Frequently Asked
Hawaiian Wedding Questions
 

What does the State of Hawaii require to obtain a marriage license for Hawaiian weddings?

Very little! All that is required to obtain a Hawaiian wedding license is $60 US dollars (cash) and a photo ID. What's not required is any type of blood test, birth certificates, divorce records or death certificates. A Hawaiian wedding license is obtained from the Hawaii State Department of Health, located at 1250 Punchbowl St, in downtown Honolulu. They are open Monday through Friday, 7:45 AM to 4:00 PM. There is no waiting period, and the entire procedure takes approximately 45 minutes. If you need to obtain your Hawaiian wedding license after hours, or on a weekend or holiday, don’t panic. Capt. Howie is part pirate and has a few cool tricks up his sleeve.

The bottom line is getting a Hawaiian wedding license is a “cake walk”. Heck, Hawaii is so permissive; they will even issue first cousins a legal Hawaiian wedding license. Apparently though, they draw the line at “brothers marrying sisters”, and will not sanction Hawaiian weddings for them. Brothers and sisters might try West Virginia, Alabama or perhaps Arkansas.

For additional information see our page on Legal Requirements for Hawaiian Weddings.

Yes, the liberal ol’ Capt. Howie has been performing same sex Hawaiian weddings long before “Commitment Ceremonies” became fashionable. However, the State of Hawaii has never recognized gay Hawaiian weddings. Not withstanding, it has always been our belief that a marriage is between two individuals and their Lord. We even issue a beautiful “Commitment Ceremony” certificate for each of our same sex Hawaiian weddings.

Hawaii has a 4.5% sales tax, which is charged by all businesses, including Hawaiian wedding companies. The good news is, 4.5% is a lot less than most states.

Yes, Hawaiian weddings are legal and binding in all 50 states. Additionally, all other countries in the civilized world recognize and accept Hawaiian weddings. Now, don’t read too much into the term “civilized world”. As I’m sure we all agree – the world doesn’t seem too civilized these days!

When folks ask me the best time to come for their Hawaiian wedding, I generally respond by suggesting they come when their weather is at its worst. Hawaii is lovely year-round so there is no real “best time” for a Hawaiian wedding.

Technically, Hawaii does not have a sales tax. However, the State of Hawaii charges all businesses a general excise tax on their gross income. It is up to each business to decide if they want to pass this charge on to their customers. The maximum amount a business can pass on is 4.712%. To my knowledge, all other Hawaiian wedding companies elect to charge their customers at least 4.5%. The good news is, Good ol’ Capt. Howie does not pass on this charge. We like to think of our Hawaiian weddings as more of a service than a business.