Affordable Wedding Venues Oahu Offers – Better than Beaches!

Last Updated on November 7, 2023 by Karma Hill

If you’re having a small wedding in Oahu, you need to decide if you want to book a package on the public beach or at a dedicated Oahu wedding venue. For many couples, the choice comes down to price. But you may be surprised by the affordable wedding venues Oahu offers for small groups.

A beach wedding may seem cheaper, especially when you compare it too intricate events at upscale venues. But if you’re looking for a simple wedding in Oahu without the sand, strangers, and restrictions, you can still have an affordable event. It is important to go over the pros and cons with our wedding planner.

Today we’ll outline the price of a venue wedding and explore cost-saving measures that could have you marrying at a luxury locale without breaking the bank. Read along to discover how your dream Oahu wedding could be within reach. 

Our Simple Oahu Wedding package, held on the picturesque beach, includes an hour and a half of wedding photography and costs approximately $3300. In comparison, wedding packages offered at Oahu wedding venues typically range between $4750 and $5800, with the exact price varying based on the chosen venue’s location and amenities.

The primary contributor to the difference in these costs is the venue’s site fee. This fee not only secures a designated and beautifully maintained location for your wedding ceremony but also offers several valuable advantages. These include the provision of comfortable chairs for your guests, the opportunity to accommodate additional attendees, an array of customizable decor options, and the convenience of worry-free parking facilities.

While it’s true that a venue wedding may come with a higher price tag than a beach wedding, it’s essential to recognize the additional cost brings a wealth of benefits and amenities that can significantly enhance your wedding experience.

It’s easy to spend over $30,000 on a small wedding in Hawaii, but you don’t have to. Even if you choose to wed at a resort or estate, you don’t have to spend a fortune. 

Venue packages offer an attractive middle ground between the simplicity of a basic beach wedding and the extravagance of a fully customized event. These packages provide you with a pathway to enjoy a wedding that is both simple and intimate, yet uniquely yours, all while being mindful of your budget.

If you’re seeking a wedding that strikes the perfect balance between simplicity and personalization, a venue wedding might be just the solution you’re looking for. Keep reading to discover why a venue wedding doesn’t have to be the expensive endeavor it may initially seem. 

While many venues charge thousands of dollars for a rental fee, they may offer special pricing if you book for a limited timeframe. It’s called a ceremony-only booking, but it will also include some time for portraits as well.

This works out great for couples searching for affordable wedding venues in Oahu. There will likely be restrictions that come along with the lower site fee, so here are some things to look out for: 

• You’ll want to make sure the rental time covers the time for set-up, arrivals, photos, and departure. Talk to your wedding coordinator to ensure there is enough time for everything.
• The ceremony-only option may only be available on certain days of the week or certain times of the day. 
• You may only be allowed to have a certain number of guests at wedding venues in Oahu. What is allowed varies by event space.

Even if you do face some restrictions at your wedding venue, it will still likely be more enjoyable than a public beach wedding, which involves many strict rules. 

Even if you book only a wedding ceremony package for your wedding, you can still have a wonderful wedding reception. Most couples plan that at a nearby restaurant or luau. The per-person cost ends up being far less than having dinner at a private venue. 

If you have a reception at a venue, you’ll need to pay the full site fee and then bring in all the rentals to have a meal there. This includes everything from chairs and tables to entertainment and staffing. You’ll even need to plan every cup and fork and provide the lighting so you can party into the night. Plus, there’s the cost of hiring someone to coordinate that for you. 

That works great if it’s within your budget. But if you’re hoping for a simple wedding, you can instead bring your guests to a restaurant, where you don’t have to worry about rentals and staffing.

A restaurant reception for 20 people would add a couple of thousand dollars to your wedding ceremony costs, which is far less than a $20,000+ event. 

Just because you can have endless decorations at your wedding venue doesn’t mean you must. In fact, you can have a simple venue wedding with no additional decor at all. The natural scenery provides all the beauty you need. 

If you do want some decorations at your venue ceremony, then you can plan to spend $600 – $2,000+ on flower setups. Also, take a look at these low-cost fun Oahu wedding details you can add to enhance your ceremony.

We sometimes see couples who feel pressured to spend a lot on their wedding ceremonies decor because they’re afraid the venue will look plain or ordinary without it. While flowers are always pretty, there’s no need to stretch your budget thin just because you think weddings need lots of decor. 

Embracing the beauty of simplicity can help you keep costs down for your Oahu venue wedding.

As you weigh the differences between a beach and a venue wedding, it’s tempting to look only at the cost. You may not want to trim your budget every chance you get, especially if that means sacrificing your happiness. 

While we don’t recommend anyone deplete their savings or go overboard with their wedding spending, we do encourage everyone to look beyond the price tag. Here are some things worth thinking about as you begin budgeting for your Oahu wedding:

• Your happiness in the moment
• How you’ll look back on your wedding for the rest of your life
• Peace of mind during the wedding planning process
• Your guests’ wedding experience

If you’ll be unhappy on a sandy beach with your guests standing and no rain backup plan, it may be worth saving up for an extra few months. You can then afford an Oahu venue wedding package with an ocean view or whatever your heart desires. 

We’ve already explored how to keep your costs down while opting for the venue ceremony, so you probably don’t have to save up as long as you feared. And it will be worth it to have a wedding day you’re truly happy with. 

If you’ve decided to have a venue wedding in Oahu, you’ll need to find the perfect location. The good news is that anywhere on Oahu is absolutely gorgeous. But if you want a place that’s beautiful, private, and off the beach, you’ll be happy to discover that there are some affordable options. 

All of our Simple Oahu Wedding packages run under $6,000 and have a maximum guest count of either 18, 30, or 50 people. 

One of our favorite spots for a ceremony is the Royal Hawaiian Golf Club. It’s a serene location with unique mountain views. You can either have a restaurant-style reception onsite at their golf club or head back to Honolulu to have a restaurant reception at your favorite spot. 

Kualoa Ranch Secret Island is our most popular venue package. It allows couples to wed with their toes in the sand without the restrictions that a public beach wedding will face. 

With so many wedding venues Oahu is a great place to have a small yet beautiful wedding ceremony. 

While we think beach weddings are beautiful in their simplicity, we’ve found many couples have a better wedding experience with the security and peace of mind a venue provides. You can keep your plans simple by sticking with the base package, or customize your experience with more florals, vendors, and photography time. 

Whether you are on a tight budget or ready to wow with your investment, an Oahu Venue Package could be the perfect option for your wedding day. 

If you’d like to learn more about our venue packages, don’t hesitate to get in touch with one of our coordinators today. They can help you discover your dream location and create the perfect wedding experience.