Papa Kona Events

“we nailed it”. The food was fantastic (I highly recommend the Kona coffee rubbed brisket), the cake was beautiful and you just can’t find a more stunning location. Anywhere. Our sunset wedding pictures turned out most exquisite. Alycia, our coordinator, was extremely helpful and professional. She really pulled it all together for us and made our wedding successful. All of our guests said they had a great time. If we had it to do all over again, there is nothing we would change. Our wedding was perfect!

id not go visit the venue until the day before we were getting married. It was better than the pictures made it seem! My wife and I want to go back to relive the day constantly. We had the food catered by them, and tasted both delicious and authentically Hawaiian. The staff made everything stress-free throughout the whole night and rehearsal day. The table settings and lighting at the venue were beautiful. I'd recommend this place to anyone! (so sad its over)

dating when it came to planning all of the details of the wedding. She managed everything from the menu to the cake to the vendors. She did not miss a detail despite my being pretty clueless on how to plan a wedding. On the day of the wedding, she was right there, making sure that everything happened when it was supposed to. The setting was beautiful. The tables were set just right, the sunset was a perfect backdrop. The food was great! Everything cooked perfectly and it was all kept hot throughout the meal. The staff were friendly and efficient. I would not hesitate to recommend Papa Kona as the perfect place for a Hawaiian wedding. All of the guests agreed that it was the best wedding that they had ever been to.

ugh to meet her for a tasting before our wedding. The food was amazing, and after seeing the location (and visiting about 5 more times that trip) we knew that this venue was the one for us. Julia was the most attentive, organized, thoughtful, helpful, and insightful coordinator. She was always easily available for questions or recommendations. Daylight Mind made our day everything we could have imagined it to be. Everything the day of was seamless and we didn’t have to worry about a thing at the venue. Our guest couldn’t compliment the food, the view, the service, Julia, or the sunset more. I couldn’t recommend Papa Kona (Daylight Mind) enough. They are so accommodating and will make sure you have the most special day. We can’t wait until the next time we can come back to visit.

entire experience. Julia was AMAZING and assured us every step of the way that everything would be perfect. Her team was responsive, helpful, friendly, and professional. We had the most perfect day and we credit this to Julia and team. The facility is beautiful, the food / dessert provided in house is fabulous, and the local vendors (recommended by Papa Kona) provided exactly what we were looking for. I would recommend Papa Kona to anyone that is interested in a destination / Hawaiian wedding. We will be back to visit and reminisce on a regular basis!

rned out perfectly. Julia and her team helped with everything from vendors, food selection, to day-of setup and timeline. They were a big of the part of the reason we chose Daylight Mind. It's so important to have a team who is willing to answer any questions you might have throughout the process. In terms of the space itself, we loved that you could get married by the water (without getting sandy) and have both cocktail hour and reception overlooking the water. The sunset views from the lanai are amazing. All of our guests enjoyed the venue and the food. The cake and ice cream sandwiches were a big hit! Daylight Mind/Papa Kona is definitely a special place and we would recommend it to anyone considering a wedding in Hawaii.

hole process fun, chill (seriously), and smooth. We didn't have much of a "vision" for our wedding other than that we wanted it to be in Hawaii, so the fact that we had such an incredible event is purely a testament to her & the venue. Julia lets you be as involved (or hands off) as you want to be, and is always willing to lend her expert opinion. We were able to have our dream wedding, within budget, and without the stress that we've witnessed some of our friends go through while wedding planning! Location-- The setting on the water is stunning. We had a beautiful waterfront ceremony without having to walk in the sand or switch places for the reception. And the sunset views during the reception were a highlight. We also loved having our wedding right in town, because it was important to me that guests weren't locked into a resort. Bar- We loved how the bar was set up because it made it so easy to offer an open bar with a massive selection, instead of just having to choose a few options. Food- INCREDIBLE. My bougie foodie friends were very happy. Vendors- The vendors they recommended were all incredible, and Papa Kona/Daylight mind worked with them to make sure everything flowed seamlessly.  TL/DR the best place to get married, hands down!

y with my choice! From our first contact in Jan till my wedding day in Oct, Michelle and Alycia have been unfailingly professional, considerate and accommodating. I'm based in NYC and planning a remote wedding could have been a complete disaster, however, DayLight Mind provided plenty of photos, helpful suggestions and a comprehensive guide to planning a memorable and low stress wedding. After I completed their questionnaire, Michelle and Alycia carefully studied my answers and kindly made suggestions based on their expertise and intimate knowledge of the venue location (e.g. using mics during the ceremony because the surf can be noisy and moving the ceremony time early in order to buffer time for sunset photos) that helped improve our big day. Alycia was completely unfazed by my many last minute updates and questions and personally ensured accommodations for all of our guests' various dietary restrictions. During the big day, Alycia calmly helped make last minute name cards. expertly assisted our parents and groom with their flower pins and help guide a shy flower girl who missed rehearsal. She also expertly showed our out of town photographer many scenic locations around the venue. Our guests could not stop raving about the beautiful location and IG-made sunset. Even our picky foodie friends (and grumpy Asian dads) complimented the food and service. My sincerely and heartfelt thank you to Alycia, Michelle and the entire crew for their all of their hardwork making my wedding day a fantastic and unforgettable day!

