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About
On WeddingWire since 2016
Papa Kona Events and Catering is an oceanfront wedding venue in beautiful Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawai'i, with 180 degree views of the bay, gorgeous sunsets and cool ocean breezes. Here you can have your dream wedding by the sea, while our staff take care of you every step of the way. We would also love to have you for your rehearsal dinner or post-wedding brunch!
Facilities and Capacity
Our second floor wraparound lanai and bar is exclusively yours for the duration of your event. Up to 175 guests can be seated for dinner, and up to 300 standing for a cocktail-party. For larger parties, you have the option of renting our first floor for additional dinner seating. We have a variety of wedding packages and with a 1 AM music curfew, you can keep the celebration going late into the night!
Services Offered
- Access to an event coordinator
- Setup and cleanup
- Servers and bartender
- Chairs, tables
- White linens, white china, glassware and flatware
- Oceanfront ceremony site at no additional charge
- Ceremony amplification and music sound system
Cuisine
Our team of chefs will create a plated or buffet menu that you and your guests will never forget! We proudly serve locally ranched beef, fresh caught local fish and produce from Hawai’i farms. From our casual Ohana Taco Bar to our Hawaiian Luau Feast to our formal Signature Buffet, we have something for everyone. We also create wedding cakes and desserts in our in-house bakery.
Location
Papa Kona Events and Catering is on Waterfront Row in historical downtown Kailua-Kona, close to the airport, hotels and vacation rentals.
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Message vendorReviews of Papa Kona Events
Review summary
Papa Kona is highly recommended as a wedding venue by multiple reviewers. The staff, including coordinators Kisa, Chey, Teira, Alycia, and Korie, are praised for their helpfulness, professionalism, and responsiveness throughout the planning process and on the day of the event. Guests were impressed with the inclusive packages, recommended vendors, and delicious food options, including teriyaki chicken, beef short ribs, poke, and the poke bar. The venue's stunning views, intimate setting, and picture-perfect sunsets were also highlighted. Overall, customers highly recommend Papa Kona for a stress-free and memorable wedding experience.
100% YES! Choose Papa Kona!
The perfect wedding
The food was excellent (we got so many compliments about it!) and the drink service was lovely. The venue itself is stunning, with gorgeous views of the ocean and the Kona hillside. We even got a rainbow right after the ceremony!
Chey (coordinator) and Korie (day of coordinator) were incredibly responsive and accommodating. Korie was very hands on the entire time and took a huge burden off of us. They both worked hard to ensure that we got exactly what we wanted and worked with us every step of the way to make our dream wedding come true.
Our only notes would be related to the DJ and the "uplighting", both of which were part of the larger event package that Papa Kona's offers.
We provided the DJ with a 60 song playlist that had enough music for the entire dance portion of the event. She didn't play much of the music on the playlist. She also wore a short, skin-tight red dress which wasn't very appropriate for the event. Most people had difficultly hearing the toasts and any other speaking portions throughout the event.
The uplighting was a part of the package we purchased that was supposed to light up the palm trees at night, but we didn't notice it ever being turned on. It may have been more subtle than we were expecting.
We don't necessarily fault Papa Kona's for either of these issues. In hindsight we would have chosen the smaller package and done our own research to find a suitable DJ.
Again, I cannot recommend Papa Kona's enough. They really created a beautiful and magical experience for us.
A magical wedding venue
My husband and I are exceedingly pleased our choice with this wedding venue. As two busy Californians, we wanted a destination wedding that included many services for us. The planning involved was minimal, though for those who are hoping for more customizations to their special day, this is certainly doable as well!! We chose the more inclusive packages and recommended vendors which we were very pleased with. It was also easy to include personal touches by adding decorations the night before the wedding.
It was a pleasure working with Kisa and Chey throughout the process! These lovely women answered our questions about the venue from over a year out and made sure that everything was to our expectations. The day went seamlessly, and guests raved about the food!! I am a vegetarian and had plenty to choose from.
Overall, we could not have chosen a better wedding venue for our 38 person wedding! We highly recommend looking into Papa Kona if you are looking for a wedding on the Big Island!
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Real Weddings
Team
Julia has been in the event planning industry since 2009, starting with high-end weddings at a 15-acre venue in California’s wine country. She moved to the big island for love, following her long-distance relationship from California to Hawai’i, as a hopeless romantic. Soon after, she joined Papa Kona Events and fell in love with the venue and team. Everything worked out according to plan (not surprising for an Event Planner!) and she and her husband Derek had their wedding at Papa Kona, formerly named Daylight Mind, in 2017. (Check out our Instagram page for some photos of their wedding!)
Her favorite thing about leading PKE is being even a tiny part of someone’s happy memories from an event. Whether our guests envision a completely unique event or would like us to just do what we do best, we are the luckiest people in the world to do this fun, meaningful work.
Something you may not know about her is that on their days off, she and her husband often go spear fishing off of the Kona Coast.
Korie grew up here on the Big Island, in Kealakekua. She has a passion for working with others to create unforgettable experiences for our clients. She loves to provide genuine, caring customer service filled with Aloha, as it reflects who she is, and the beauty of the Hawaiian culture and its people.
Her favorite thing about working at Papa Kona is the tight knit ‘ohana that we have, where everyone is committed to making each event successful. She also enjoys making connections with people from across the world and being able to share Hawaii and its traditions with others.
Something someone might now know about Korie is that she started competitive outrigger canoe paddling at the age of ten, and at 21, competed in the world renowned “Na Wahine O Ke Kai,” a 41-mile-long distance canoe race in 2008 with a nine woman crew.
Alycia is originally from Texas and got her start on the Big Island at the Four Seasons, Hualalai, and has made a huge impression on our couples at Papa Kona. She loves creating the special moments that couples will cherish for a lifetime. She is passionate about the details and working with the couple to create the wedding they have been dreaming of, and making it even better for them.
She loves our amazing team and that we are all very passionate about creating a great experience for our couples.
Something you may not know about Alycia is that she also got married at Papa Kona, formerly Daylight Mind, in November 2018!
Professional Network & Endorsements
4 Endorsements
Julia and the whole team at Daylight Mind are an absolute dream to work with, not only is the staff top notch, but the food is delicious, and the view is to die for. Daylight Mind is innovative in their creative menu design and works with each couple and their planner to ensure that the whole venue/catering experience is enjoyable and stress-free. If you are looking for an oceanfront venue with spectacular year-round sunsets, look no further than Daylight Mind.
I've photographed several wedding receptions at Daylight Mind and I think it's a hidden gem! The spacious waterfront lanai is so close to the ocean, you feel like you're on top the water! The view from the top lanai is breathtaking, and then there's the ocean breeze and the sound of waves crashing.. it all makes for a relaxing, upscale yet laid back experience! Julia is professional, friendly, and very easy to work with, and let's not forget the food......which is amazing, it's one of my favorite restaurants! If you're looking for a unique wedding reception venue in downtown Kailua-Kona, I highly recommend Daylight Mind!
Daylight Mind is a favorite venue of ours for so many reasons! First off, how can you beat that oceanfront setting and amazing sunset - all from your own private lanai for you to enjoy with your closest friends and family! As an outside planner who loves to get creative and focus on design elements to make your day unique and special, Daylight Mind allows me the freedom to think outside the box and provides an amazing, energetic team to create a fabulous event for our couples. Throughout the planning process, Julia is quick to respond to questions, assist with menus and the day of the event she is always on the front line and behind the scenes making sure everything is going smooth! She and her team are always so accommodating and supportive - it is a pleasure to work there!
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