Papa Kona Events

Dream Wedding! When my now husband and I got back to reality post wedding, everyone asked how it went and I kept saying "It was perfect, it was truly my dream wedding." We have nothing but positive things to say about Papa Kona. Planning a destination wedding seemed like the hardest part but honestly Papa Kona has a very experienced team and they handled everything for us. I communicated mainly with Alycia and Cheyenne for all planning purposes and while most of the time I felt as if I had crazy, outlandish requests they didn't even flinch and always made it work for us or had other ideas and options for us to choose from. They were wonderful to work with. All of my DIY decor for the reception was set up for me which made everything super easy. The food was really, really good and I highly recommend the poke bar! Papa Kona is the perfect location in my opinion because its right in the middle of everything but also was very private and romantic. The staff did a great job making sure we didn't have anyone from the restaurant watching our ceremony which made it feel more intimate. Overall, we highly encourage anyone looking to plan a wedding to check out Papa Kona! You will not regret it! Remember the words, "dream wedding."

Wow! Where do I begin?? I was over the moon with how everything turned out with Papa Kona! They host a lot of weddings here and it's because they know exactly what they are doing! Alycia and Cheyenne were so easy to work with and made wedding planning so easy! As a very organized person I was so grateful to work with an amazing team who made all of my tiny details come to life. I shipped all of my décor to Cheyenne about 2 weeks prior to the wedding to ensure that everything made it. They set up everything exactly how I wanted and worked with me in making my dreams come true. Our guests could not stop raving about the food!! It's been almost two months since we got married, and they still compliment how excellent the food was and how nice the staff was. Do not walk, RUN to book your wedding here, you won't regret it!

Papa Kona was an amazing place to have a wedding celebration. The views are breathtaking and the food and drink, delicious. We had very special dietary restrictions (gluten free AND vegan) and they accomodated everything without issue (even the desserts were both GF and vegan!). Teira was phenomenal to work with (I love her!), and made everything comfortable and stress-free. The staff are pros and made everything appear to be seamless. Our guests even commented about how well orchestrated the staff was, and for once they didn't have to help with a wedding they were attending!

Papa Kona was the absolute best decision for our wedding. A destination wedding can be stressful, but having Papa Kona made everything easy and smooth. Alycia was incredible to work with, answering all of my questions, and providing a lot of advice and suggestion that was so helpful. Cheyenne was our day-of event manager, and she made sure I didn't have to worry about anything day-of. The food was absolutely delicious, and was possibly one of the best meals we had on the Islands! All of the staff were so friendly and helpful during our event. We would highly recommend Papa Kona to anyone planning a wedding or event!

Our wedding at Papa Kona was incredible!! We can't recommend it enough! We had 60 guests, and it was perfect! The food was incredible and all of the staff was very kind and helpful. We couldn't have asked for more on our wedding day. As the bride, the most value added for me was the day-of coordination. Teira operated everything so smoothly and I didn't have to worry about a single thing. I was able to fully enjoy every moment of the day!

can’t recommend Papa Kona Enough! Planning a wedding from Texas is stressful but Alycia and Teira made my experience so amazing. They were so responsive and eased my anxiety being a type A bride. The Papa kona staff set up all my DIY touches without hesitation so I was able to enjoy the day with close family and friends. I would choose them all over in a heart beat. Thank each of you so much for making our day everything we could have dreamed of and more. Book Papa Kona for your upcoming wedding you won’t regret it.

Alycia, Korie, Clementine were amazing to work with. They took their time and explained everything to us and did an amazing job planning our wedding! They went above and beyond with the set up as well as making sure everything ran smoothly and in a timely matter. We couldn’t have asked for a better group of people and venue to work with. They were very accommodating to our guests and groom’s dietary needs (vegan). All of the food was absolutely delicious! The venue and views are beautiful it is also the best location for picture perfect sunsets! If you are looking for the perfect wedding venue right along the beach Papa Kona is the place to book you won’t be disappointed!

