Lanikuhonua

I attended my cousin's wedding here in late August 2024. They originally had wanted to have it at Kualoa Ranch, but ultimately landed at the 11-acre Lanikuhonua Cultural Institute (Phase 1, the largest square footage of the three available Phases). Located near Paradise Cove, the Ko'Olina Four Seasons, and Disney Aulani.Lanikūhonua's lush natural beauty was the perfect tropical backdrop for my cousin's picture-perfect wedding day.Over 160 guests (family and friends) gathered for this "Filipino [SF] Bay Area Love Story" destination wedding. We had private shuttle service from Waikiki to Kapolei for the 4:30PM ceremony, 5:00PM cocktail hour, and 6:00-10:00PM reception. Sunny for the ceremony facing the water, provided woven fans to stay cool and shade your eyes/faces. The lawns are flat, but considering it's grassy, flat shoes or wedges recommended for the ladies. We all witnessed a gorgeous Golden Hour and a stunning sunset with a scenic ocean view. Palm trees, open sky, ocean breezes, sunshine, sand, and sea -- splendid. There were two usable well-manicured lawn areas where they had the ceremony aisle seating set up, the bar/cocktail hour tables and area for gifts/guestbook, catering, and the covered/canopy area for reception dining tables, dance floor/deejay, etc. There were dedicated restrooms specifically for this Phase/event, which were alright (3 stalls and 2 sinks for the wahines). The photo booth was set up at the cultural hale pavilion. Thankfully, the weather cooperated (Hurricane Hone's approaching days). Congratulations Geoffrey & Angelica!

Attended a wedding in Sept 2024. Private property is beautiful with an ocean view. If you plan on having a wedding here, be leary that there are 3 phases on the property meaning that are can be 3 wedding held at the same time. During the event I attended, there was a co-event at the time so you can hear the other party's celebration going but a good distance away. One critique was the men's restroom was out of paper towels an hour into the event, upon leaving (5 hours later), it was still out. Not sure if it was ever replenished in between. Overall, a beautiful wedding area and the perfect spot for your wedding.

Attended a wedding here on a Sunday afternoon. What a beautiful venue. The views were magnificent especially towards sunset. It's a very pleasant location and very private by the beach. It can accommodate quite a large group on the grassy, flat grounds.

Our team at HNL Studios absolutely loves shooting at Lanikuhonua! It's always such a good experience shooting here and we always enjoy our time at this venue. It's one of the ideal spots on the island for a sunset wedding with its gorgeous ocean views. The location is also large enough for a ceremony and reception combined, and it helps that it's near hotels which makes it easy to navigate on the day of. The team at Lanikuhonua are amazing too!

