Dillingham Ranch Reviews

Okay imagine the dreamiest, most romantic wedding venue ever.

Now triple your expectations. THAT'S Dillingham Ranch. From the lines of palm trees to the stunning building out front, and not to mention the stunning light drenched yard. There truly isn't a more lovely place to get married. Being only 10 minutes from the ocean helps too ;)

My husband and I knew we wanted a private location for our wedding and it didn't take long before we realised there were not too many options on Oahu. I did venue tours a year out from our wedding date and after visiting everywhere from Sunset Ranch to the Four Seasons Dillingham Ranch was the obvious winner.

This massive private estate ticked all the boxes. While other venues, like Kualoa Ranch, are visually stunning, they lack even remotely comfortable facilities. Dillingham Ranch was beautifully remodelled several years ago so the bathrooms and bedrooms are lovely and well suited for a black tie event. The drive onto the estate will take your breath away and the row of palms in the 'backyard' is beyond photogenic.

Dillingham Ranch does lack a robust presence online or on social media and this is indicative of the service you can expect. Siri, the events manager, was ideal to work with but she is not a wedding planner and Dillingham is not struggling to find couples that want to rent the venue. Dillingham will not roll out the red carpet like some other venues but they do not need too, Dillingham is perfect and if you choose it as your wedding venue 90% of the work is done for you as it is picture perfect.

BONUS TIP: Across the island shutting times are a nightmare (10PM? how is this acceptable) but because you have sole access to Dillingham, it is possible on occasion to have extended hours for a wedding which is a major bonus so the dancing can continue.

It is a really beautiful place to have a non-beach wedding. Most convenient to have the ceremony and reception all in one space.

We could not have asked for a better venue to suit the style and ambiance of what we envisioned for our wedding. The price may seem high, but considering the cost of similar venues which require you to be off the premises in 6 hours or less, Dillingham Ranch gives you essentially 3 days to use the venue (provided you opt to rent the 8 rooms). Being that we had a morning wedding with a brunch reception, the capability for vendors to set up the day prior was a big plus. We definitely maximized use of the venue by renting the rooms as it was essentially a 3 day/2 night vacation retreat for our wedding party and immediate family. The front lawn (wedding ceremony), courtyard (cocktail reception), front lanai (rehearsal dinner/socializing), main house (late evenings), back lawn (wedding reception), along with the expanse grounds to walk and explore, Dillingham Ranch has so much to offer. We also utilized the kitchen to the fullest extent during our stay along with our amazing caterers (Memoirs LLC) on the day of the main event. Location aside, we secured our reservation well in advance and the process was simple and smooth with one site visit and a few emails exchanged. Spectacular venue.....highly recommended!!

Dillingham Ranch is beautiful venue.
It's located on Waialua, Oahu. Absolutely beautiful estate, with horses, peacocks, and a summer lodge. We held our cocktail hour in front of the lodge and our reception in the back by the palm tree rows. We had booked our venue two years in advance before our wedding date and good thing that we did because shortly after, the prices of the venue went up dramatically. There are two entrances so make sure that your guests know which one to enter into. The person Siri who runs dillingham ranch is wonderful however her coworker Amanda whom works at Hawaii Polo Fields had lost our contract and did not honor our agreed payment until my wedding coordinator spoke with her. Also, make sure that your caterer knows that dillingham ranches water is NOT drinkable and should bring their own and enough water for all your guests. If you're getting married in the summer, make sure that they bring double amount because it's extremely humid.