Olowalu Plantation House

[lwav8176]

Hi Ladies,

 

I have been looking into booking the Seawatch restaurant for my 2010 wedding, but have been drawn into all the beautiful photos of the Olowalu Plantation House. Have any of you had a wedding there or looked into it as an option? I know that comparitively the price is going to be much higher than Seawatch since everything needs to be rented individually.

 

Any information you can share would be greatly appreciated!

[JayBee]

I'm actually getting married at a private location on Kauai, and I can definitely attest to the added cost! ($$$$) Also remember that a wedding planner will most likely be required by the property owners, and that they're going to charge a percentage on at least rental and catering costs.

It looks like a really big place, though. How many guests are you planning for? You want to make sure that you're venue is going to be the right size for however many people you're having...

 

Good luck! they're both awesome choices!

[azulskies]

I'm getting married at Olowalu. I'm only having my ceremony there & then having my reception at a luau. That's the only way I could've afforded it! I'm getting it for 3 hours on a weekday for I believe $1120.

 

It's definitely going to cost you a lot more than the Seawatch. If you can afford to, it's a really beautiful venue & there are ways to try and get around some of the high costs (i.e. getting married on a weekday & some DIY projects).

 

I've heard really great things about the Seawatch so if Olowalu isn't in your budget, I don't think you'll be disappointed with the Seawatch.

 

Good luck!

[da.shmoopies]

We are getting married at a private estate: Kalaeokai'a Estate. We loved the idea of having our privacy for the event. If we got married on a public beach or golf course, we'd run the risk of having scenes in our pictures that we wouldn't want. The fiance was adamant regarding not having the wedding at a golf course! lol

 

Alot of the private estates have small beaches that are great for photo ops. Plus, Maui now has an ordinance not allowing alcohol on public beaches, and since the private estates are...well... private, you can have cocktails or champagne available for the guest. We are having our reception at Five Palms Restaurant.

 

Like Azulskies stated, the choice is mostly dependent on how much you are willing to spend!

 

FYI, Azulskies, my wedding coordinator is Lori Scott too! And I LOVE your planning website. Everything looks amazing.

[azulskies]

Quote:

Originally Posted by da.shmoopies FYI, Azulskies, my wedding coordinator is Lori Scott too! And I LOVE your planning website. Everything looks amazing.

Oh that's so cool! And thanks so much for the compliments.

Also, your venue looks beautiful!

[spark]

how many guests would you say is appropriate for Olowalu Plantation House?

[Mialonghorn]

I'm getting married on a private estate and having the reception there. If I could do it all over again, I'd definitely pick the seawatch because the cost is so much more than I ever expected. They charge you for things you wouldn't even think about...Staff to set up and clean up - $750, Rental delivery - $200, rubbish removal fee -$175...This is all on top of paying the caterer seperately and 20% of the entire bill to my wedding coordinator.

[litl_april]

We strongly looked into getting married at Olowalu as well, and Mia is right...the charges they have for those private estates are insane. Our wedding coordinator (Deanne of Precious Maui Weddings) gave me the cost break down of a wedding she had recently done there for a group of 20 and by the time my DH and I added it all up, it was well over $20,000 because of all the set-up, clean-up, and staffing requirements. We did select Seawatch for our ceremony, on the Molokini Lookout, though, and it was incredible. Personally, I don't feel the pictures do that location justice. We went with Mulligan's on the Blue for our reception, and that was awesome as well. We didn't do a buyout but you'd hardly know it as we had their lanai facing the ocean to ourselves as well as the area surrounding the dance floor. They don't guarantee that other patrons won't come use the dance floor, but none did while we were there. The food, although much lower priced than other places in the area, was still delicious! In fact, I found it to be one of my favorite places that we ate while in Maui! It is a more laid-back atmosphere though, so it might not be for everyone, particularly if you're looking for something upscale, but it was still elegant (fabric table cloths and napkins, etc) and perfect for us.

Good luck in your decision! Olowalu will be fabulous if you choose it, but I wanted you to know that you have no need to worry if you select Seawatch (I know from experience, as I worried myself like crazy thinking Seawatch wouldn't be up to par...but it was great)!

[lwav8176]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I have decided to go with the Olowalu and while it is quite a bit pricier, I am happy with my decision in the end. I too am working with Lori Scott and so far she has been great!

 

Note: for anyone considering the Olowalu (or any other private estate I assume) remember the benefit of being able to bring in your own alcohol versus a restaurant. If you have a lot of guests that will be drinking you will really save a lot on the alcohol costs.

[jstinemari]

congrats!!! olowalu is gorgeous.. we're being married there too