All About Outrigger Kona Weddings: A Hawaii Wedding Venue

Introduction

One of the coolest parts of being a Hawaii wedding and elopement photographer is getting to see beautiful venues and locations, but Outrigger Kona weddings are always some of my favorites. It’s an easy drive from the Kona airport, has beautiful lush green grounds, and plenty of space for your guests to stay on property. Not to mention all of the gorgeous options for your ceremony & reception spaces. In this blog post, I’ll tell you all you need to know about planning your wedding at Outrigger Kona Resort and Spa.

About Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa

Where is Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa?

The Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa is located just 15 miles south of the Kona airport. It’s an easy, scenic drive down the Kona coast from the airport to the resort. Located right on Keauhou Bay, the resort has incredible ocean and mountain views.

Closest Major Cities/Towns:

What I love about the Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa is how close it is to the restaurants & shopping on Ali’i Drive in Kona while still having that kind of secluded feel to it.

Driving Time From Kona: 15-20 minutes
Driving Time From Hilo: 2 hours
Driving Time From Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park: 2 hours

How to Get to Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa

Closest Major Airports:

If you’re staying at the Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa, you definitely want to fly in and out of the Kona airport. This airport has plenty of options to fly in and out and is only 15 minutes from the Outrigger. You can definitely fly in/out of of the Hilo airport, but you’ll have a much longer drive before/after your travel day.

Kona Airport to Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa: 30 minutes
Hilo Airport to Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa: 2+ hours

Why Have Your Wedding at Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa?

What I love most about weddings at the Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa is that guests get beautiful, recently renovated rooms and you get to have your wedding & reception on property at your choice of sites. If you are traveling here or have lots of guests coming from the mainland, this venue is perfect for hosting your wedding. It is so convenient for you and for guests to have their room just a short walk from where you are hosting your wedding & reception. We love that nobody has to drive unfamiliar roads or worry about finding an uber after partying with you for your reception!

Two fire performers during a reception in the Helani gardens at an Outrigger Kona Wedding

A bride and groom dance together in Helani gardens at their Outrigger Kona wedding

FAQ’s About Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa Weddings

Is Outrigger Kona Resort a good wedding venue?

Yes! The Outrigger Kona Resort is a great wedding venue. First, I love how simple it is for you and for guests to not have to travel off property on your wedding day. Second, I also love how many options you have for ceremony & reception sites. I’ll talk more about those in just a bit.

How much does a wedding at Outrigger Kona Resort cost?

As of writing this blog post in the summer of 2026, the venue rental prices range from $2500-$5000, depending on which site(s) you choose and whether you are choosing a weekday or weekend date.

Where can you have your ceremony and what are the guest capacities?

Another thing I love about the Outrigger is there are indoor and outdoor options for your wedding, with a wide range of capacities for guests. Most couples love the outdoor ceremony sites, but the indoor spaces are beautiful, too. It really does depend on your vision for your ceremony.

The Chapel – the cutest little white chapel for intimate ceremonies, with capacity for up to 40 guests
The Bayside Chapel Lawn – the lawn just outside the chapel that is perfect for an outdoor ceremony, big enough for up to 200 people
Helani Gardens – the beautiful garden space on the other side of the chapel with space for up to 200 guests
Bayview Grounds – an expansive lawn space with beautiful views of Keauhou Bay and space for up to 500 guests
Hawaii Lawn – on the other side of the property is the Hawaii Lawn with a beautiful stage, perfect for much larger celebrations of up to 750 guests
There are four indoor reception spaces with capacity for 120-500 guests.

What are the backup rain options?

One thing to know about the location of the Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa is that there is a reason it’s so lush & green – rain! And while most of the time the showers are light, afternoon showers and pass pretty quickly, I recommend that you expect at least a little bit of rain on your wedding day at the Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa. With the many microclimates on the Big Island of Hawaii, even with weather apps and satellites, it’s very difficult to predict when and how much rain a specific location will get.

There isn’t a guaranteed covered indoor space when you book your wedding completely outdoors, so it’s really important to talk to your wedding planner and the venue staff about your tolerance for rain and what you would like your plan to be if there is rain on your wedding day.

Where should guests stay?

Right on property! The Outrigger Kona Resort offers a variety of room sizes and views that are on property and just a short walk from the ceremony & reception spaces. The resort itself has fantastic amenities for you and your guests as well!

Best time of year to get married?

It’s Hawaii. Almost every time of year is beautiful! But if I had to narrow it down for you, I’d suggest choosing a time of year when kids are scheduled to be in school, as school holiday times are when tourism peaks in Hawaii. I’d also recommend avoiding the later summer and spring months because those tend to be the rainiest at the Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa

Can you have sunset portraits?

One of the things I love most about Outrigger Kona weddings is how many incredible spaces there are for sunset portraits on the property, and just a short walk from your ceremony & reception spaces. There are lush green gardens, lawns with wide open ocean views, lava rocks with waves crashing behind you and of course the chapel. In a short amount of time, we can get some epic portraits of you and your partner in those different spaces so you have plenty of variety in your gallery and your wedding film.

Is the venue good for intimate weddings?

Yes! Even if you only have a few guests joining you, there are options for intimate ceremonies and receptions. The chapel and the Helani Gardens are my two favorite options for smaller, intimate weddings and receptions.

Is it a good venue for destination weddings?

Yes! Because the property offers accommodations and amenities for your guests with lots of stunning options for your ceremony & reception spaces, I think the Outrigger Kona is perfect for destination weddings.

