Who Is Hawaiian Island Weddings?

Hawaiian Island Weddings has been arranging destination weddings in Hawaii since 1992. From the very beginning, the company's vision was different from most others at the time: to offer weddings on all of the major Hawaiian Islands, not just Maui, and to work exclusively with local Hawaiian professionals who truly understood the culture and places where these weddings took place. The company began as a partnership between Tim Clark, a professional photographer, and Rev. Rodney Shim, a minister who served as the sole officiant for Hawaiian Island Weddings in its early years. Together, Tim and Rodney regularly photographed and performed 10 to 15 weddings per month. Most ceremonies took place on Maui, but through partnerships with Kauai Aloha Weddings and Smith's Boats, services expanded to Kauai. The Big Island of Hawaii was always coordinated and photographed directly by Tim Clark, while Oahu weddings were supported through partnerships with Tinker Bloomfield and Rev. Jofrey Rabanal. With these relationships in place, Hawaiian Island Weddings became one of the first companies to offer true four-island wedding packages. Maui, however, remained the most popular location, accounting for approximately 80% of all weddings. As the company grew, more than 20 ministers and officiants joined the team, and the wedding package lineup expanded to over 30 options, including wedding and honeymoon packages on every island. Oahu eventually offered two honeymoon packages, and Maui offered three. The honeymoon packages proved to be a major factor in the company's popularity. As competition increased, other wedding companies began offering multi-island weddings, honeymoon packages, and even airfare from the mainland. Hawaiian Island Weddings partnered with Blue Hawaii Vacations and Pleasant Hawaiian Holidays to secure discounted honeymoon packages, helping the company remain competitive while maintaining quality and local connections. During its peak years, Hawaiian Island Weddings produced approximately 180 weddings and events annually, with one year reaching 211 weddings. In one particularly busy month around 2005, the company coordinated 26 weddings, nearly one every day, and sometimes two weddings on different islands in a single day. Over the decades, the business weathered numerous global and local events that impacted Hawaii tourism: the Gulf War, 9/11, COVID-19, and most recently, the Lahaina Fire of 2023. Historically, Hawaii has often felt the economic effects of global tragedies first and recovered last. The Lahaina Fire alone is estimated to have caused a 24% decrease in Maui weddings, with non-resident marriage licenses dropping to approximately 2,600 per year, the lowest level in over 20 years. Hawaiian Island Weddings launched its first website in 1996, long before the internet became mainstream. At the time, Netscape Navigator was both the browser and email client, personal computers were expensive, and very few people owned one. Mobile phones did not yet exist. Website traffic was minimal, but the company was already positioning itself for the future. To reach brides directly, Hawaiian Island Weddings advertised in Brides Magazine, the leading bridal publication of the time. Nearly every bride purchased a copy. Back then, there were only about five Maui wedding companies, making Hawaiian Island Weddings one of the original destination wedding providers in Hawaii. The other companies included White Orchid, A Tropical Dream, Aloha Weddings, and Ken Grime's wedding company. In approximately 1999, the cost to advertise in Brides Magazine was around $10,000 for two issues (one year). The investment paid off: business increased four- to six-fold. This was well before Google became dominant in online search, though Hawaiian Island Weddings once held the #1 ranking on Yahoo. Today, Hawaiian Island Weddings stands as one of the original 'OG' destination wedding companies in Hawaii built on decades of experience, local relationships, and a commitment to providing authentic island weddings across the state.
At Hawaiian Island Weddings, our passion has always been simple: helping couples create weddings that feel genuine, effortless, and deeply meaningful. With decades of experience and a close-knit family of over 180 trusted local professionals across the islands, every detail is cared for with intention and respect. Simple. Elegant. Beautifully designed and seamlessly brought to life. Wherever your journey begins, we're honored to be part of the story you'll remember forever.
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