Popular Wedding Resorts on Oahu, Hawaii

Most high-end resorts on Oahu offer wedding coordination services that include everything from an officiant to rose petals on the bed. But all of these additional services can add up to a hefty bill. When booking a hotel for your wedding venue, keep a close eye on the tab and know that what you really want from the hotel is their fabulous location and perhaps their catering service. You can save a bundle by finding your own officiant, photographer, florist, stylist and perhaps a day-of-wedding planner. In fact, you often get much better quality, flexibility and value from independent vendors than the ones that come with your hotel’s wedding package. Below are some popular and spectacular weddingmoon resorts on Oahu, Hawaii for your destination wedding.

Waikiki Hotels:

Halekulani

The Halekulani is a spectacular upscale resort that offers a garden courtyard or lanai setting for wedding ceremonies. The hotel provides up to 50 chairs for the garden courtyard. Additional guests can stand behind the chairs. The view, services and food at the hotel is second to none.

Hale Koa Hotel

The Hale Koa Hotel caters to the military and offers very good value for weddings and accommodation. The Lu’au Garden is the favorite location for an outdoor wedding at the Hale Koa. Although, the Lu’au Garden is not oceanfront, couples can walk to the ocean within a few minutes to have their pictures taken. The Lu’au Garden has a small waterfall and gazebo.

Hilton Hawaiian Village Resort and Spa

Currently operated by Best Bridal, the Ocean Crystal Chapel at the Hilton Hawaiian Village is the first free-standing resort wedding chapel in Waikiki. It is a lovely space which lets in lots of natural light and is surrounded by landscaped areas, a gazebo and a waterfall outside. Receptions can be held in one of the many ballrooms or restaurants at the hotel. Best Bridal offers wedding packages, but you have the option to reserve just the chapel and get your own wedding vendors.

Moana Surfrider

The First Lady of Waikiki, built in 1901, was the first beachfront resort on Waikiki Beach. Since then it has had several makeovers, but somehow it has managed to hold on to its grandeur and Victorian glamour of yesteryear. With its famous old banyan tree, tall columns, colonial banisters and archway windows at the porte cochere, the guests can enjoy bride-watching while sitting on the rocking chairs on the front porch. Yes, several weddings a day take place at this beautiful Westin resort.

Royal Hawaiian Hotel

The Royal Hawaiian, also known as the “Pink Palace,” re-opened in January 2009 after a lengthy renovation. Located next to another popular hotel, The Sheraton Waikiki, the Pink Palace with its distinctive turrets and oceanfront location is a favorite of local and destination brides. The Royal Hawaiian is part of the Starwood Hawaii Hotel chain.

Hotels outside Waikiki:

The Kahala Resort

The Kahala Resort, located 15 minutes from Waikiki, is the only hotel where couples are forced to use the hotel’s “preferred vendors.” In other words, if you’ve found a photographer whose work you love, and he/she is not on the Kahala Resort’s list of contracted vendors, you’re out of luck. It is a beautiful resort and the oceanfront location is lovely, but you can save yourself thousands of dollars by holding your wedding on the public beach fronting the resort and by getting the wedding vendors of your choice. Your officiant can get you a beach wedding permit and you will get the same great view for a fraction of the cost and you can use the vendors of your choice. It’s your wedding – don’t compromise.

North Shore Hotels:

Turtle Bay Resort

The Turtle Bay Resort, located on the North Shore of Oahu, offers The Pavilion (beveled-glass wedding chapel), Kahuku Terrace and Kuilima Point for sunset weddings. The Bay View Beach Lawn is the fourth outdoor venue option and is located next to a public beach. Couples can hold their reception at one of the many special event rooms at the Turtle Bay. For those who are not interested in a Waikiki hotel wedding, the Turtle Bay Hilton offers the perfect alternative. It is a truly beautiful oceanfront resort with a spa and golf course.