We chose a destination wedding because we wanted something intimate and personal. We knew our guest count wouldn’t have been above 30 so we were looking for a venue that had it all and this venue really does. We ended up having to reschedule because of COVID and their team worked with us the entire time to get everything moved, we were able to move to a date that was pretty close to our original date which was awesome. Almost every detail was taken care of by them with the exception of flowers, music and an officiant. The vendor list they gave us was so helpful and because those vendors are there so often I really didn’t have to give them much direction. Our food was amazing, really it was the most important thing to us and we were amazed. The venues views are absolutely stunning, if you look at anyones photos you really cannot beat that sunset view. We will always recommend Papa Kona! We had such a wonderful time and I wish we could do it all over.

My husband and I got married Labor Day weekend 2022 at Papa Kona. We began planning back in 2020 & throughout the two years of planning Alycia was very attentive. From vendor recommendations to helping us with the smaller details, she made wedding planning from afar a breeze. Our day of coordinator, Tiera, helped us during the two weeks leading up to our wedding & was there with us on our special day. She put me at ease during those two weeks & made sure that our wedding day was just as we envisioned it. All of our guests raved about the food, as well as our specialty cocktails, and the staffs impeccable service. There isn’t a thing I would change about our wedding day, & we were even lucky enough to have the most beautiful Hawaiian sunset during our photos & dinner. There isn’t a bad view at this venue. I’m so happy we chose Papa Kona!

I cannot say enough good things about Papa Kona’s! Hands down the best venue on the island!!! We started planning our June 2022 wedding in 2020, and Alycia helped us so much during that time. Planning a wedding during a pandemic was super stressful. However, Alycia made everything a breeze and was super helpful when it came to answering questions, and there were a lot! Korie and her team made our wedding day a dream. It rained on our wedding day, but the staff remained calm and cool under the pressure to relocate our ceremony in a short time frame. Instead of having it ocean-side, we had it upstairs on the covered lanai. The view was even better than we could have imagined and everyone stayed dry. There was truly something for everyone at our reception. We opted for the Luau Feast and passed pupus, and they were scrumptious! Our favorites were the potstickers and the Hawaiian-style poke. So good!!! Our coconut and lilikoi wedding cake was delicious! We’ve been craving it since the wedding. We danced under the bistro lights and stars on the lanai, which was so much fun! It's been two months since our big day and our guests are still raving about how much they enjoyed our wedding! Yours will too!!!

Papa Kona did a wonderful job catering both our rehearsal and wedding! They were kind, respectful and on top of everything! I highly recommend them!

I can’t say enough good things about Papa Kona, and their entire staff. We are from Texas, and they made planning our destination wedding an absolute breeze. From the planning to the rehearsal to the ceremony to the reception, everything was beyond my wildest dreams. They thought of everything we didn’t, and we’re always one step ahead of my questions. Don’t even get me started on the food and cake. Just WOW. My husband had a dream of having roasted pig, and they took it in stride and did not disappoint. They worked with us to personalize the whole dinner menu and cake, and everything was absolutely delicious. I am still getting compliments from my guests months later. Whether you’re from the Hawaiian islands or from somewhere else planning a destination wedding, I cannot recommend anything more than Papa Kona. I’ll forever be so grateful for how they treated us, and how easy they made the entire wedding process.

I have literally nothing negative to say about my experience getting married with Papa Kona Events. I can't even remember how we found the venue, but when we did find it it ticked off all our wedding boxes, it almost seemed too good to be true. Alycia, our initial contact was kind, and incredibly informative throughout the covid crisis, which we couldn't believe was still a crisis but it was. Alycia really took the time to understand what we were looking for and was constantly reassuring that we could have everything on our wishlist (and baby, we got it.) The big thing for me as a bride was, I just want the best vendors to do what they do best. I didn't want to make any decisions other than the food (Thank you Korie for taking us through that and thank you for letting me change in your office) (Absolutely do the taco bar, it's exceptional). ALL OF my vendors were incredible women owned businesses (except for the DJ but Glenn you're the real hero), and I basically gave them full agency to do what they do best and they did not disappoint! It was truly a wedding surrounded by support, and for a bride who never dreamt about her wedding day...I can honestly say it was the best day of my life, of our life, and we couldn't have done it without our amazing team. I also just want to give a special special shout out to our end event manager and day of coordinator and bridal attendant Teira Ila, who is a STAR! She absolutely rocked it the night of our wedding. There was a pipe burst (what are the odds) the night of our wedding and my guests had no idea until we left. She is a problem solver to the max and an incredibly attentive day of person. She also radiates this light and love you can't find in stores. She's really special. Anywho, you'd be a fool not to get married here. It's worth every penny. We can't wait to come back.