The food was superb. We had three choices and every person at the table loved their dinner. The passed apps were also delicious, from what I hear, wish I had given myself time to try them!! The cake.... STAR OF THE SHOW. The cake was quite literally the best cake I have ever eaten. It was perfectly moist and dense without being too heavy. We got the coconut cake with lilikoi mousse and coconut frosting on a partially naked two layer cake. My mouth is watering as I type. Get. The. Cake. We opted for a simple, elegant table with not too many extras as we felt the beauty of the island should shine. We had some pineapples and plumerias on the table with a few bits of greenery. Everything was provided by Daylight except the monstera's. We didn't need those, as the table was already gorgeous, but I am obsessed with them so we added them for a small fee from the florist. We have gone to this location all four times we have been on the Big Island and just fell in love with it. It was perfect for our small wedding, although can very easily accommodate a larger one. If the food and scenery doesn't sell you, let me tell you about the staff. The staff has been so accommodating, welcoming and still take everything very seriously. What I loved about Alycia is that she seemed to be having fun the night of our wedding. She sees these all the time and for her to appear to be having fun? Very cool. She was so very responsive, even to my mini panics about weather and back up plans. She was there every time I turned around, either talking with staff or talking to guests, which I loved. She made sure we ate and drank as that can be forgotten on such a busy day. Cory did the flowers on my cake. Jaw dropping. Dream cake. Exactly, if not better, than what I had in my vision. Everyone at Daylight was a dream to work with. If I could get married over again, there is nowhere else I would choose. Many times over. Thank you Alycia and Cory.

d our big day was absolutely beautiful. We are so pleased with how everything turned out. The venue views were stunning, the food was delicious, and the staff graciously welcomed every member of our party. Outside of the heatwave, the day was flawless.

and responsive whenever I had any questions. They literally always replied to me in less than an hour. I ordered a few menu items a month prior to, and Alycia was able to accommodate. The best thing is that they assist with day of coordination. I shipped over a huge box of decorations and Alycia was happy to assist. She decorated the place nicely and made it "ours" It felt like a dream come true on the day of and was everything I wished for, from the venue, to details, and not to say, sunset we had! One of the reasons why I am not giving full stars is because we had ordered a prime rib action station and it was not there. I had not noticed on the day of, being the usual busy bride, but realized the day after and asked about it. We were only told after I had asked about it which was pretty upsetting. It wasn't that big of a deal for me but still wished we were just told upfront. Something else that had put a damper onto our night was our bartender. It was the one complaint we received from our guests and even from ourselves. From the very beginning when the bridal party had arrived, I already felt she was giving us a cold shoulder. Once cocktail hour/reception started, every time we ordered drinks in groups, she seemed very irritated. It felt as if it were a chore for her to do. On a few occasions, she had run out of shot glasses and used it as an excuse to not serve our guests. Whenever she was getting drink orders, she was giving back attitude and I really did not understand why. She even told me that my guests were getting rowdy when it was only thirty minutes into my reception. That was the last thing I wanted to hear as a bride! I had paid for a full five hour bar package but she was no where to be found in the last thirty minutes of our reception. We saw her collecting and cleaning up glasses, our guest had to approach her to return to to the bar. She may have been having a bad day but I certainly don't think my husband and I were the people she should've taken her anger out on. Overall, I wouldn't change my decision in picking Daylight Mind. I am so lucky to have had Alycia as my coordinator (cannot thank her enough) but do think they may need to reconsider their bartender.

patient and responsive with all my questions, and gave great advice and ideas. She made the planning process so easy with providing sample timelines and recommending vendors that we needed. We wanted to add on a hula dancing lesson during cocktail hour and a fire dancer at the end of the reception as a surprise for our guests, and she gave great recommendations and helped coordinate everything! THE FOOD!!! We chose the Luau Feast Buffet, and it was delicious! Julia made sure that we had a glass of wine at our sweetheart table and made time for us to get food and have time to eat. Our cake was beautifully decorated and so scrumptious! We chose the almond dacquoise with lilikoi filling and a coconut buttercream. The venue and space was also the perfect size for our guest count of 50. It felt very warm and intimate, but everyone had plenty of space. The spaces between the bar/guest book signing, tables and eating area, and dance floor were sectioned off nicely, but also felt connected so no one ever felt isolated or like you were missing anything during the night. Julia and her team also did a fantastic job with the decor. We did not bring too much with us since we needed to fit it in a suitcase, but it was all arranged nicely and made the space more personalized. Overall, we had the perfect wedding, and I can't thank Julia and Daylight Mind enough! We definitely have a special place in our heart for Daylight Mind and plan to continue visiting it each time we're in Kona in the future!

ress my appreciation for her. She went above and beyond for us. I had never been to the venue before and she was so patient with my daily text, calls and emails. When I’m saying I talked to her daily, I did. She was so welcoming and made our day so special. At one point I needed to switch into sandals but forgot mine and Alycia went and bought me a pair!!! I was sooo blown away with her. She was so much fun and so caring. The food at the venue was sooo fantastic, everyone has been raving about it. I was nervous for the food because we didn’t get a chance to try it but it exceeded our expectations. I even got to meet the chef, he came out to check on the food!! They care sooo much and it genuinely shows. Thank you so much to everyone that made our night so amazing!! Book your wedding here, it’s so stressfree and amazing.

and Michelle were ALWAYS responsive that same day. To a stressed out Bride, it was priceless and a huge relief. On top of being responsive the venue and dinner were absolutely amazing. The views are breathtaking, and my guests raved about the food! We had the short ribs , catch of the day, which was Mahi Mahi and the coffee crusted chicken. I cannot say enough good things about this venue, they made everything about my wedding stress free and amazing.

sts raving about the venue.

ortal, and day of coordination. I would highly recommend Daylight for your ceremony and reception if you are having a small/medium sized wedding! Thank you all so much, the day couldn’t have gone any smoother!

d, which made it a lot easier to plan from a distance (Chicago). Our guests were very impressed, and so were we.

lly simple. I got responses to my emails almost immediately (which is great when you're in the middle of stressing out about something). We also chose to go with an atypical morning ceremony w/ a brunch reception, which they happily accommodated. And the pricing made my wallet very happy. The best part: you really can make the venue into whatever you want. I kept mine super simple (I used the white linens & table settings that they had) but you can really dress the place up if you wanted. On the day of, Julia was absolutely wonderful. She was calm, cool, and collected throughout (even when one vendor was super late). That helped me to remain calm as well. She made everything flow seamlessly. The venue itself is obviously fabulous (just look at the photos). Beautiful views from everywhere. The food was great, the cake was possibly the best cake I've ever eaten, and the staff was friendly & wonderful to all my guests. Cannot say enough great things about this place. A number of my guests told me "this was perfect."

