How exciting to be planning an intimate wedding in Hawaii. I will share an in-depth guide about the top 6 intimate wedding venues on Oahu. Honolulu is the capital of Oahu and is well known for its diverse landscape. The island of Oahu offers various picturesque, intimate wedding venues. It’s the perfect wedding destination for those who love nature, from lush green gardens to mountains, beaches, and more. Planning an intimate wedding can be hard, especially if you don’t live on the island. I’ve created this guide to help you find the perfect intimate wedding venue.
What Is An Intimate Wedding
As a Hawaii wedding photographer, intimate weddings are one of my favorites. They focus primarily on the couple’s personalized experience and spending quality time with their guests. The intimacy allows all the extra fine details, pure romance, and love to shine through. One of the primary reasons I’ve seen couples lean into intimate weddings is the stress.
An intimate wedding allows couples to be less stressed and personalize their day more. A smaller guest counts allow more flexibility in venue selection, catering, and other wedding details. An intimate wedding can consist of just the two of you or up to 50 guests. Below are my top 6 intimate wedding venues on Oahu.
Top 6 Intimate Wedding Venues On Oahu, Hawaii
1:Male’ana Gardens
This beautiful venue is located in Kailua, Hawaii. It focuses on elopements, intimate/small, and micro weddings, offering romance and luxury. The reception is held in the Garden Balinese Cabana that overlooks Kailua Bay. Not only does it have a stunning view, but it’s shaded by a Coconut Palm and surrounded by Plumerias. To finish off the luxurious touches, the cabana had three crystal chandeliers. One of my favorite things they offer is that a wedding coordinator comes with your venue rental.
Location: Kailua, Hawaii
Venue Appearance: Natural beauty! Lush greenery and vibrant flowers
Guest Count: During January- March, they focus on small elopements, 2-6 people, including the couple. From April to December, the capacity goes to 20 guests.
Starting Price: Contact Male’ana Gardens here for more info
Guest Accommodations: Not available on site, but a very close drive to Honolulu | Waikiki area.
2: Ka’ala Vista
Ka’ala Vista is nestled near the beautiful and colorful town of Haleiwa. The venue has a lawn space that can be customized to add luxurious touches for your wedding and elopement. It also features a large open deck with stunning mountain views. While no valet service is offered, it does hold a space for 20 cars. The best way to get around this would be to have a shuttle for your guests.
If you are a horse lover, be prepared for the wild horses to appear on your wedding day, possibly. A getting-ready room is provided with a full bathroom and shower. Want to add a fun twist? Ka’ala Vista has a pool that can be used for fun night photos, like jumping in the pool with your wedding attire.
Location: Waialua, Hawaii
Venue Appearance: Lush green with gorgeous mountain views. Perfect Mountain sunset
Guest Count: 8-50 guests
Starting Price: $1250 for just the ceremony up to 8 guests, Up to 7 hours $4000 up to 50 guests, and Full day 9 am-10 pm $5500 up to 50 guests. Inquire here
Guest Accommodations: These are unavailable on the premises, but the location is about 10 minutes from the North Shore and a 45-minute drive to Waikiki.
3: Haiku Gardens
What stands out is the gorgeous views of the Ko’olau mountains and the private and intimate experience it offers. The location provides a peaceful and undisturbed celebration. Haiku Gardens is an exclusive lunch reception Monday through Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Your ceremony can be held in two private locations: the Botanical Garden or the open-air Tahitian Chapel.
Location: Kaneohe, Hawaii
Venue Appearance: Nestled in a secluded valley surrounded by a lush tropical foliage botanical garden overlooking the Ko’olau mountains, and a koi pond.
Guest Count: 2-175
Starting Price: Ranging from $4500- $16,000 with ala carte options starting at $2500
Guest Accommodations: These are unavailable on the premises, but the location is about a 30-minute drive to Waikiki.
4: Cafe Julia
Cafe Julia is a unique venue in downtown Honolulu at the YMCA Laniakea. It provides classic, romantic, and luxurious venue space options. The grand ballroom has stunning arched windows and columns. Its grand columns and arched windows offer an exquisite and timeless backdrop for wedding photos. The venue also has an open-air courtyard where the reception can be held. The open-air courtyard also has bistro lighting to give it a twinkle under the night sky. Cafe Julia offers in-house services like catering, furniture rentals, waitstaff, and linens. This allows you to simplify your wedding by booking some venue vendors through them.
Location: Downtown Honolulu, Hawaii
Venue Appearance: Historic, luxurious, and romantic architecture.
Guest Count: Up to 180
Starting Price: Contact Cafe Julia here for more info
Guest Accommodations: Not available on the premises, but about a 15-minute drive to Waikiki
5: Kualoa Ranch – Moli’i Garde
Kualoa Ranch has multiple venue options, and you can’t go wrong with any of them. Due to its unique features and various accommodations for different wedding styles, having your dream wedding here is achievable. The Ko’olau Mountains and the coastline provide a photogenic backdrop for your ceremony and reception. Moli’i Garden in Kualoa Ranch offers unique features: access to Secret Island, a long staircase, and a boathouse. I must highlight that Secret Island offers natural, picturesque settings like a boat dock, the boathouse, and the incredibly long staircase. Imagine walking down this long staircase to your soon-to-be spouse while the lush greenery serves as natural decor.
Location: Kaneohe, Hawaii
Venue Appearance: Lush green and the ocean! Stunning mountain, beach, and a private deck with a jaw-dropping view.
Guest Count: up to 200 guests
Starting Price: $4000 for weekdays and $5500 for weekends
Guest Accommodations: Not available on the premises. You have some options, like The North Shore’s Turtle Bay, renting an Airbnb in Kaneohe, or staying in Waikiki.
6: Four Seasons Ko’Olina
The Four Seasons Ko’Olina is a wedding venue with picturesque locations, sunsets, and luxury experiences. Being located in a hotel, this venue has many perks not only for you but also for your guests. It offers a wide variety of indoor and outdoor venues. The options include a white chapel, ballroom, lawn, garden, and beachfront.
Having the perk of staying right where your wedding will be will cut the time spent dealing with island traffic. The resort offers a few restaurant options to welcome your guests with a welcome dinner and a rehearsal dinner. The Four Seasons also offers an on-site wedding planner to help customize your wedding, including creating a custom dinner menu, floral arrangements for your ceremony and reception space, entertainment, and more.
Location: Ko’Olina, Hawaii
Venue Appearance: With multiple wedding locations available. It features a beautiful beachfront green lawn for ceremony and reception space, and a ballroom is also available. A small white chapel is also available.
Guest Count: Depending on the location, outdoor seating can accommodate 2-3000 guests, and indoor seating can accommodate 4-1500 guests.
Starting Price: Starting at $6,400
Guest Accommodations: Guests can stay right on the property.
Oahu Wedding Photographer
I hope my top 6 intimate wedding venues on Oahu have inspired you to add a venue to tour. Ultimately, landing you the perfect venue on Oahu where you can see yourself getting married. I’d love to be part of your intimate wedding day and capture all the big, small, and in-between moments. I’d love to hear from you. Inquire with me here, and I’ll get back to you within 48 hours.
Are you also looking for the best resorts in Hawaii for couples? I got you covered here.