We had the most amazing wedding at papa Kona! I couldn’t have imagined our day being more perfect. Our wedding coordinators were very helpful and kind. The food was some of the best food we had while our entire stay on the island. The poke especially was amazing as was the chicken. Really all the food was memorable from the pupus to the cake. The setting was lovely and intimate. Highly recommend.

We absolutely loved how our wedding turned out at Papa Kona. Korie was our planner and she made it easy, stress-free, and so very memorable. We had a very tiny wedding - only 7 guests, the venue can most definitely host a lot more, and still feel spacious. Because of our last minute RSVP cancellations, Korie brought out some furniture into the deck to fill the space so our single table didn't look lost in all the extra space. The views were stunning, the catering was incredible. It made our wedding day absolutely unforgettable.

I had the best service and experience with all the wonderful staff over at Papa Kona’s. My wonderful wedding planner Korie was awesome! She executed my wedding plans perfectly for me. She accommodated my needs as necessary. We were told we were the biggest wedding party since the pandemic and we all felt safe and just everything went perfect. Thank you Korie and staff.

The event coordinator and venue staff provided exceptional advice and service. We hosted both the ceremony and reception at Papa Kona and everything went off without a hitch. The food portions were very generous and the food quality was very good. We ordered our wedding cake through them and it was delicious! You can't go wrong with the views of the bay and the sounds of the ocean. Papa Kona has a lot to offee.

Papa Kona catered both our wedding (522/22) and the morning after brunch (5/23/22). (Note that the portions are generous - we had plenty of yummy leftovers for days after!) The wedding and the brunch were such a success and I am so thankful I had them as our caterer. Thank you to Alycia and Korie for all their help, support and understanding these past couple years (literally)! Due to Covid, we had to change plans a couple times however despite all the pivots, two postponements, calls, and emails - Alycia and Korie were always kind, empathetic and responsive! Everyone loved the food and I am still dreaming of the sweet potato au gratin and the Kalua pork sliders! A special thank you to Korie and the incredible on site staff for taking such good care of us and our guests on our wedding day. This was literally the wedding of our dreams and it went so smoothly! We had the best time. Thank you Papa Kona!

My husband and I got married at Papa Kona in May of 2021 and it was truly the BEST day EVER! Papa Kona covered everything from start to finish and made it such a breeze for us and our families. All we had to do was show up and enjoy the day/night! Korie and Alycia were so incredibly responsive from the day we inquired to the day of the event. Korie was one of the first people we saw upon arrival and she made sure the entire thing ran seamlessly. She calmed my nerves, made me feel comfortable, and was always checking to see if there was anything she could do. She even bustled my dress afterwards!!! The food was top tier quality and we still talk about it to this day. We are pizza connoisseurs and I must say that the pizza was some of the best we had ever had, along with the avocado fries, pulled pork sliders and cheese gougeres! The ceremony was executed flawlessly with the help of our officiant Mike and his amazing wife Dawn who took Iphone photos from above on the balcony for us to have right away. Everything following the reception was truly perfect and they brought my entire vision to life and I didn't even have to lift a finger. Our wedding there was the best day of our lives! Do yourself a favor, stop your search and look no further, book with Papa Kona. You won't regret it. Beautiful venue and the best staff. We can't wait to go back and visit one day!