tographers/videographers to finding the perfect desserts, she knew it all. Two major hurdles, as I'm sure this is the case for any couple planning a destination wedding, are budget AND trusting that everything you choose will be up to par (since you can't taste the food, walk around the venue, etc. beforehand). It is safe to say that Daylight Mind provides great value for what they offer, and the food, service, and overall experience were top notch. I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND starting the conversation with Julia to see how they can help you plan your dream destination wedding. She'll help you to take the stress out of planning and does a really good job of ensuring that you are in the moment throughout the day :)

, got toasts and photos on time, and managed the vendors. They also are just the sweetest and I felt like I’d known them forever! They made us super comfortable. The location is something else too. Talk about gorgeous!! The ceremony on the water is something I will never forget and the view from the lanai is breathtaking! We could’ve just shown up with no decor at all - just the setting is enough. The food is TO DIE FOR. We had the bacon wrapped scallops and our guests are still talking about them! We loved the taco buffet bar that we had and our cake was delicious too. Plus they sent us home with the leftovers!! I am so grateful for Daylight Mind and the experience that we had. We had a perfect day and it was all thanks to them. ❤️

venue or meet your vendors in person can make it even more so! However, Julia and Michelle were both so responsive in answering all of my questions and helping us to make our perfect day a reality, including recommending our incredible vendors to assist in all of our details and moving parts. We even flew in our favorite live band and that would not have been possible without the recommendation of Hawaii Sound & Vision (if you’re looking, hire them). When we came for the rehearsal, I was so nervous because I wasn’t sure what to expect or exactly how much help we would have the day of. I’m an event planner myself and was worried that I would end up “working” my own wedding since we had so many things going on (we flew in oysters, had an oyster bar, had decorations from different vendors, a band, DJ, and a detailed timeline). The second I met Julia, I knew I was in good hands and was immediately relaxed. She instantly put me at ease, understood my vision for the day, offered to place all my decorations for me prior to the wedding (it looked PERFECT), and calmly and efficiently walked us through the rehearsal. On the day of the wedding, all I had to do was look at Julia and feel like everything was going to be ok. I knew I could relax and truly enjoy our day without worrying about anything. She is seriously amazing; I can’t even stress this enough. She was even flexible enough to help two of our best friends surprise us by coming to the wedding when we thought they couldn’t attend, by adding seats for them while we were doing our first look. The staff was also incredible and went above and beyond for us throughout our event, even bringing us appetizers down to the beach while we took our sunset photos after the ceremony, attending to anything we needed throughout the night, and helping us pack everything up at the end. On top of the people that work at and represent Daylight, it was stunning on the rooftop and the exact romantic setting that we had hoped for. Daylight Mind was seriously the best decision we made and it gave us the most beautiful and wonderful day of our lives. I only wish we could do it again, lol! If you’re still looking for a venue, stop. Book Daylight. I promise you will not regret it.

ails leading up to the event. Even though they have so many weddings and probably just as many stressed out brides, they answered every one of my emails within 24 hours and most were answered immediately. Julia also set up phone calls with me to go over the day of timeline. Once we arrived for the rehearsal I realized I had nothing to worry about; Julia and team had everything completely under control. Julia gave very good recommendations and instructions. Her patience and unflappability are second to none. No question I asked was too small, and she was an absolute pleasure to be around. They truly made our wedding day the best day ever! The lanai is gorgeous as is, but it was truly transformed. The ceremony space looked perfect, everyone was where they were supposed to be, and Julia was such a calming presence while I waited to walk down the aisle. Once the ceremony was over, she guided us through the reception agenda with ease. The timeline seems very daunting at first, but she made sure we (and everyone else) was where we needed to be and when. She made sure we stayed on track with the timeline, but we never felt rushed. She also took so many pictures throughout the event which I really enjoyed. I have to mention the food and drinks. They were amazing! We had so many compliments from our guests about how great the food was! And there were so many leftovers we got to take a lot of it with us and enjoyed it throughout our stay in Hawaii afterwards. The cake was gorgeous and tasty as well! Our bartender knocked it out of the park! She was so fun and really added to the evening. We didn’t have a signature drink, but she had some fun tropical ones for us anyway that everyone enjoyed throughout the night. In addition, the bar prices were super reasonable, and their wine selection was very good for the value. Lastly, we went with the DJ and sound company they recommended (Hawaii Sound and Vision) and they, like everything else, were awesome. I highly recommend going with them. I absolutely loved our DJ! Daylight Mind was the perfect venue and Julia and the rest of the staff made our day everything we wanted it to be and more.

enue will give you an awesome wedding. You won’t regret going with Daylight Mind for your wedding venue.

arrowing down my search. Julia was so attentive and made sure the day went smoothly. Anytime I needed her, she was right there. The staff took care of setting up all our decor and it looked flawless. Our guests raved about how amazing the food was! Probably the best food we had our entire stay on the island. I was so appreciative as they easily accommodated my requests for dairy free and vegetarian. Having our wedding at Daylight Mind was the best decision we made and we would highly recommend to anyone looking to get married in Hawaii. You will get the wedding of your dreams!

than the ceremony set up for a sunny day! Every single detail was taken care of, and the day of went seamlessly. And leading up to the day of- I was a total stress case and she always got back to me in a timely manner and always had an answer! Again, everything food and drink wise was amazing (I am a unicorn bride who actually ate and drank at her own wedding)! The bartender was great, and they didn’t even yell at my mom that much when she super illegally jumped behind the counter 🙄 I highly recommend getting married here!