Do you have to have a wedding planner?

Yes! The Outrigger Kona requires you to have a professional wedding planner for all ceremonies and receptions, regardless of the guest count.

Planning Your Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa Wedding

What I love about Outrigger Kona weddings is how custom each wedding becomes based on the couple, their preferences, and the vendor team they hire.

Top Venue Features

Incredible ocean and mountain views
Everyone gets to stay on property, but has their own room and personal space
You don’t have to drive at all on your wedding day if you don’t want to. It’s a quick walk from your room/getting ready suite to your ceremony & reception spaces
Great food at the hotel
Really cool pool with adults only section and a family section

Ceremony Site Options

All of the ceremony sites available for Outrigger Kona weddings come with up to 150 white folding chairs, a guarantee of only one wedding hosted on property per day, a guest refreshment station consisting of fruit infused water, and a few other essentials such as a gift table, reception table, and white linens. It’s important to note that Outrigger Kona does require you to have a professional wedding planner to ensure a smooth event. You can see a virtual tour of all the spaces on Outrigger Kona’s website or by clicking this link: Virtual Tours

The Chapel

Up to 40 people
$2500-$3000
Cozy, open air chapel with glass windows overlooking the ocean
Choice of white chapel style pews or folding chairs

A bride and groom stand at the altar in the chapel at their Outrigger Kona wedding

Bayside Chapel Lawn

Up to 200 people
$3000-$3500
Beautiful, spacious green lawn overlooking Keauhou Bay

The entire wedding party poses for a photo under the gazebo of the Bayside Chapel lawn during an Outrigger Kona wedding

A groom kisses a bride's hand during their Outrigger Kona wedding ceremony on the Bayside chapel lawn

Helani Gardens

Up to 200 people
$3000-$3500
A cozy garden space, with partial shade provided by large trees

A couple sits at their sweetheart table in Helani Garden at their Outrigger Kona Wedding

A bride and groom eat cake in the Helani gardens at their Outrigger Kona wedding

Bayview Grounds

Up to 500 people
$3000-$5000
A much more open lawn space with views of Keauhou Bay, perfect for couples with larger guest counts or who want a large dance floor and plenty of space between tables

Hawaii Lawn

Up to 750 people
$3000-$5000
On the south side of the property near the tennis courts, this large lawn has a small stage on one end, perfect for a live band, DJ, or even your sweetheart table

Reception Site Options

What I love about choosing site options for your Outrigger Kona wedding is that you can mix and match sites. For example, you could have a small, intimate ceremony in the chapel, followed by a large dance party with all of your guests on the Bayview Grounds. Outrigger Kona offers discounted packages when you book separate wedding and reception spaces with a minimum food and beverage spend. The reception venue packages start at $3000 and include the essentials such as black or white table linens, standard dinner tables & chairs, cocktail tables and highboys, dinnerware, flatware, water & wine glasses.

The Best Time of Year to Get Married at Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa

Honestly, you can’t go wrong getting married in Hawaii any time of year. However, there are a few things you probably want to take into account when you choose your Outrigger Kona wedding date. The busiest & thus most expensive times to travel to Hawaii are during scheduled school breaks (i.e., summer, Thanksgiving, between Christmas & New Year, and spring break). I always encourage my couples to avoid those times of year to avoid crowds if at all possible.

It’s also worth noting that the Iron Man world championship happens in Kona, typically during the second week of October, so you’ll want to avoid that week as well.

As for weather, the temperatures are moderate at the Outrigger Kona resort with light rain likely in the afternoons and early evenings. The grounds at the resort are green for a reason! It tends to rain more near the end of summer and in the spring time.

Where to Stay Near Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa

While there are plenty of places to stay near the Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa, I highly recommend just staying on property. The room rates are competitive, the pool & spa are amazing, and it’s so easy for your guests to walk up to their rooms after a night of well mannered frivolity ((if you didn’t read that in McGonagall’s voice, you might be too young for this post lol)).

A bride gets ready in her hotel room before her Outrigger Kona wedding

Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa Wedding Vendors

Hiring a vendor team who works together cohesively is such a crucial part of hosting a beautiful, smooth wedding at the Outrigger Kona resort. Below are a few vendors in each category that I love working with (or would love to work with in the future!)

Hiring Your Outrigger Kona Resort & Spa Wedding Photographer

I love love.

As a Hawaiʻi based wedding photographer and videographer, I help couples document their most important days through photo and video. Documenting couples on the day they commit their lives to one another is truly the honor of my life. I often have “pinch me” moments while I’m working with couples because I get to help them plan & document their most important day in my absolute favorite place in the world.

I specialize in working with couples who have prioritized choosing what feels right for their wedding celebration, even if that means bucking tradition. Whether you’re planning an intimate celebration with just a few guests at an epic location like Koke’e State Park or you’re planning a more traditional celebration with your whole family and friend group, I’m here to make sure you don’t have to worry about anything when it comes to your photos and video.

My couples often tell me they are “awkward in front of the camera”. My approach to photographing Kauai elopements is rooted in documenting genuine connection while helping couples feel comfortable and fully present throughout the day. Of course, we’ll capture some really epic photos, but I’ll also prioritize documenting you, your partner and your people enjoying the moments of your wedding day.

I’m still relatively new to living in Hawai’i. However, I am captivated by the Hawaiian Islands – the people, the culture, the land – all of it. I’ll share with you everything I know about the island and when there is something I don’t know, we’ll Google it together.