My husband and I had our intimate destination wedding at Papa Kona, back in June of 2021. It was our first time in Hawaii, and certainly won’t be our last! We come from almost 4,000 miles away, and a time difference of 5 hours. Planning our wedding from afar was definitely nerve wracking, but everything turned out so wonderfully and even better than expected. Korie was seriously incredible, and amazing to work with. She had such good rapport with our other vendors as well, and they collectively welcomed us and our family to big island. You will not regret choosing this venue for your next event – wedding or otherwise! Please check out their social media, and PLEASE do not miss your opportunity to enjoy their incredible cake!

My husband and I planned our destination wedding at Papa Kona on 8/12/21. We had the most amazing wedding day there. The view for the ceremony and reception were so beautiful. The venue wedding planner was easy to work with and was available to answer any questions we had along the way. They even made a custom cake flavor for my husband and I that wasn’t on their normal menu. The food and staff were amazing as well. If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing.

We chose Papa Kona as a pre-wedding welcome drinks event the Thursday before our Saturday wedding at a different venue in the area. The venue views cannot be beat, you're right on the water overlooking town! We reserved the whole upstairs for our event, it rained and our coordinator Teira made sure all the tables stayed dry and covered. She was a big help with set up, they provide tables/chairs/utensils and we brought our own flowers and candles which she laid out in a beautiful way - i was impressed! We were there during a rise in COVID so Teira had a call with me days in advance to review their rules and graciously made sure our guests kept in order with COVID policies. For our menu we did a dessert bar and open consumption bar, we asked that our guests have dinner beforehand, the event was 7pm-11pm. The amount of food was perfect for our guests. I did feel slightly pressured by the Papa Kona Corporate team who tried to up sell me and said i needed to provide more food to our guests, but the amount we had was perfect, no food went to waste, and everyone said how delicious and unique the desserts were. Overall i highly recommend for welcome drinks or for a small private wedding right on the water.

We’re so happy we decided to host our reception at Papa Kona! The view is beautiful and the food is delicious! Some of our guests told us it was the best wedding they’ve been to. Planning a destination wedding during a pandemic isn’t ideal, but having it at Papa Kona made things a lot easier. Their wedding packages include almost everything! Our coordinators, Alycia and Korie were great! On the day of, Korie was so wonderful and helpful. Thank you Papa Kona for giving us a beautiful wedding! Shoutout to all Papa Kona staff, Hawaii Sound & Vision, and Charles Grace (live musician).

Papa Kona Events and Catering was the perfect place to have our wedding. They went above and beyond in so many aspects. Throughout the entire process Alycia and Teira did an amazing job making sure we had all the information we needed to make the best choices for our day especially while planning remotely! While we were in Kona, Teira prepared everything so we didn’t have to worry about a thing on our big day. During the night the entire bar staff was phenomenal. We couldn’t think of a bad thing to say about the staff and the venue. They exceeded our expectations and we would highly recommend this venue to anyone looking to get married!

My wedding wouldn't have gone smoothly without Alycia. From start to finish she helped coordinate communications and was able to be our day of coordinator. We had rain, and she kept in contact with my maid of honor and husband all while I was getting ready. When the rain stopped, she was even willing to move the venue back outside upon my request, but ultimately we kept it inside and I am glad we did. I loved the 'alternative' ceremony upstairs. It was intimate and beautiful. Overall, planning and execution were wonderful. We couldn't be happier. Thanks Alycia!

The planning, advice, rehearsal brunch, organization, wedding ceremony, reception, food, drinks, snacks were beyond what we could have experienced. The entire staff including the planner, cooks, servers, bartenders, and clean up staff could not have done a better job. You should be very proud of yourselves. Mahola to all you❣️

The best decision I made was going with Papa Kona for our wedding! We had the perfect wedding day at Papa Kona in June. Every person we came in contact with was so extremely helpful and kind. Korie and Alycia were amazing!! Korie made the day run so smoothly even when we had to move the timeline around last minute for the rain. The food and the cake were delicious and well. Our guests raved about how beautiful the venue was and how awesome our wedding was. Definitely don’t skip on the late night snacks!