ors we could have hoped for. Since we were having a destination wedding, there was a natural level of anxiety trying to determine the how’s and where’s without stepping foot in and around the venue itself. Communication was key, and these two kept us up to speed, informed, and always made sure our questions were answered quickly, with recommended solutions to any perceived hiccups we envisioned or feared. They handled all our last minute requests flawlessly. We love the fact they provided a recommended vendor list – it saved us so much time and energy in trying to determine who could support an event at Daylight Mind. For us, Hawaii Sound & Vision, Grace Flowers, Beauty Lux Salon, and Rev Libby were so friendly, helpful and went above and beyond. We have to admit, all the 5-star reviews and beautiful social media posts don’t even come close to describing just how AMAZING this venue and staff truly are – YOU MADE OUR DAY UNFORGETTABLE! Forever thankful – Lancelot & Britni Elarionoff

d and everything turned out spot on. Don’t hesitate to ask for recommendations - Julia helped us pick our signature cocktail and our guests still talk about it today! :) The layout of the reception space was also perfect and allowed for an awesome dance party! What truly separates Daylight Mind from others is Julia and her team. They were so organized, friendly, and flexible. We had a few last minute changes and everyone was incredibly accommodating. Julia was a godsend the day of the wedding! She made us feel comfortable right away and confident that everything was handled. I was able to enjoy every moment of the day, knowing Julia and the team were on it. We’re so happy we chose Daylight Mind and can’t wait to visit again!

new we had found the right place to host our wedding reception. The location is so convenient, sunset views are out of this world, and a beautiful spacious dance floor. Julia and her staff were incredibly helpful and knowledgeable. Their guidance was excellent and they really made the day so special for us. The menu was great and to this day our family and friends still are talking about how wonderful the food was. We have a lot of dietary restrictions in our families and they were so flexible and adaptable it made it so easy for our guests with allergies. We recommend getting the passed pupus especially the Avocado Fries & Pot stickers. They really accommodated all of our special details and went above and beyond. I highly recommend this venue and all of the wonderful people at Daylight Mind. Thank you so much for everything. IT WAS AMAZING!

Julia was great! Julia made us confident that our wedding was going to be amazing even though we were planning from a distance! Gorgeous views!! Delicious food!! We had the fish & coconut curry tofu. Our guests (we had 72) continue to talk about how wonderful and fun our wedding was and the delicious food! The fact that we could do almost everything through Daylight Mind (ceremony and reception, food, cake, lighting, favors...), made everything so much easier! Thank you Julia and Daylight MInd for all that you did to make our day amazing!!!

excellent. The venue was beautiful, the food and service were amazing, and our guests had a wonderful time. Julia handled so many of the details and made it stress free so that we could really just focus on enjoying the celebration with our guests. Highly recommended!

e drinks were too! Julia ordered a special kind of tequila just for us and that was pretty cool. I loved it here, and living in Hawaii now for 4 years I'd pick Daylight mind every time.

top deck literally takes your breath away the moment you set foot upstairs. The space is perfect for an intimate setting but you still have enough room to dance the night away or form a pretty great conga line. The food was the best food you could have imagined. We received many amazing compliments on our food options! And the menu options are so versatile that even the pickiest eaters (and we had a few) could find something to eat on our Luau Buffett. The fact that they not only provide the food as well as make the cake for you is really unheard of at any venue. Can I please mention the cake a bit more...for neither my husband or I prefer cake and we both were so in love with the cake that they made us! It was the best and most amazing cake I think I have ever had. The options range from the very basic to a fun adventure of flavors you never knew existed. Words cannot express how thankful we are for Julia and her amazing team. She literally answered any question throughout the year of preparation as well as helped us create a day of time line that fit in everything we wanted. Julia was so pleasant and personable and everything a bride and groom need to have a wonderful wedding. The staff as well that served the food and the amazing bartenders were all so amazing and sweet that you felt you had known them forever. Thank you Julia and team for helping us execute the best day of our lives and we cannot wait to visit Daylight Mind again!

dors, which made things much easier. She had her team was very response in all means of communications (email, text, phone) and super friendly. - Location: You can't beat Daylight Mind's location! The view from the 2nd floor deck where the reception happens is absolutely gorgeous. - Food: We got lots of complements about the food at our reception. You'll have plenty of options for pupus, poke, buffet-style dinner or plated dinner. They also provide wedding cakes with custom design; one of our choices was coconut cake with lilikoi curd filling - yummm! - Decor: Daylight mind will provide market lights above the reception table, which in itself creates a very beautiful ambience. I also ordered some extra decoration items online and they would put them up before the wedding. - Misc: They can provide a projector in case you want to show a photo slideshow. We also forgot a number of important items after the wedding, and when we contacted them the next day, they had everything in one box for us to pick them up. I guess it happens a lot! :) We can't thank Julia and the team enough for making everything so easy. All of our guests had a great time and I got many many complements about how beautiful the wedding was.

edding was perfect for our group. The amazing attention to detail, thoughtful consideration and superior planning skills are just a few attributes of this amazing team. The venue itself is nothing short of spectacular. Right in the heart of downtown Kona with stunning ocean views Daylight is truly stunning. Our wedding day itself was perfect. Our florals, wedding cake and table setting were exquisite. Alycia and her team took care of everything, and ensured that my day went off without a hitch. We even had a beautiful rainbow during the ceremony before we watched the spectacular sunset from the gorgeous lanai. The beach and rocks in front of the venue were perfect for pictures as well!! There truly is not a more beautiful place to have a wedding in Hawai’i. Thank you Daylight for being so accommodating and supportive of Kevin and I this year, and for making the wedding of our dreams come true. We will never be able to thank you enough for the best day of our lives.

d I love that Daylight worked with us to create a food and drink menu that fit into our budget. The BEST part of booking our wedding at Daylight however is the staff. They alone are worth the venue fee. Julia and her team are professional, friendly, reliable, and with you every step of the way to answer questions and give recommendations. It truly felt like they were celebrating right along with us on our wedding day. It’s a big decision on where to have your wedding, especially if you’re a destination bride, so let me put your mind at ease and tell you book at Daylight Mind! It will be the BEST decision you make!

