What To Wear To A Wedding Reception On Waikiki Hi
Many of us ‘mainlanders’ will be attending a wedding on the island of Oahu with a reception dinner to be held at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel on the beach this July. It will be hot for us so we’re wondering what to wear – both men and women? what type of shoes? Do we have to really dress up fancy and be uncomfortably hot and humid?
Hi, so you’re posting on the Island of Hawaii forum when I think you mean to post on the Oahu forum. You’ll get more responses if you post there. But basically I would say none of us can tell you what your relative/bride/groom expects out of her/their wedding. Many weddings here are casual tropical with women in sundresses and men in khakis and linen shirts, and everyone wearing slippahs. but I’ve also seen very formal weddings, so it’s a very individual thing.
As Shea said, you do want the other forum, and it’s up to your hosts to set a theme for the wedding and standards.
I can tell you this though. Whether simple or elaborate, there is no reason for your clothes to be hot and uncomfortable. Just wear lightweight fabric and try to wear natural fibers because synthetics don’t breathe and make the humidity worse. Women here don’t typically wear nylons/stockings either. Of course that means footwear that a woman can wear without stockings and still be comfortable, like sandals or slippahs.
As far as a regular visit goes, a man can’t go wrong with a nice aloha shirt for a special occasion, but for the wedding itself, what does the invitation say?
What To Wear To A Beach Wedding: Women
- If the invitation indicates that you should wear beach formal attire, then a long, elegant gown is perfectly appropriate.
- Semi-formal beach attire calls for short or tea length dresses, which are great because they wont drag in the sand, plus they transition beautifully to a reception venue held at a restaurant or oceanfront hotel.
- Are you wondering what to wear to a casual beach wedding? Our advice is a nice Maxi dress. A maxi dress is loose fitting, especially around the bottom of the dress so you can easily sweep it across the sand and brush it clean on land for a seaside reception.
Our 10 Most Memorable Oahu Styles And Hawaii Wedding Attire
Our Oahu weddings are never short of love, beauty, and style. Weve had the honor of working with clients who are madly in love and over-the-heels excited about planning their Big Day. One of the questions were often asked is how to pull off the perfect Hawaii wedding attire. When youre coming from a hometown with snow or deserts, figuring out what will work on the sandy shore or in one of our breezy venues can be tricky!
But dont worry, theres really no wrong way to dress for your Oahu destination wedding. As long as you highlight your own unique flair and plan for comfort, youll be rocking your Big Day fashion! To give you a visual of the many possible outfit combos, weve compiled our 10 most memorable Oahu wedding styles: These couples have brought their wedding A-game with on-point getups and unforgettable splashes of originality!
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What To Wear For Hawaiian Wedding Clothes
If you are thinking authentic Hawaiian wedding clothes for bride and groom, you should check out Holoku or Holomuu style, which is traditional Hawaiian formal dress style.
Holoku is a traditional Hawaiian dress style and white Holoku is made of Hawaiian print white dress. It uses white fabric, usually with Hawaiian tropical flower prints in white.
It is easy to wear, not like formal wedding gowns, so it can be sutable for beach wedding photographs. Some couple take wedding gown photographs at the ceremony, but for honeymoon anniversary, they can take Hawaiian stlye wedding photographs at the beach.
This Holoku has a baby frills. It is nice with matching Hawaiian shirt with Maile Lei, a leaf open end natural leaves wearing around the neck.
White Hawaiian dress is great match with tropical flowers and greeneries.
There are several style of Holoku.
It is hard to buy from a shop. The easiest way to have the dress is to rent from a dress shop.
There is a dress rental store specialize in Hawaiian dress rentals.
What To Wear To A Wedding
How formally do wedding guest usually get? This will be in a rural setting and out of doors. Slacks and aloha shirt? Good jeans?
Aloha, I think nice slacks and a Aloha Shirt/Hawaiian shirt will be just perfect. We have been to a number of island weddings and that is what my husband dresses in. I think the only exception would be a resort wedding. If you do not have a shirt you can get one at a number of places on island when you arrive.
