Laakea Ocean Wedding Reviews
Reviews
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![Raul]()
Raul Sent on 08/05/2024Ocean Wedding for the Huete’s
I had the most extraordinary experience with Elias and La’akea Ocean Weddings. Just 30 days before my wedding, I had to change my original venue. Elias immediately put me at ease by researching different venues and negotiating to stay within my budget. He took over communication with my existing vendors and booked others that I hadn’t yet arranged, making me regret not having done everything through him from the start.
On the day of the wedding, we faced a few hiccups, including my mistake of getting the guest count wrong by 10. Elias remained calm and quickly found extra tables, chairs, and tableware. He was a lifesaver throughout the entire experience. Moreover, he is such a nice guy. His staff was attentive and did a fantastic job delivering the most extraordinary wedding I could have asked for. Thank you to the entire team—you made my dream come true.
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![Lucy]()
Lucy Sent on 12/26/2022Manríquez Wedding 11/26/22
My husband & I decided to have a destination wedding. We live in California and had our weeding in Hawaii. We couldn’t have asked for a better coordinator & reception everything came out beautiful better than we expect. Elias made everything run smoothly and made sure everything was done just how we had envisioned ! Living in another state and planning a destination wedding is very stressful, but Elias made sure that we were all set for our special day. Definitely recommend 10 out of 10. He’s a 20! -
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Loraine Sent on 11/20/2022
Everything I could imagine and much more!
A huge Thank You to Elias and his team! They helped make our wedding day even more than I could ever imagine. Every vendor Elias recommended was excellent! Flowers, food, entertainment, and cake all exceeded our expectations! If you are questioning spending the money...im here to tell you its worth every penny! Elias and his team helped out with every little detail that allowed us both to be in the moment. We would definitely go with Laakea Ocean Weddings over and over again! ☺️🥰
Sincerely,
Mr & Mrs Perry Boughton -
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![Kaye]()
Kaye Sent on 11/02/2022The Wedding of My Dreams!
We are so happy to have chosen Laakea Ocean Wedding to take care of our needs for the venue of our wedding in the beautiful island of Hawaii! Elias was responsive and attentive to our every need. Elias made us feel like we are family. Our wedding day was memorable although there were slight changes/alterations to it (the weather is unpredictable and always have a plan B, C, D, etc.). Elias made us aware of other options and openly communicated with us. The venue is a perfect spot for an intimate wedding or event. The location is intimate, warm, and the views of the beach is amazing. Gorgeous surroundings and sunrise/sunset views. Thank you, Elias for making my dream wedding a dream come true! -
![Jay]()
Jay S. Sent on 12/14/2021Phenomenal
Easiest and most thoughtful experience in a crunch. An answer to prayer! -
![Chaz]()
Chaz Sent on 10/10/2021Elias is the best! We couldn’t be more pleased with how beautiful and well organized the wedding was.
Elias took care of everything from the start and made the planning so painless. So grateful for a beautiful ocean front wedding… magical setting, food, and John the Officiant brought to us by Elias was so talented and made this Hawaiian wedding the best it could have been. Me and my Wife are so pleased with the service that Elias has provided I would recommend to anyone.
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Gina Sent on 01/05/2021
Ocean side intimate wedding perfection
I met Elias through our photographer who helped us find a location for our engagements photos since the beaches were all closed. Elias manages the property that allowed us to take our photos and ultimately host our small intimate wedding (because we had to cancel our big wedding due to COVID and Elias we so great and accommodating, we were happy to have our wedding at his beautiful rental property!). Although I planned majority of the details of our wedding (we had a bunch of family friends who were our vendors), Elias was ready with a list of preferred vendors if we needed it. We also bought a package that came with the tables, chairs, linens, arch, lighting etc. so that we did not need any type of rental vendor at all. Transactions and communication was always seamless and Elias was so great at making sure the wedding I envisioned was the wedding that he would help produce. Him and his team worked to set up and breakdown everything that was needed for the day. The house we stayed at accommodated us all easily with plenty of room to spare. He and his team were very professional and made me feel special and comfortable leading up to and on our wedding day. I would definitely recommend Elias and his team for any intimate wedding near the beach! -
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Tamara Sent on 08/31/2018I can’t express how happy we are with the services provided by Elias and Laakea Ocean Wedding. He exceeded all of our expectations. Elias went above and beyond what we needed him to do for our wedding. He was always available to answer any questions we had. He was always responsive, even with the time difference from Washington DC to Hawaii. He helped with getting flowers ordered for the wedding which looked and smelled amazing. He helped us find our caterer (Chef Angelina) who was awesome. Everyone raves about the food.
On the weekend of the wedding, he came to the location the day before to do a rehearsal with us and to talk about all the details for the big day. The weather called for rain on our wedding day so he worked out a plan b which we ended up having to use and it still looked amazing. He worked with all the vendors to make sure they had what they needed and made sure they were in place on time. He and his team set up all the decorations, tables, chairs and served during dinner and cocktail hour. They were amazing and everything looked amazing.