c that can be done at a big resort. In fact, he proposed to me the Summer of 2017 on the Big Island and before we headed home to California we toured the various wedding locations at a very well-known resort in Waikoloa. The wedding planner on-site showed us about five possible locations on the property that we could use for the ceremony and/or reception site. We fell in love with one of the five and even reserved it for our planned August 2018 wedding. A few days after returning home we were required to put down our deposit with the resort, but yet something didn't quite feel right. Of course it was a beautiful, popular venue and everything would go off without a hitch, but that was also its inherent problem - it was popular and it functioned like a machine because so many weddings occurred there day in and day out. Additionally, at a resort it is easy for your wedding to be watched by resort guests, thus making it more of a spectacle for uninvited guests to watch, than a private intimate experience for your own friends and family. The special 'unique' factor was missing for us. We wanted it to feel like our own memory that we could remember for years to come, not a wedding that is 'cookie-cutter'. My mother actually discovered Daylight Mind's wedding venue through Wedding Wire and other wedding sites. We had always visited the Daylight Mind restaurant location when we stayed in Waikoloa for breakfast, yet never saw the Kailua-Kona location in-person. Although it bothered me a bit to consider a venue that we hadn't even set foot in, the reviews on WeddingWire and elsewhere about Daylight were unforgettable. If you are skeptical of booking sight unseen, trust the reviews and experiences of others who have been in your same position. We worked with Alycia, who was phenomenal! She was so sweet, accommodating, quick to respond to emails, and extremely helpful on the big day and throughout the months before. The oceanfront views are spectacular. The bistro lighting was affordable and really added a special wow factor to the patio for the reception. We brought a great deal of our own items - lanterns, flatware, decor, napkins, runners, etc. - for the space at the reception, which Alycia allowed us to store at Daylight a few days before the wedding. My mom and I designed everything ourselves and had a vision in mind for the reception that Alycia and her team delivered perfectly. The food was absolutely delicious and abundant - we had boxes and boxes of leftovers. For appetizers, we went with the 'passed pupus' of the kalua pork sliders, bacon wrapped scallops, caprese skewers, and the avocado fries (yum!). For salad, we went with the caesar salad and paid extra for the tropical fruit platter. Our entrees consisted of the furikake crusted fish with the wasabi cream, braised short ribs, and teriyaki chicken. The sides that we selected were the local style macaroni salad, green beans with mac nuts, and the seasonal vegetable risotto. For our cake we went with a coconut cake with vanilla bean buttercream and liliko'i (passion fruit) curd. In terms of the bar, we did an open bar with a max price point. Also, we selected a hibiscus mule (stunning drink in both flavor and visually with an actual preserved hibiscus flower in the glass!) and a lava flow (had a little fun with the active volcano) as our two signature cocktails. Overall, we had an intimate wedding that we will never forget and we have the talents of Alycia and the beauty and magic Daylight Mind to thank for that!

's help suggesting everything from vendors to dessert options to accommodations everything went so smoothly! Our guests loved overlooking the water at sunset and the casual but elegant atmosphere. And the cake!! My husband isn't a cake person at all and we were so pleasantly surprised by how delicious it was. Also, the big island stole our hearts and if you are debating which island to get married on this is it!

of the ladies are patient, lovely, and caring. Alycia, Julia, and their team were amazing! I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day. It was easy to communicate and coordinate with Alycia. They decorated and set everything up beautifully. We did a walk through the week before and she went over everything with us. Alycia was also our coordinator the day of and was on it! She was able to keep me calm and keep it fun all at the same time. She handled my insanely high maintenance family so well and we just cannot thank her enough. We had an amazing wedding and she truly understood what we wanted and had envisioned for our special day. We wanted everyone to feel like family and they really delivered. I felt like everyone working our wedding was enjoying it just as much as we were. Everyone was highly impressed with the food and omg the dessert was the best wedding cake I have ever had in my entire life! My husband and I hate frosting and our wedding cake frosting was to die for. Our guests were still talking about it weeks after the wedding.

and our wedding and a huge part of that happiness was our reception at Daylight Mind. I would like to thank Julia and the rest of the staff for helping us with our reception and catering to my crazy (smoke bombs on the rocks) and last minute (black wedding cake, which was absolutely delicious and gorgeous) ideas. My husband and I knew what we didn’t want and what we wanted for our wedding reception. We knew we wanted a venue that had amazing sunset views (I mean that’s really the reason why you would get married in Hawaii, right?), great food, and a venue where you feel relaxed with your closest friends and family. And Daylight Mind delivered all of that and more. The venue is centrally located and backed into the bay so you have an unobstructed view of the ocean and at sunset, Kona had never looked more gorgeous. The food that Daylight offered was delicious and my guests were never hungry. The signature drinks that they made also were a hit! We wanted a place where we can just kick back and enjoy the celebration with our family and friends because that’s what a wedding is supposed to be and Daylight gave that to us. My only wish that they stayed open much later because we definitely wanted to keep the party going…Much love to you and thank you for making our day extra special!

ouldn’t have said that!) she’s amazing! my fiancé and I look forward to our upcoming wedding at this beautiful location! We know the Daylight mind team will treat our wedding as it was their own!

was beautiful and everything was perfect! I would highly recommend couples to pick this as there wedding venue!

Julia is our new best friend. She was so easygoing, patient, responsive, and flexible throughout this entire past year of planning. She bent over backwards to make sure everything was perfect (literally, when one of our Amazon shipments accidentally got thrown away, she dug through the dumpster herself to get it). We're from California and decided to take a chance on this venue without having visited the Big Island before because it checked all the boxes: significantly cheaper than every other venue we came across in Hawaii (everything is catered in-house since it's a restaurant/coffee shop/bakery); overlooking the water; outdoors; and near a Catholic church. We visited the island 6 months before our wedding to do a tasting, and when we saw the venue for the first time in-person, we knew immediately that we made the right choice--the pictures simply don't do it justice. The food is amazing (our guests raved about the bacon-wrapped scallops, avocado fries, and taro au gratin). For dessert, Julia let us do cake and two types of ice cream sandwiches because we are indecisive children. The view is incredible as it is, so Julia's team added pineapples, palm fronds and loose orchids to the tables and strung bistro lights and we were set. Our wedding was flanked by two hurricanes so it was pretty rainy during the reception, but our guests still had an amazing time as we were all herded to take cover in the dance floor/buffet area. Julia even handed us a plate of appetizers, dinner plates, and drinks--again, above and beyond any typical wedding coordinator. Overall, Daylight Mind was perfect for our simple, laid-back, intimate, budget-conscious, beachside destination wedding. We couldn't imagine having it anywhere else. Thank you again to Julia and the entire team--can't wait to come back and visit!

