider the Timing of your wedding and reception

This can get tricky, but when you plan your wedding take inconsideration the location of the ceremony in conjunction where people are coming from to allow them to make it with plenty of time to spare. Consider the day of the week and what the roads will be like or even the weather. This is especially a must if you are having a destination wedding such as in Maui because of the direction of the sun and heat. Talk to your wedding coordinator as well as your  Maui wedding photographer about timing and the seating arrangements so you have a locals perspective of what times best for your wedding ceremony and wedding reception. It’s always advisable to meet your wedding photographer to do  walk through for larger weddings to plan where the best spots will be for your family  and couples photos on the property whenever possible. The more time you take with your Maui photographer in the planning process, will help to eliminate hiccups the day of your wedding.

Inform your guests to arrive no later than the day before in case there are delays at the airport or with transportation once on the island, not to mention getting lost. Depending on the site of your wedding may dictate the time, so plan ahead with family and friends. Don’t be afraid to have them wait for the ceremony to start, because that would be better than them arriving in the middle of the nuptials.

The Thanking of your Parents

All the attention and toasts will be focused on you this day, but without the love and support, not to mention the finances, of the parents, this day could be a lot harder. Why not surprise them by having the couple, in front of everyone, give a heartfelt toast. Make them cry.

In addition, secretly put together some type of gift to them. Perhaps you could put a photo album or scrap book from the beginning of your life to the wedding day; then add photos from your wedding later. Another idea would be a combination of photos and videos put together and set to music. You can even include a special message on it as well. For those who have lost a parent, celebrate them in the ceremony with a lovely single long steamed rose. It will be a special moment shared together with you and your parent, nothing more special that celebrating the memory together.