Unique & Boutique Venues
Celebrate what makes Hawaiʻi different - from salt farms to volcanic landscapes
Written by a Local Wedding Expert
Kalani MillerUnique & Boutique Venues: Celebrate What Makes Hawaiʻi Different
For couples who want a venue with a genuine story and character that reflects the unique culture and landscape of the Big Island, these distinctive locations offer experiences that are authentically and unmistakably Hawaiian.
Kona Salt Farm: Oceanfront Industrial Chic
This remarkable venue represents one of my absolute favorite hidden gems on the entire island. It's a genuine working artisanal salt farm positioned on a dramatic 7-acre expanse of ancient black lava rock that extends right to the ocean's edge, creating a setting that is both starkly beautiful and completely unique.
Up to 200
Guests
$$
Price Range
7 Acres
Oceanfront Property
The setting here is absolutely breathtaking and completely unlike anything else available for weddings anywhere in Hawaii. The farm offers a traditional Hawaiian salt blessing ceremony that adds deep cultural significance to your wedding, maintains a full liquor license that greatly simplifies bar service logistics, and provides stylish on-site preparation suites for both partners. It represents an incredibly flexible and surprisingly affordable oceanfront option that delivers luxury feel without resort pricing.
Kona Coffee Farms: Romantic & Aromatic
Imagine exchanging wedding vows surrounded by the heavenly fragrant white blossoms of mature coffee trees, with the sweet aroma of coffee flowers filling the air around you. While many individual coffee farms across the region are relatively small operations, some larger establishments like Kona Coffee & Tea Company regularly host beautiful private wedding events on their lush, meticulously maintained green properties that offer stunning views overlooking the distant coastline.
🌊 Kona Salt Farm
Ancient lava rock oceanfront setting with traditional Hawaiian salt blessings and full liquor license.
☕ Coffee Farms
Fragrant coffee blossoms, mountain views, and quintessentially Kona atmosphere for intimate ceremonies.
🌺 Nani Mau Gardens
20-acre tropical paradise in Hilo with thousands of exotic flowers and full-service catering.
🌋 Volcanoes National Park
Dramatic volcanic backdrop unlike anywhere else on Earth. Ceremonies only, maximum 15 people.
Nani Mau Gardens: A Tropical Paradise in Hilo
For couples who find themselves drawn to the lush, verdant beauty of the island's tropical east side rather than the drier west coast, this expansive 20-acre botanical garden represents an absolute dream wedding location. It's a vibrant and living world filled with thousands of tropical flowers in every color imaginable, rare orchids, towering palms, and exotic plants gathered from across the Pacific region.
The gardens provide a genuinely stunning and completely immersive natural setting that feels like stepping into a tropical paradise, combined with the practical convenience of full-service professional catering and comprehensive event planning services available directly on-site to handle all the logistical details.
Explore More Wedding Venues
Discover all types of Big Island wedding venues to find your perfect match.
⭐ What Makes Them Special
Cultural Significance
Traditional Hawaiian elements and practices
Unique Landscapes
Settings found nowhere else on Earth
Local Stories
Venues with genuine Hawaiian character
📋 Important Notes
- Volcanoes NP requires Special Use Permit ($150)
- Some venues have strict guest limits
- Weather considerations vary by location
- Many offer full-service packages
🗺️ Wedding Venue Guide
🌺 Cultural Respect
Many unique venues have deep cultural significance. Work with local vendors who understand and respect Hawaiian traditions and protocols.
Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park: Dramatic & Adventurous
For the truly adventurous couple seeking something completely unprecedented, saying your wedding vows in the actual presence of Kīlauea, one of the world's most active volcanoes, represents a once-in-a-lifetime experience unlike anything else on Earth. This option is restricted to ceremonies only and comes with very strict regulations designed to protect the sacred and fragile volcanic landscape.
Important Restrictions
- • Maximum of 15 people total (including vendors)
- • Ceremonies only - no receptions permitted
- • Special Use Permit required ($150 non-refundable)
- • Designated locations only (Kīlauea Iki Overlook, Mauna Loa Lookout)
- • No decorations or structures allowed
This venue offers a dramatic backdrop that is literally unlike any other location on Earth, with the raw power of creation itself as your witness. While highly restrictive, it provides an incredibly meaningful and spiritually powerful ceremony location for couples who want their wedding to reflect the primal forces that created these islands.
Coffee Farm Weddings
It's a wedding experience that is quintessentially and authentically Kona in every way. Please note that Sunshower Farms, which was once a very popular wedding venue in the area, no longer hosts wedding events, though the former owner now operates an excellent and highly recommended wedding planning company called Sunshower Weddings.
Botanical Garden Beauty
Nani Mau Gardens varies significantly by chosen location within the extensive gardens but offers budget-friendly pricing and the convenience of full-service professional catering and comprehensive event planning services available directly on-site.