rest of the island, but Daylight was determined to make my dream wedding happen! They closed their restaurant for us and improvised with last minute moving around, so that our wedding could go off without a hitch! Even more impressive, our wedding was small - only 30 people, and they still bent over backwards to make it the best night of my life!! I cannot thank them enough! would HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

love the fact that everything was online and so organized. I didn’t have to rifle through strings of email messages to see where we were at. For those of you with celiac / gluten-allergies – this is THE place to go. Everything on the menu for our event, including the cake and pupus, was gluten-free! Daylight Mind even made gluten-free white chocolate macadamia nut ice cream sandwiches for the kids. The food was over-the-top delicious. No one could even tell that it was all gluten-free. Alycia even ordered in scotch for our picky scotch drinkers. The wait staff and bartenders at Daylight Mind were so attentive and friendly. Our guests said that our wedding was the best they had ever been to. I have to thank all of the staff at Daylight Mind for making August 14, 2018 perfect – especially Alycia!

pictures. Every person there commented on how kind the staff was and how amazing eveything looked. She answered every email and question I had for her, even pertaining to things outside the reception. You can’t go wrong with a venue on the water and a coordinator that is up with the best of the best. Thank you Julia and Daylight Mind!

extremely well taken care of both before and on the wedding day. Julia is a rockstar and kept all the stress away from me all evening. She made sure things happened when they needed to in order to stay on schedule. We got a great value for what we received, Daylight Mind provided our food, cake, day of coordinating, favors and alcohol for far less than any other venue. The food and cake were absolutely delicious and I am still hearing from people how much they loved it. A bonus is that they packaged up all the left over food and cake for us to bring home! I will always recommend this location to anyone that asks! We had a wonderful wedding because of all the help from Julia and her team at Daylight Mind Coffee Company!

rice point, we decided it was absolutely the best place for our wedding. Since we live on the mainland, we did all the coordination online. As you may imagine, this caused a few jitters for this bride, but Alycia & the crew at DLM made the process as easy and stress-free as could be. Alycia was always so timely and helpful when responding to all my questions and concerns. She made sure everything was perfect on our big day so that I didn’t have to worry about a thing. She even made a custom sign for the signature cocktails since I was not on top of that game upon arrival (yes she is that amazing of a coordinator & person!). The views of the ocean, shoreline, and sunset could not be matched, and the online photos can’t even do the views justice (even though the online photos are gorgeous). It was a truly magical experience, and I highly recommend to any couple considering a wedding at DLM: just do it. You will be absolutely overjoyed that you did!

d listened to all of my questions and ideas. She helped me with the timeline, and even helped us with the processional. She is simply the best. On top of that, the food was delicious (mmm…the yakitori chicken…), the cake was both beautiful and delicious, and the whole venue was gorgeous, with breathtaking views of the ocean. The Daylight Mind team made planning so easy, even though it was all via email (I live in GA), and I cannot say enough about how wonderful Julia and her team were. Everyone had a wonderful time, and I wouldn’t change a thing about our big day. We can’t wait to go back and visit! Thank you so much!! :)

re very responsive and reassuring about any concerns that I had. Planning our wedding reception was easy with them and it was all done via email since we live on Oahu. We dropped off our decor the day before and did a quick run through of the space and how we wanted our decor done. On the day of our wedding, everything was setup by them, and it was done exactly the way we wanted it! A beautiful place, great food and drinks, and great coordinators, you have nothing to worry about!

it EVEN BETTER! It’s so quaint & intimate, a coffee shop on the beach; it literally was everything my husband & I loved. The pictures can only do so much, because once you see it in person, it’ll take your breath away. Over the course of a year, Julia & I emailed back & forth. She is one of the most patient, helpful, & understanding people you will meet! & if anyone has ever tried to do anything over email, you know there are challenges; Julia executed email communication flawlessly! This definitely helped me stay at ease since I was in a different state & was planning my destination wedding. Since we didn’t know the area very well, we took a trip to Big Island to do some hotel searches, but Julia still helped us find DJ services, photographers, makeup artists, florists, & so on; she also gave us different options for different people who had different price ranges. When the time came to choose our menu; Julia sent over the tasting menu, & while we were on our second trip to Big Island, we were able to try the AMAZING food. My husband absolutely loved the short rib! I loved the lilikoi dressing for the garden salad. I also, have a gluten sensitivity, which they absolutely catered to (we ended up doing a GF shoyu salmon)! Usually whenever I go anywhere, I feel like an imposition; Julia & Daylight Mind DID NOT make me feel this way at all! We also ended up doing macarons for our desert, which were the best macarons I have ever had & am so glad we had them as an option! The weekend of the wedding we held our rehearsal where Julia seriously made me feel so at ease & comfortable; I didn’t know a few of the traditions, such as walking orders & she swooped in to save the day. I remember my husband telling me he was glad she was able to help us out. On the day of the wedding, Julia was there to ensure that everything went smoothly & anchored us during our magical whirlwind of a night. There is so much more that I could say, but the biggest thing; Julia & Daylight Mind made our wedding our DREAM wedding, they made us feel comfortable & at ease, & worked with us with so much ALOHA spirit. If anyone is not quite sure if Daylight Mind is the venue for them; it is & you don’t be disappointed!