I would recommend Elias and Laakea Ocean Wedding to anyone looking for a wedding coordinator who is attentive, caring and genuinely loves what they do. He is worth every penny he charges which in my opinion is not enough for everything he does. Elias is much more than just a wedding coordinator. He gets to know you, your spouse and your vision for your day to make sure you have the best day of your life. I can’t imagine our wedding without him.
Thank you so much Elias for making this our dream come true. -
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Michelle Sent on 04/08/2018First off, Elias isn’t like most wedding coordinators . He sees what he does as a passion and the bride(s) and/or groom(s) as family who deserve the very best. He will be as involved or uninvolved as you want. I personally picked-out and worked directly with the photographer, hair/make-up, and bakery but utilized his expertise when it came to catering, flowers, and a bartender (use “his guy”, he was great!).
He is very protective of his brides and is not afraid to have “difficult conversations” with folks to ensure “her” big day is as perfect. Several times he went above and beyond to ensure my day was exactly how I wanted. For example, he demand that the property owner of the estate where we married hire people to clean up the beach behind the property. He also called multiple hawaiian islands looking for someone who could supply the Plumerias I absoutely HAD to have. He even went to the airport to pick up the plumerias and delivered them to the florist. Talk about going above and beyond! Oh, and he offered to go to Costco to pick up alcohol for us so we didn’t have to “waste” our time doing errands.
He also a stash of “goodies” you can utilize like tables and chairs (a HUGE cost savings), glasses, archways, centerpiece pieces. If you are needing assistance with a vision – he can help. If you already have a vision – he will execute what you want. He has staff that shows up the day of the wedding and is absoutely amazing. Overall, very impessed. You will make a wise choice choosing Elias.
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Marjie Sent on 10/11/2017Elias at Laakea Ocean Wedding was absolutely amazing! He went above and beyond in making our wedding day go smooth and a beautiful day we will never forget! We showed up to a bad situation (the house I booked was not as expected and I was in shock and tears) and he reassurred us we would still have the perfect day. I couldn't imagine that at the time because it was pretty bad upon arrival. But he did it, he somehow made it all better and pulled it all together to give us the perfect wedding. My guests would've never known how the place looked days prior. On top of that, he is one of the nicest people too! Always smiling that great smile which is exactly what we needed. Lastly, this girl is all about a budget and being frugal. At first I thought I'm spending too much, do I really need a planner? The best investment was hiring him... especially planning a wedding from another state. He knows the right people, vendors and I'm sure I would've paid a lot more without him.
We're so very thankful for all his hard work! -
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User1206636 Sent on 06/19/2013Planning a destination wedding from afar can be a very stressful process--you never know what you will get until you arrive! But Elias at Laakea Ocean Wedding was very responsive and reassuring from the moment I first contacted him almost a year prior to my wedding date to help plan my Hawaii wedding long distance. He made me feel confident that what I envisioned he would be able to accomplish within my scope and budget. He had a very can-do attitude and was very involved in the wedding event when I did finally arrive in Hawaii for the big day--directing the caterers, helping with set-up or stringing up lights--very hands on and attentive to help take care of everything so I wouldn't have to worry about a thing except to just enjoy the party! Thank you Elias and your team for all your help! -
![Devon]()
Devon Sent on 12/27/2012the food was superior! our guests were raving about the menu and we're glad we went with la'akea. bartender was really friendly and interacted well with everyone. -
![Amber]()
Amber Sent on 07/07/2012Elias and his team were so wonderful. Elias was always professional and he responded to my emails efficiently. Our wedding which was held at Loulu Palm Estate was breakthtaking and Elias and his team created a beautiful ceremony set up. The reception was at Ola Restaurant at Turtle Bay, the area was transformed and I was speechless. The food was fantastic and the staff extremely energetic and friendly, the musician was extremely talented and our guests were so impressed. Elias organised great suppliers for our day. I would recommend this company to anyone looking at tying the knot in Hawaii. I wish Elias and his team all the best and thank them for giving us a beautiful memorable destination wedding -
![Sabrina]()
Sabrina Sent on 05/07/2012Elias was SO great!! He recommended some really great vendors that were in my price range!! He was quick to respond every time I had a question, no matter what time of day or day of the week. And every time I spoke with him he was really good at reassuring me that it was all going to be perfect, Elias has a great way of making you feel at ease about everything throughout the planning process. I am from Oahu originally, but I live in LA now, so it was hard to plan a wedding without being there to taste the food and see the venue, etc. I put all my trust in Elias, and I am so happy with the way everything turned out!
