You have no doubt read about the requirements for a so-called Beach Permit (or Right-of-Entry Permit issued by the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources) which is needed in order to hold a wedding or vow renewal ceremony on any beach in the Hawaiian islands.
Certain conditions must be met for this permit to be valid, including no alcohol, no temporary structures such as chairs or flower arches, and no amplified music (acoustic is fine). Part of the idea behind the needed for the Beach Permit is to insure that the public continues to have the right to be on any part of the beach, as all beaches in Hawaii are public. Thus, it is not permitted to ask beach goers to move to another location if they are in the exact spot the couple wants for their ceremony!
What a couple can do to decorate their ceremony location on the beach, is add a circle of flowers, such as those in the photo below.
While not covered by the beach permit, there is another kind of location in Hawaii where no ceremonies are allowed, and that is on a heiau, which is an ancient Hawaiian sacred site.
What does a heiau look like and how do you know if you are on or in one? A heiau is primarily a circle stones or stone walls, sometimes quite large. There are spots on Kauai (no, I won't tell you where!), where a heiau has been over-grown and may not be immediately identifiable as a man-made structure. But it is considered a holy site and should never be used for a wedding or vow renewal ceremony, and no items shall be removed or added to the heiau.
https://www.kauaiweddingceremonies.com
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