d patient as our wedding venue changed during the planning process. In the end, we ended up having our rehearsal dinner at Daylight Mind Coffee Company and then had their team cater our wedding at Holualoa Inn. For our wedding, the Daylight Mind team took care of everything food-related - from serving welcome drinks, to passed h'orderves (the sushi was AMAZING), a beautiful pupu spread and a chef's station with BBQ skewers! Oh and not to mention the elegant three tiered cake and delightful bartenders. Our guests can't stop talking about how good the food was (most everyone had seconds) and we can't thank Daylight Mind enough. From their professionalism, prompt communication and fun demeanor, we couldn't have asked for a better catering team. Thanks all! Maggie & Jeremy

best friend, with all of our closest friends and family as our witnesses. Julia and Daylight Mind provided all of those things for me, and more! I planned our wedding from Oregon, and from the moment I first reached out to Julia I knew that the Daylight Mind was the perfect place for our destination wedding! We did not think that we would be able to make it out to Kona prior to the wedding, so we booked the Daylight Mind after only talking to Julia a few times, and did so with confidence. When I finished nursing school a few months later, my hubby surprised me with a last minute trip over to see the venue and do some planning. I quickly contacted Julia, and with a weeks notice she was able to set up food, drink, and cake tastings with us. She sat with us for hours and got to know our vision, and made me feel so at ease! Each email I sent, Julia either had an answer for me, or knew someone to get into touch with. There were many instances where I wondered if I was asking too much, and Julia assured me that she was more than happy to help! She constantly put me at ease, and I knew I was in the best possible hands. Our food menu: Salad: Strawberry spinach Sides: Vegetable risotto, Green beans with mac nuts Entrees: Beef Teriyaki, Furikake crusted fresh catch w/wasabi cream sauce Cake: Coconut cake w/ pastry cream filling and cream cheese frosting, and Coconut cake w/ lilikoi mouse filling (lighter creamy lilikoi flavor), and cream cheese frosting Drinks: Beer/wine + Lilikoi Margarita and hibiscus mule Guests truly ranted and raved about the food, drinks, and cake! As I am sitting here writing this review I am salivating and wishing I could have it again! I 100% recommend Julia and Daylight Mind for the PERFECT wedding!

will.be.blown! The food was amazing and the cake... To die for! If I could have our wedding there every weekend I would! 💯 10/10 A+++ Would wedding again!

never know when the rain is going to come, but they had an awesome back-up plan we could implement day-of if need be (luckily we didn't need to!). I honestly feel like I should have been way more stressed out in the days leading up to the wedding, but I credit Julia and her peeps at DM for just being so on top of everything. While the food & cake were amazing, I really have to give credit to the bar staff - we are a heavy drinking group and I heard nothing but rave reviews about the service and the bartenders. It was the best, most fun day of our lives and I can't think of a venue that would have been a better fit for us and our 110 guests.

process so easy and stress free. She is a great resource, is honest and knowledgeable. She was always just a phone call away and kept in tough throughout the planning process and the wedding day. The best part about this venue is the value and the amount of services you receive for the cost. There were never any surprise fees or additional costs. The venue includes just about everything you need for your wedding- access the Julia (their amazing wedding coordinator), decorating (beautiful displays of fresh flowers), catering (amazing food), bakery (best wedding cake I've ever had), bar, and more. The only two vendors we had to book in addition to Daylight Mind were our photographer and DJ. This venue is the perfect option for couples like us who want a simple, stress free wedding experience. Daylight Mind and its staff exceeded our expectations and we recommend them highly.

at the beginning about planning my wedding but Julia really put my mind at ease. We met with her a few days before the wedding to go over everything and she is just as sweet and helpful in person. Daylight Mind really has everything right there. Location, amazing view, tables, chairs, linens, plates, catering, baker, drinks, etc. Our wedding far exceeded our expectations! It was so perfect and so much fun! The sunset that night was amazing and we got some great photos. The food at Daylight Mind was some of the best food we have ever had and the cake also from Daylight Mind, was to die for! Our family and friends are still talking about the food and cake! The staff took such good care of us all night! If you are looking for a wedding venue I can’t tell you how happy we were with this decision! I’m already thinking about when we can go back to re new our vows!! Thank you Daylight Mind, Julia and staff for such an amazing night that we will forever remember.

vice to wowing our guests with super fun bartenders and delicious drinks. They left absolutely nothing to be desired! We originally booked with a different venue that canceled on us one month before our wedding date. I called Julia with my venue crisis and she quickly contacted me back and happily offered me availability, stating her team would do everything in their power to save our wedding. And save our wedding they did!! Looking back, we should have booked Daylight Mind in the first place as the venue was absolutely gorgeous with stunning views and dark Hawaiian wood interior, it was the perfect place for us. Julia and her staff worked tirelessly to ensure that every need was met, asking us how we were doing and if everything was to our liking. Our guests loved the cocktail hour complete with cucumber poke shooters, bacon wrapped scallops, and avocado fries, and couldn't stop talking about the buffet dinner afterwards. It was all so delicious! Daylight Mind is a wonderful, gorgeous, low key, and affordable wedding venue and I would highly, highly recommend it to anyone!! Thank you Julia and Daylight Mind for making our day perfect.

r such a large group, it was a very nicely presented and delicious buffet. This evening “set the table” for a magical wedding weekend. All of this was coordinated by Julia who was a delight to work with. She was sensitive to our desires, extremely responsive and organize a very professional event.

r amazing team who provided us exceptional and Five Star service from day 1. Julia was exceedingly responsive to our email inquiry and requests (even on her days off), she was so easy to work with and accommodating to our every wedding and reception needs, Mahalo Julia!!

cial request but were genuinely excited! I was a little nervous to plan a wedding ceremony and reception from a distance and Julia was able to sense my nerves just over the phone and provide reassurance and address all my concerns. Even before final bookings she was able to provide lots of recommendations of vendors to use in the area from photographers, florists, and even wedding coordinators, she was even willing to receive decorations I sent through the mail to set up on the day of the wedding. I looked into MANY locations on the big island but none seemed to compare to Daylight Mind in their willingness to accommodate requests and cost. Our wedding day literally turned out perfect, everything was totally stress free, she worked so well with the florist, the photographers and her team set up everything in a way to complement our small wedding party beyond what I even imagined. She even provided last minute changes on where to have our first dance for the best lighting and views in cooperation with our photographers. The food also turned out delicious and the service they provided was amazing, we were able to have our dream reception dinner of breakfast for dinner which even include an "omelet station", so FUN. Daylight Mind is an absolutely stunning location and the whole team was so helpful from setup to finish. I have zero regrets about choosing them for both our ceremony and reception and would HIGHLY recommend them!