With Covid, we've had to look for outdoor locations to accommodate the type of party we wanted. We've searched everywhere for a location that would be clean, has a bathroom, and lots of parking. When we came across Lanikuhonua on the internet, we thought we hit the jackpot!Come to find out, this was actually one of my dads Jobsites back in 2017. I guess we never really knew what it was called back then but now it felt like destiny. My dads company graded phase 3 and also built the coral rock walls.After doing some research we discovered it was a non-profit organization that encouraged Kamaaina (local) to visit and learn about the richness of the Hawaiian Culture. We thought awesome. Let's inquire. We started to email back and forth with Marie Wong. First question she asked was, are you a bride? I said no so she continued to ask what type of event was I planning to have. I told her a first birthday and she didn't seem too interested. I thought nothing of it and continued to inquire about available dates.Please note that their website says their events calendar is up to date very regularly and is reflective of what dates are taken and what dates are available. It isn't. We spent probably a week going back and forth on dates and as you can imagine, email takes awhile. Long story short, I called and asked her about the dates and I finally got a date reserved. While on the phone she noted no inflatables and jump-houses were allowed as this ruined their grass. I said fine, we'll have other activities for the kids.We set up a date to go look at the location and it was nice. Phase 1 is what we asked for and we had a few issues.1. It's hard to place the tent up because there are coconut trees in weird spots. 2. Locals are using the beach of which it overlooks3. It's eight next to paradise cove so if you're having an evening event, it'll be loud4. The other phases are screened with just bushes so if there is another event going on you'll be able to see and hear their event5. The bathroom is just like a public restroom.We then waited for a contract because Marie said she was going to issue the contract but didn't. After two weeks, she issued it and the price was a surprise to me. She said it was $6,287 for the use of space which accommodates the # of guests I anticipated to have. Then on top of that she said payment needed to be made in full in two weeks. Now a lot of you who are reading this probably are thinking, we'll if she doesn't have the money she should go somewhere she can afford. No, that's not the issue, the issue is the price for renting just a space that includes no chairs or tents.Lanikuhonua is not willing to work with you because my tent vendor emailed and called to let me know they have a event the same day as my sons birthday but we're willing to set up at anytime the night before and requested to breakdown the early morning after. Marie told me that charge was $5,000 to do so. Yikes. That's even after the tent vendor said they can come at 12 midnight and pick up 6:00am. I emailed Marie letting her know of my shock and then she responds, I told you from the beginning. She didn't. It's sad that the motto of this "non profit organization" is not being honored.We are taking our money and getting a ballroom instead. If you are curious about other things, go ahead and ask me. I attached a few pics. It's a nice place but after all expenses, it'll be the same as a hotel ballroom. The hotel is better because they can assure you if there are weather hiccups, you're covered.

Lanikuhonua Cultural Institute is located right next to the Four Seasons in Ko'Olina. This beautiful event space is home to many weddings and private functions.I recently attended a wedding ceremony and reception on the grounds and it was absolutely beautiful. The ceremony took place facing the ocean with beautiful palm trees framing the couple as they said their vows. We enjoyed a cocktail hour on the grass and then transitioned to dinner and dancing on the lawn. The views were picturesque and gorgeous especially as the sun began to set. The space is very clean and well maintained. It was lovely. There were only a few cons when considering your wedding here. Paradise cove luau is right next door so if you start your ceremony late, you may be getting some carry over sound from the luau activities. Our wedding started at 5:30 running an hour behind schedule so we could hear all the drums going on next door. The bathrooms are also okay. The couple rented nice portapotties that were actually nicer than the existing bathrooms. Overall, this location is beautiful and I really enjoyed attending the wedding here. You can bring in your own alcohol and really design the space to fit your needs.

where do I even begin?! we were so lucky to have our wedding here... mahalo - Every phase of the property is just breathtaking gorgeous! we ended up choosing Phase 2 mainly because it is the most segregated one from both the hotels and the beaches where people hang out (who can blame them?!). Even though we only had 80 guests, we were able to utilize all of the area by having dancefloor outside the tent, a bar and a lounge set.- Aunty Netty (sorry if I'm misspelling the name!) is the person who we should thank for keeping the property so beautiful. Her family looked after Lanikuhonua and now she does it. It's obvious that there is so much love and respect put into this place.-The management was extremely nice, we jumped into a contract after seeing the property, then realized it would be very expensive to host a wedding there. The management team were very accommodating every time we changed our minds about having just the ceremony there or including the reception as well . It was a lot of $ for us, but at the end it was completely worth it, as we were able to create the most memorable experience! P.s. many of our guests said it was the most beautiful spot for a wedding. -overall, could not have been happier (unless the price for venue was lower haha) with our experience.If you are able to, catch the sunset close by! that part of Oahu has the best sunsets on the island!