Jeans are a bit hot to wear on the Big Island, unless it’s at night at elevation. Dockers or whatever are more useful to bring.
If it is a local wedding, and it is rural and out of doors….
You will be one of the best dressed members in the audience wearing slacks and an aloha shirt. That attire is what is worn by the majority of men at the most urban and indoor affairs .
You would not be out of place to wear a pair of “nice” shorts and aloha shirt, and the crowd will be full of guys in jeans who are “dressing up” at their wife’s request.
Slippahs will still be the primary footwear, although the guys dressing up may put on tennis shoes or nicer sandals.
No jeans!! Khakis and an aloha shirt. It is always better to be a bit overdressed.
Hpfl,
Has the bride or groom suggested attire? Is it on the invite?
Good luck and happy travels!
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Look Put Together Not Super Formal
Not every groom wants to wear a full suit on the beach, and we get it, its hot! So here are a few ideas for looking sharp without having to wear a full suit.
2. Wear a suit jacket, but no tie. Its nice to have the option to take off the jacket and no tie around your neck will keep you cooler!
3. Suspenders! A little retro charm to take your look to the next level, but not as hot as a vest or jacket.
WHAT TO WEAR TIPS FOR GROOMS THAT WANT TO LOOK MORE FORMAL
If you are in the military, wear your dress uniform! It looks amazing in photos and everyone loves a man in uniform!
3. Break out the Tux! The tuxedo is the classic grooms attire and if you are on the more traditional side, or just love dressing up than this is the look for you! It does look quite dashing on the beach and you dont have to stick to black!
OTHER STYLE TIPS FOR GROOMS
Hair: Be sure to get a haircut just before you leave home or just before the wedding if you live in Hawaii, you dont want to look shaggy on your wedding day! Some salons offer grooming for the groom, this can include a great shave and hairstyle so you look your very best.
See you on your wedding day!
-The Simple Oahu Wedding Team
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What To Wear To Your Hawaii Beach Wedding
Anything goes for your Hawaii beach ceremony! Weve seen everything from a bikini to full traditional gowns for the brides. For the grooms, shorts are fine in Hawaii, and a lot of grooms opt for linen pants and shirts to keep cool. For a more traditional look, suits look sharp but remember that it can be warm.
Whatever you decide, just remember that there are no rules. Its all up to you!
One big tip for the ladies: think carefully about your shoes! High heels look great, but they do not work well in sand and on rocks. Flats are a much better and safer option, especially if your location has lava rocks.
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A little color is nice to wear on your big day!
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Beach Wedding Guest Dresses
Are you wondering what to wear to an upcoming beach wedding? We have selected beach wedding guest dresses for every dress code! You’ll be able to create the perfect beach wedding guest outfit with one of these dresses. From casual sundresses for informal ceremonies to breezy gowns for formal beach club ceremonies, we’ve found a beach-ready dress. Perfect for coastal weddings and tropical beach destination weddings!
Shopping and image sources: Dress: ASTR the Label Santorini Dress in Navy Blue Floral from Revolve.com | Earrings: Vanessa Mooney The Interlocking Hoop Earrings in Gold from Revolve.com Bracelet: Kendra Scott Davie Cuff Bracelet in Gold Dichroic Glass from Revolve.com | Clutch: KAYU Cassia Clutch in Gold from Revolve.com |Shoes: Steve Madden Lori Kitten Heel Sandal in Tan Lizard from Revolve.com
Hawaii Wedding Cost And Marriage Rates
JOSEPH ESSER – PHOTO AND VIDEO
It may not shock you to hear that Hawaii hosts a lot of weddings, and those weddings can be pricey. With its remote location in the Pacific Ocean, it’s not exactly feasible to get to Hawaii wedding destinations on the cheap. Even so, thousands of people travel here every year to get married, so it’s not impossible to plan a Hawaii wedding. Using The Knot Wedding Budget Tool can help you see how realistic your plans are and help you start saving for the main event. With some smart planning and budgeting, paradise can be within reach.