t's difficult to give your trust to strangers but I think it was fate that I found Daylight Mind because they put my mind at ease and gave me a wedding reception that was beautiful, heartfelt, and fun. During our first call, Julia got a feel for our personalities and must-haves which she used to help us dream even bigger! She responded quickly to questions – despite the 3-hour time difference – and sent photos and links for everything. We had a tight budget and were still able to add a unique wedding cake; authentic, magazine-quality decor; and dreamy bistro lighting that added to the romantic, yet relaxing vibe we wanted. It was easy to exchange Pinterest photos with Julia and she shared her own ideas, too. We used every single one and we’re glad we did. The food was delish – our guests are still talking about it a month later! I’d sell one of my kidneys for another tray of the taro, ‘ulu, and sweet potato au gratin. :) The full bar was great, too! We chose Kona coffee favors roasted at Daylight Mind and created inexpensive wedding logos, which Colin used to design a custom label for our favors. Julia gave us recommendations for photographers and DJs, who she personally vetted for us. PonchoMan strummed his ukulele during dinner, then cranked up the party with lights, a fog machine, and fun music. Jamie from Modern Milestones captured so many gorgeous photos. At the end of dinner, a tropical storm crashed our reception. The crew was so prepared and professional that we just kept on having fun with our guests and hardly noticed our outdoor reception turn into an indoor party. They had umbrellas on the lanai so our guests could still enjoy the perfect view. It was incredible and I'm still dreaming about it!

eautiful and amazing, but Julia and her team are what really made everything come together perfectly. The night of she was there to make sure everything went smoothly and help with anything we needed (including bustling my dress - so sweet). The food was super yummy, especially our cake which we stilled gushed about the next day. Quality cocktails, warm staff, and a seamlessly planned event set right on the shore and accompanied by the sound of crashing waves and the ocean breeze - it was all more perfect than we envisioned! Many thanks to all who helped our wedding come together, especially Julia :)

na we were a bit nervous about having to pick a venue based on photos and emails. Daylight Mind represents 100% what they advertise online, Julia responds quickly via email and text. The food here was incredible, the Bar was incredible, Service here is incredible and to top it off beautiful views everywhere you look.

e also were able to use the small oceanfront lawn for our ceremony which was 1. gorgeous and 2. so convenient for our guests. There was no need to transport anyone and there bar was right upstairs so our friends and family could enjoy cocktail hour while we took photos at the park next door. While we had just shy of thirty guests, the space still felt intimate and we were all able to sit at one long table while I can see bigger parties fitting comfortably as well. And the food was fantastic! We were fortunate enough to make it over to Big Island (we live on O'ahu) about a month before the wedding and have dinner and we were hooked! Not only did our guests rave about the dinner and cake at the reception (we had a whole pig!), we came back to eat with family and friends many times while we were in town. Everything they have on the menu is delicious! The staff was really welcoming, and the bartender took great care of our guests. Lastly, I have to say that Julia was the most amazing person to work with. She always responded quickly and was helpful at every turn. She really eased my mind with the planning from Honolulu and made me feel like there was someone on island if I needed anything. She was there to offer advice on vendors, guide me through choosing the menu, and took care of the little details that I hadn't even though of (like where and how I would walk down the aisle!). I feel so fortunate to have had her for our wedding. I cannot recommend enough Daylight Mind for your event!

executed. I am forever grateful to her for making our dream wedding come true!

ld have dreamed of! I would always choose it again!

eat job with coordinating all the logistics of our event. When we first contacted her she set a very professional tone and my wife and I knew that we can trust her and that we were in good hands. She was very responsive and courteous with all her communications, from phone calls, to emails, and text messages. She was able to answer all the questions we had and left us no doubt that everything would go smooth. I was also very impressed with how the venue was decorated. Julia and Daylight Mind were able to take my wife’s vision and make into a reality. My wife and I were very happy with the ambience and the reception setting. It was absolutely perfect. I might be biased because it was my wedding, but it was honestly the best wedding reception venue I have been too. And the food was so dam good! We got so many compliments from our guests on how they loved the it. And the great part about the buffet style we had was that it was very cost effective and fit very well into our budget. And the wedding cake they served us was delicious. Some guests even commented that it was the best wedding cake they have ever had. We got the Lili koi filling. If you are looking for a great venue with an ocean view setting and an awesome coordinator, check out Julia Berman and the Daylight Mind Coffee Company.

a favor as a bride and use Daylight Mind as your wedding reception venue.

essional at her job and has your best intentions at mind. The entire staff was considerate, friendly, and all around helpful. The view from the top floor is beyond breathtaking. It's practically a 270 degree view of pure ocean and makes for a fantastic back drop for pictures. Our photographer had zero issue finding places to snap photos of my husband and I. The lava rock and water down below is a great place to start. We chose two special drinks: Hibiscus Moscow mule and Pineapple smash. They were both equally tasty and loved by everyone. The food met all my expectations and more. There were zero complaints from anyone about the food. Everything was fresh, healthy, tasty, and beautiful! We opted for the 3 sides and 3 main entrees and I am glad we did. (Mostly because everything tasted so great). The short ribs, furikake encrusted fresh catch, and the vegetable risotto were amongst some of the favorites. We had 50 people - some kids, gluten-free/vegetarians, and everyone was happy and full. I cant say enough positive things about this place. If you're looking to have a perfect reception dinner- this is your spot! Thank you Daylight Mind co. for making it a breeze.

the event and it went so smoothly with her help! Food was awesome, and the scenery was amazing! All of the staff at daylight were so friendly and helpful, we wish we could do it all again!

ident and secure the day of my wedding!! My husband and I could not be happier!!