CONGRATULATIONS to Micah Christenson (Setter for Team USA Volleyball Rio '16, Kamehameha Schools, and USC) and his beautiful wife, Brooke, on their Storybook Wedding on August 28, 2016!Prior to today, I had never even known about this venue. Lanikuhonua, "Where Heaven Meets Earth", is basically a huge grassy, flat lawn with the gorgeous beach as a backdrop. Palm trees, fabulous sunset, gentle trade winds, fresh air, and clear, starry skies add to the natural ambiance that people might envision as Paradise.LOCATION: driving west on the H-1 Freeway, take the Ko Olina cutoff, pass the guard shack, and look for the sign, "Lanikuhonua". It's the property on the right hand side, before the Four Seasons Resort and Disney's Aulani Resort.PARKING: there was an attendant at another gate who entered a code which raised the bar. She suggested parking at the second entrance which would be closer to the Reception Table. There was no charge for guests. There was no ticket or pass. Free parking - yay!AMENITIES: the women's restroom was convenient and clean. There were three stalls and a counter with two sinks. Between the sinks was a jar of mints and a container of toothpicks - wow! Very classy!FLOOR PLAN: as we entered, we were greeted by a "Welcome" sign and were offered bottled water, frozen local popsicles, fans, and flip flops - very thoughtful! It was a sunny, hot August day - we sure made use of the fans - some people used them as shade! The flip flops came in handy for women whose high heels were sinking in the grass. If it were a rainy day, more guests might be wearing them! All of the groomsmen and the fathers of the bride and groom were wearing "rubbah slippahs" - very casual and comfortable attire!We proceeded to the Reception Table where we got our Seat Assignments. They were in alphabetical order and clipped to small wooden flip flops made by the Father of the Bride! In the middle of the table, there were boxes that looked like small suitcases where we dropped off our gifts. At the end of the table, there were wooden oars that the Father of the Bride made for guests to sign! Above this Reception area, strings of Plumeria Blossoms hung from the trees and swayed in the breeze while dispersing a delicate fragrance!There was a Refreshment Station and a Pupu (appetizer) Station which occupied guests' time while the newlyweds signed documents and took photos with family and the bridal party. The Gazebo area, at the edge of the lawn, had two sets of seats which formed a center aisle for the parents of the Bride and Groom to enter, followed by the bridal party and the Bride and her father. The guests faced the ocean (it's a public beach), boogie boarders, swimmers, fishermen, and the setting sun...Under the largest white tent were tables for guests to sit and enjoy the live band and the program - with a wooden dance floor at the edge of the tent! Other small tents housed the DJ, the band, and the buffet line. Yes - everything was well-thought out, in case of rain! We were very lucky and were blessed with a perfect day! The tents shaded us from the direct sunlight since the festivities started at 4:30pm. It was dark by the time the happy couple cut the cake and tossed the bouquet and garter. What a wonderful way to start a new life together!Thanks to the staff and management of Lanikuhonua! Everything ran so smoothly! Our tables were cleared of disposable utensils, plates and cups very efficiently! Guests roamed from station to station so effortlessly! We transitioned from ceremony to reception so easily! My family really enjoyed this venue! Mahalo nui loa!

Lanikuhonua was the perfect place for our wedding reception. It lives up to its name, "Where Heaven Meets Earth." The site is very well-maintained, clean, and just beautiful. Communication was easy with Marie Wong, who took great care of us. She was very responsive and patient with us since this was a destination wedding and we had so many questions. We were able to schedule a site tour with Auntie Nettie when we were in Hawaii a year out from our wedding and we knew we had made the right choice for venue.We had our reception in Phase 2 and it was the perfect size for our layout. We were scared because the week leading up to our wedding, it was raining every day on the island and we had no idea how wet/muddy the grounds would be. The day of our reception, it wasn't muddy or wet at all. Auntie Nettie, who runs Lanikuhonua, told us 2 days before that it had rained hard and it was still muddy. Thankfully, for our reception, it wasn't. The weather was beautiful and the sunset was gorgeous. Everyone's jaws dropped when they saw the views! We didn't have big floral arrangements or a Photo Booth for our reception because if you hold your reception here, you don't need those. You have the beautiful trees and ocean for your floral arrangements and Photo Booth!

A great night with Elle and Tongg+Partners. Great food, drinks, casino tables, and friends. Love the ocean view, cool breeze, and the ambience of the evening. More to follow as the night continues. T