Elias and his crew were so full of Aloha, and they did an amazing job, my wedding day was truy a magical and wonderful experience and I am so grateful that I found Elias to be a part of that!!! Many Mahalos To Elias and his crew at La'akea Ocean Weddings!!! -
![Maria]()
Maria Sent on 03/10/2012We hired Elias as our day of wedding coordinator from a referral from one of our vendors. We could not be happier with this decision. All of the vendors that we worked with already knew Elias and spoke very highly of him, so right from the beginning, I knew we were in great hands! But Elias was AMAZING. He went above and beyond what I would have imagined, plus he was so pleasant to work with!!! He was thorough, reliable, prompt in his responses, hard-working and so helpful!! I would highly recommend Elias! -
![Annjill]()
Annjill Sent on 01/18/2012Oh my gosh! What can I say?! I'm speechless!.. It's been a month since my wedding and my husband and I are more than thankful to have La'akea Ocean Wedding a part of our wedding day!! Elias has been so amazing! The quality of service he provides is out of this world! Every phone call, text, email I sent him; he responds so promptly. Promptness is important to a bride especially who's planning a huge extravagant wedding :) The professionalism Elias and his team proved allowed me to put my trust in their hands. My wedding day was as perfect as can be. Not a worry in the world. Everything I've imagined was presented that day. I have no regrets or complaints.. I can go on and on about all the amazing details!.. You'll just have to experience it yourself. :) THANKS AGAIN to Elias and his team for your wonderful services on the day of our most memorable day of our lives! :) -
![Elisa]()
Elisa Sent on 06/01/2011I can't even begin to describe how thankful I am that I had Laakea Ocean Wedding (Elias G.) assist me with my wedding planning as well as the location I got married at on Oahu (The Loulou Palm Estate).
I am from the mainland and was very nervous about planning a wedding somewhere I had never been and didn't know anything about, but as soon as I talked with Elias and he began telling me about the island- the process and that he would be there to assist me with everything along the way I felt totally at ease and confident in my choice of wedding coordinator, and location. He followed through with every request, question and concern I had and went above and beyond always!
I don't even know where to begin with how amazing my day turned out. it was everything I envisioned it to be (seriously!!!). The grounds were stunning and AMAZING, the staff was accommodating and SO welcoming, the vendors that they recommended were the best to work with (Marie Blooms Flowers, Chef D'Angelo of Ola Restaurant at Turtle Bay, Pacific Party Rentals, the live music by Ellsworth Simeona and our officiant Elias Parker) and my wedding planner went above and beyond my expectations. Always responding instantly to my emails, did research for things I was curious about, found awesome deals and ways to work things in if it was a budget concern. Every detail of the day was just how I wanted it. I know Laakea Ocean Weddings and Elias took such attention to my wants and needs for my big day. As a bride doing a destination wedding this can be a major concern that your vision is being communicated and interpreted and understood.
When I arrived to the location the day of the wedding I had no worries and no stress Laakea Ocean Weddings and Elias took care of everything and made it my perfect day. Everything looked JUST as I envisioned the flowers the rental set up, the food was delicious, the ceremony officiant did a fantastic job and made it have a great hawaiian feel. It was the most awesome day of my life with my friends and family and all the people who helped to work on our big day. I wanted something laid back- elegant- beachy and Elias helped to achieve it to perfection.
My parents, family and friends who attending the wedding said it was one of the most amazing venues, and outstanding wedding coordinator they had ever had the pleasure of doing business with. (I had a lot of jealous married friends and now friends who are set on getting married on Oahu and using Elias as their coordinator).
If you are a bride who will be getting married on Oahu- have your wedding on the North Shore!!!! It will not disappoint you! I would recommend Laakea Ocean Weddings and LouLou Palm Estate to any bride looking to have a more private wedding away from the city!! Seriously the most wonderful people to work with both for coordination and for all the vendors you will need. Elias has a dream team that he works with and I loved every person I worked with.
Thank you, thank you, thank you - My wedding day was a dream come true!!!
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Alyssa Sent on 06/29/2023
Elias & his team made the day of effortless!
We never could have pulled off such an incredible night without Elias. He truly cared that we enjoyed and cherished our wedding in Hawaii, as they can be hard to come by, especially as prices and rules change on the islands. Elias and his team somehow took everything that I was hoping for and made the day-of absolutely effortless which is so important on your wedding. My husband and I got to enjoy the most beautiful night with just our family and close friends. It was the most special thing I have ever experienced. PLUS, all of the setup, breakdown, and staff coordination was done for us -
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![Naomi]()
Naomi Sent on 02/20/2017*update*
Even though the weather took a turn and flooded our original site, the barn was absolutely g-o-r-g-e-o-u-s. The venue fee is on the higher side but since we used the barn it was totally worth it. If we had gone with our original plan, we basically would have paid twice the amount for the tents and the lights and not even used what the venue offered.
Hiring a wait staff was highly encouraged but not required. Our wait staff did a no show, unfortunately, but I didn't feel it was a game changer since we were told that it wasn't required. Apparently, they will threaten to shut your reception down if they don't have a wait staff to clear the dishes. We also found out a week prior that we were in charge of hauling ALL the trash.
TIP: hire the wedding coordinator KAMALA if you decide on this venue to make sure all your bases are covered. "Small" details like trash and wait staff should be the least of a bride's worries a week before the wedding.
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