Papa Kona was the dreamiest place we could have ever imagined our wedding to take place! We cancelled our originally planned wedding in September 2020 and decided to have an intimate wedding in Kona with our closest friends and family. We had a small guest list of 30 people and it was PERFECT. Teira was the most amazing coordinator. She allowed me the comfort to call/email/text whenever I had questions. She steered me in the right direction when I couldn't decide on something. She offered suggestions but supported my overall choices, and she coordinated the flow of the day perfectly. Our guests all raved about her as well. Thank you, Teira!! The food was also outstanding. We selected the luau buffet and our guests said it was the most delicious wedding food they've ever had -- seriously! I just couldn't get over how easy and FUN it was to plan this wedding with Papa Kona compared to the wedding we were planning in Texas. Papa Kona goes above and beyond and if you want a stress-free wedding, this is the place to do it at. One thing to note as well, the location is perfect! Being right in the heart of Ali'i Dr made it super convenient for everyone to walk over to a bar after the wedding and keep the party going. Thank you for everything, Papa Kona!

Getting married in the middle of a pandemic was tough and hopefully if you are reading this isnt your problem. We were married in November of 2020 and Hawaii was just reopening so our planning felt like it was a challenge. The team at Papa Kona stepped up in a big way! Not only did they take off all the pressure but Alycia and Korie were absolute stars. We were married at the Holualoa Inn and used Papa Kona only for catering but the service, food, and attention to detail was amazing. We like you will probably will had last minute guest changes and they took it in stride. We are planning a return trip and will definitely have a dinner at their amazing location.

I could not praise the Papa Kona team anymore. I started planning my day during covid and the team was so helpful. I enjoyed working with Alycia and Korie, they made planning my day a breeze and handled everything the day of. The venue and the food were absolutely spectacular and my guests kept telling me it was the best food they had ever had at a wedding. I am still dreaming about my cake.

10/10 recommend! The team at Pap Kona is amazing! Honestly don’t know what we would of done without there help! Our wedding was beyond beautiful!

My husband and I had our wedding reception at Papa Kona on February 13, 2021, and what a wonderful experience!!! I can't say enough nice things about the staff! We originally had a wedding planned at another location in May of 2020, but due to COVID (of course), we had to reschedule. Papa Kona was so accommodating for a last minute booking change! We were able to snag our date about 2 months prior to the date of the event. Korie (the event planner / manager) was so helpful, and I cannot recommend her enough! She was able to accommodate all of requests, and make the absolute BEST out of a "covid-era" event. We were able to customize our buffet menu options to fit exactly what we wanted, and we even chose the Poke Bar as a pre-reception appetizer / cocktail hour....EVERYONE LOVED THAT! Definitely reccommend adding that to your menu. Another option that is so great, is that you can bring in your own cake, which I had someone that I knew make my cake, so I was happy we were able to do that! Night of the actual event, the staff that were working our reception, we SO NICE & FRIENDLY, and that added to overall atmosphere! Ocean-front dining....what more can you ask for!!! Would recommend Papa Kona to anyone, and hope to host another event with them in the future!!!

We had our wedding at the beginning of 2020 and had 30 guests. Papa Kona was our first choice for venues and it did not disappoint!  So many of our guests kept telling us that it was their "favourite wedding they'd ever been to" which was so nice to hear, and we think that it was thanks to the amazing food and lovely setting (the mai tais probably helped too). We live in Canada, and planned our wedding from afar. So, we booked the venue without seeing it in person. Alycia and her team were super organized, communicative, flexible, patient and friendly. They worked seamlessly with our photographer and florist to keep the process low stress. FOOD: We had the luau buffet and it was incredible (especially the kalua pork and taro au gratin)! The vegan and gluten free options also got positive reviews from guests. We had plenty of leftovers, which we happily feasted on the next day.  For the cake, we opted for one with coconut icing and lilikoi filling - which was phenomenal and got demolished very, very quickly.  We also had a rehearsal brunch at the restaurant the morning before the wedding, which we'd also highly recommend. ATMOSPHERE & VIBE: Papa Kona was a great fit for us since we really wanted a venue with a waterfront/sunset view, a place with some character and charm, and that fit our budget.  While it's a lively restaurant on the busy Kona strip, the wedding space felt super private. We had the whole floor (including a bar, restrooms, and balcony) to ourselves. The view from the lanai is amazing and the decor feels fresh, classic and timeless with nice wood accents. It's also a pretty flexible space which is a bonus. We kept it very simple decor wise (we brought a few candles and scattered loose, white orchids on the tables) and it still felt like it had lots of atmosphere.  CEREMONY & LOGISTICS: It ended up raining on our wedding day, so we had our ceremony indoors (as Alanis Morissette would say - how ironic). But, it was still beautiful! In retrospect, we think we should've been our original plan; we still left like we were on the water with the ocean breeze and amazing view as our backdrop. It also made it easier for our guests to mingle before and after the ceremony without having to go up and down the stairs/travel through the restaurant.  My advice would be to talk through a rain plan very thoroughly just in case (same goes for any venue). Luckily, Alycia and the rest of the Papa Kona team were able to keep everything moving smoothly on our day and didn't skip a beat.  If you're looking for a place with charm, amazing food, and aloha - this is the spot!

A destination wedding was never really a thought for us bc we figured it'd be crazy expensive. But when we came across Papa Kona here on the knot then stalked their social media, we thought, let's just inquire & see....and we are SO GLAD we did! We got married on NYE 19-20 & lucked out with perfect weather (rain day before & after, but no worries, there's a rainy day plan in case) for a beautiful late afternoon wedding. Not only was it affordable (we kept it small & got 2weeks in paradise vs a local wedding for 4x the amount of ppl) but it's basically a one stop shop with all your wedding needs (Ceremony -Totally provides an intimate setting, cocktail hour, reception, cake (delish), food (delish), bar packages (flexible options), favors, tables, chairs, white linens, tableware, dj, sound & lighting). Anything they don't offer, they provide you with referrals & social media makes it easy to research. From our first call & every call/email thereafter (Thank you for your time & patience Alycia), planning from the mainland was a breeze. Another top feature I love about this venue is that you can go small or semi large with guests (we had around 50), simple or elaborate & end up with a beautiful wedding either way bc the location provides the best backdrop. You will have the best photos taken right there, again NO REASON to leave the venue. Everything venue/ceremony/reception related went on without a hitch, and for my type A personality, that in itself was a dream come true. We literally had a perfect day in paradise & are so grateful for Alycia & the team for helping us achieve it. (I'd also like to note, we'd only visited Kona once, years before & doing a quick venue trip for planning just wasn't in the cards, but we had a good idea of the location. It's right on the main strip of Kona town, close to Royal Kona & a bit further, but still close to the Marriott. Honestly there's no need for a pre visit if you can't make it, foods delish, no tasting needed, just BOOK THEM NOW! You will not regret it.) Aloha & cheers to planning your perfect day in paradise!

We had our Rehearsal dinner here in February and it was fabulous. The view, the food, everything was wonderful! Totally recommend for all events.

We used them for our rehearsal dinner amd let me tell you they were amazing! The experience, the view, and the amazing food! Highly recommend them as they are wonderful and their team is so responsive and helpful!!

Our wedding at Papa Kona was the best, most fun day of our lives! This place is a gem with an attractive space that has the most breathtaking sunset views. It was exactly the vibe we wanted with our 100 guests. We felt connected to every person and enjoyed the dynamic layout. Everyone loved the food and cake. (Our family has not stopped talking about that buttercream!) We danced and partied the night away and the staff could not have been more awesome and accommodating! Planning a wedding is no small feat at a distance, but once we found Papa Kona everything seemed to be a breeze. The vendor list they provided was excellent and they have inclusive yet customizable wedding packages; Alycia will do her best to accommodate your special requests. We are so thankful to have worked with Alycia throughout this entire process. She is a rockstar at wedding planner and made sure the day went smoothly so we could just have fun and enjoy our wedding together. Thank you Papa Kona and Alycia for doing what y'all do! 11 out of 10, I recommend!