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The Dance Of The Hula
The tradition of the hula dance dates back to ancient times. The elegant, hypnotic dance depicts various emotions and elements of nature. A wedding hula can be performed in several wayssometimes the bride dances the hula for the groom or, other times, the couple hires a troupe of dancers for a performance during the ceremony.
Tips For Packing For Hawaii
Now that you know what toput on your Hawaii trip packing list, Im going to show you how to pack for Hawaii. Unless youre a very light traveler, I recommend checking a suitcase when you fly to Hawaii as you wont be moving around too much or using public transport. Its easier to unpack a suitcase in your vacation rental or hotel. Just remember if youre renting a car, allow for enough room in your trunk to fit your suitcases. You should be able to travel with one suitcase per couple or family for a week long trip using the packing list for Hawaii vacation I have listed above.
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Traditional Colorful Printed Dresses
Not all wedding dresses in Hawaii need to be white. A traditional print, featuring palm trees or leaves and tropical plants, is also a beach wedding dress style that you can wear. While the color isn’t necessarily traditional for nuptials, the pattern is one that emulates the islands. These work well for more casual ceremonies and if you feel white would wash you out.
- The Prince Kuhio Design wedding dress from Hawaiian Wedding Place has a simple sleeveless maxi shape. It features a beautiful blue floral print along one side that would look lovely next to the ocean. The rest of the dress is white, so you can incorporate a hint of color. It comes in sizes S to 3XL that start around $80+.
- Get the Maui Wailea Ginger Flower dress from Jade Fashion via Amazon if you want a burst of purple at your nuptials. It has a ruffled off-the-shoulder top and darts to shape the skirt. It comes in sizes XS to 2XL for about $100.
Wedding Guest Attire Guidelines For Any Type Of Wedding
Before 4 PM
In general, daytime weddings are more casual, and so lighter fabrics, festive colors, and less-formal attire is the rule.
For women, a nice daytime dress, skirt, and top, or jumpsuit are good choices.
For men, a well-tailored suit in a mid-to-dark neutral color like gray, blue, or charcoal is appropriate.
After 4 PM
In the case of evening weddings, more formal styles, longer dresses, and gowns special occasion fabrics are appropriate for women
Men should wear darker suits in navy, black, gray.
Although sometimes a white dinner jacket or suit in a fun color can work too! We go into deep detail in our wedding attire style boards
Above all, the wearer should also always chose something that fits with one’s own personal style as well as the requested dress code.
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Why Follow The Wedding Dress Code
It is a sign of respect for the couple and the event to get dressed up for a wedding, and your attire should always be respectful, conservative, and appropriate. But keep in mind, the rules of etiquette were designed to help one feel more at ease and comfortable in all social situations. So simply remember your cheerful presence at the wedding is what counts here, and you’re likely to have a good time no matter what you decide to wear.
Beach Wedding Attire For Female Guests
Below is a collection of beautiful beach wedding dresses for guests. We love all of these dresses because they are the ideal length, colors, and fabrics to keep you looking and feeling great as a beach wedding guest. Click the arrow on the right to see more images. When you find something you like, click on it for more details.
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How To Wear An Aloha Shirt
An aloha shirt is usually worn without any additional layer. But if the occasion calls for it, a suit jacket or sports coat may be worn over it. However, a neckties should never be worn with an aloha shirt the two just dont go together.
Undershirts are not usually worn with aloha shirts, but its OK to do so if thats your preference. At work, youll want to make sure your aloha shirt is buttoned all the way up except for the top button or two. Outside of work, its fine to unbutton it further if you like.
Aloha shirts are designed to be worn untucked, and many men wear them this way, even in the workplace. Still, some men prefer to tuck their aloha shirt in their pants because they like the way it looks with a nice belt, or they want to project a more formal image. Either way is fine follow your personal preference or instinct.
What you wear on the bottom half of your body depends on where youre going to wear your aloha shirt:
