The Charming Estate

ul mountain views, a mostly inclusive package that made planning a breeze, and GREAT food/drink options for our guests. We were also able to get amazing photos out on the golf course. Hard recommend to allocate ample time for this. Our photographer would’ve kept us out there for 2 hours if the timeline allowed. My husband and I currently live in LA, so I was a little apprehensive about planning everything from the mainland without hiring a full planner in Hawaii. However, the events manager, Alyssa, was very easy to work with and answered all questions over email and phone until our coordinator, Heather, took over at the four-month mark. The Charming Estate wedding packages come with all the basics included and a lot of optional add-ons that help meet the minimum package spend. I was very appreciative of this setup as it helped give a clear picture of costs pertaining to the venue. You do have to be a little proactive with questions and planning (or hire a planner to be proactive for you), but it was overall a positive and smooth experience. In terms of actual service during the event, if there were any issues, they were handled before I heard about them. The ceremony and reception setup were beautiful and really exceeded already high expectations. We had a smaller guest list (86), but bar and buffet service was quick with minimal lines throughout the evening. The food and desserts were also super delicious! Lots of compliments for the Chinese steamed fish, apple crumble, and bread pudding. We only used the in-house coordination services that came with our package, and Heather and her team were amazing with DIY setup/take down, as well as running a smooth ceremony and reception program. We received so many compliments about the beauty of our venue, the kindness of staff, and the overall great vibes of our wedding. In the interest of transparency, I’ll end with a couple of potential cons that were super minimal for my husband and me, but could be more important to others. The Charming Estate package has an option to add on use of the Maunawili room that can be used as a getting ready area. This area is spacious and super pretty, but it is the lone getting ready area on the premises. That meant that the boys had to fend for themselves and get ready elsewhere. Husband ended up booking a room in Waikiki for the boys, and we hired a van to take everyone to and from the venue. Access also doesn’t start until 10am. This worked out fine for me since I only had 3 bridesmaids, but could make it tricky to complete hair and makeup for a larger bridal party. Finally, the venue is a little out of the way from the area where most tourists stay. This was a plus for me personally, as I did not want Waikiki vibes. However, the location did require extra thought regarding transportation for some of my in-laws who were coming from the mainland and not comfortable driving in Hawaii. Overall, these were all minor inconveniences that were FAR outweighed by everything The Charming Estate provided. We would absolutely recommend this beautiful venue!!