From day one of choosing this venue to the day of our wedding, I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Alycia was there to answer any questions and was more helpful than I would have ever imagined. A destination wedding seemed daunting at first but she made the entire experience one that we will never forget. I can’t wait to come back and visit!!!

Our wedding at Papa Kona was a dream! The location is absolutely perfect with a waterfront ceremony and lanai overlooking the bay. The food was delicious, we had donuts instead of cake which were so good, too! The entire planning process was so easy with Alycia, she made me feel totally comfortable and at ease on our wedding day. I could relax, knowing that she was concentrating on the details and making sure our timing was on track and decor was set! We had 62 guests who all fit on the lanai perfectly, not too crowded and not too far apart, either! Overall, our experience at Papa Kona was AMAZING!

Our Kona Wedding was the most amazing wedding ever! My husband and I were married January 2nd in a beautiful and amazing waterfront ceremony at Papa Kona Events in Kona on the Big Island. Our guests said it was the “best wedding ever” and that “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!

The wedding was absolutely perfect! Papa Kona made the planning process smooth from the beginning. Alycia was always helpful in responses and helping us lock down vendors, as well as keeping our planning timeline on track. We live in NYC, and did 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)

I was responsible for planning my son's wedding because he and his bride live in Japan which made it difficult for them to manage the details. I live on the mainland but had no problem with communication. Alycia could not have been more accommodating 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.

I can't say enough good things about the staff and our experience at Papa Kona (Daylight Mind at the time we got married). Julia was an absolute dream to work with and we couldn’t have asked for a better venue coordinator. We were fortunate enough 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.

We got married at Daylight Mind (Papa Kona) on September 1st of 2019, and could not be more pleased with our experience. We planned the wedding from the Midwest and had never visited the Big Island previously, so we were very anxious about the 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!

Daylight Mind (now Papa Kona) was exactly what my husband and I were searching for! We got married in Sept 2019 and had just over 30 people. We looked at venues on all of the Hawaii islands and are so happy we chose Daylight Mind. Everything turned 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.

Papa Kona/Daylight Mind was the perfect wedding venue, and I've spent the month since my wedding trying to figure out a time machine so I can go back and relive it over and over. Julia is an absolute GEM, and went above and beyond to make the whole 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!

Double rainbow perfect wedding! Highly recommend Daylight Mind for intimate gathering, gorgeous views, delicious food and professional staff. Evaluated other venue locations on the island (Westin, Hilton, etc) but chose this place, soooooo happy 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!

My wedding was a dream. The staff at Daylight are so professional, yet welcoming and accommodating. We had a small wedding of 24 people in October. We opted for a plated dinner with an open bar and had one long, gorgeous table on the lanai. 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.

Our wedding coordinator, Alycia, and all the staff at Daylight Mind Events helped make our wedding day the most enjoyable and heartfelt experience. With their assistance and vendor recommendations, destination wedding planning was effortless and 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.

Daylight Mind was one the first venues I found when researching our destination wedding in Hawaii. There was so much back and forth between my now husband and me but it was the best decision ever! Julia, Michelle, and Alycia were all so helpful 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.

We planned our destination wedding in Kona, Hawaii from our home in Chicago, which was definitely a challenge, but Daylight Mind and their Director of Events, Julia, were absolutely AMAZING!!! From our first meeting with Julia, she was so kind, 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!

We just got married on August 4th, 2019 at daylight mind. From the beginning everything was amazing. We started off planning with Julia and she was so great and accommodating. We ended up working with Alycia as our coordinator and I can not express 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.

I recently got married in Kona, Hawaii and Julia and Michelle at Daylight Mind made everything worth it. Planning a wedding on the Big Island was definitely difficult; most vendors would not call back at all or it would be weeks later but Julia 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.