Aulani Now Offering Memories Collection Events

[lurkyloo]

Aulani weddings/vow renewals just got a lot more affordable: Disney is now offering the Memories Collection in Hawaii, and you can bring up to 15 guests. Also, you can book up to 12 months in advance. At $1,995, it's much cheaper than the $4,000 minimum + $75/$100/$125 per person food and beverage minimum for a Wishes event there.

http://disneyweddings.disney.go.com/weddings/hawaii/memoriespackage/detail

 

[ScottishMickeyFan]

Aulani weddings/vow renewals just got a lot more affordable: Disney is now offering the Memories Collection in Hawaii, and you can bring up to 15 guests. Also, you can book up to 12 months in advance. At $1,995, it's much cheaper than the $4,000 minimum + $75/$100/$125 per person food and beverage minimum for a Wishes event there.

http://disneyweddings.disney.go.com/weddings/hawaii/memoriespackage/detail

Hi there,

Thanks for that info,

I am the groom & planner & i am not sure who i should book this through,

-Direct with DFTW or through a travel agent like Dreams Unlimited,

I read so much about trouble contacting wedding co-ordinators at times & coming from the UK dont make it any easier.

I will have 13 guests and plan to have a ceramony in Aulani mid - late August 2013,, Then onto do the Disneyland 1/2 marathon - looking to stay on site there too for a week or so

Cheers

James

 

[lurkyloo]

This package would be booked directly through Disney. Once you get set up with a planner, you will be able to do all the planning through email, if necessary.

 

[Missjane]

I think it’s very interesting,thanks for sharing.
____________
Vietnam holidays- Kochang Hotels Thailand- Lagoon Explorer

 

[clarabella]

I love the Menehuene Oasis ..... hmmmmm wonder what my guests would think!!
Any one know if you can have Minnie and Mickey there?!?

 

[Kellysgotherbootson]

So we would like to plan a memories collection at aluani and I have the hardest time finding any info besides the actual website and I would really like to see more photos ofnvenue and options for the wedding and small cake receptions ? Is this a new thing for Hawaii !?

 

[lurkyloo]

Yes! Disney weddings in Hawaii are relatively new, and the Memories Collection is even newer. I can paste in the photos of the locations below—the problem is, the resort just began a fresh round of remodeling that will continue until summer 2013, and some of these locations will be changing. The staff doesn't know what's staying and what's going quite yet... when are you planning to have your event?

Alohi Pointe

Aulani Beachside Lawn

Kipuka Courtyard

Ama Ama Patio

Menehuene Oasis

One thing to know is that all the locations are VERY public—like, right next to well-traveled public walkways or in the pool area or below guest rooms or next to the restaurant. I'm not sure that even the new locations will be private, since everything's pretty much out in the open at Aulani.

What were you interested in, option-wise? The Memories Collection doesn't have much you can change. It comes with a lei for the bride and for the groom, an hour of photography by this photographer (http://www.biancaphotography.com) but no prints/disc, an officiant (http://www.weddingwire.com/reviews/kimo-taylor-oahu/ae5a233a79ae27b9.html), and a guitarist or a ukelele player.

If you want to add a cake reception at the site, there is a $500 food and beverage minimum and they'll set up a table and chairs. Otherwise, they encourage you to book a reservation at one of their restaurants, and you can order a custom cake starting at $50 for a buttercream-covered 6-inch cake.

 

[BarelyBalancedBelle]

That's beautiful! We had, first, considered Hawaii (Aulani). Neither of us have been but we both considered ourselves to have ties to the islands (me - Veteran's memorial for my late-Granny's brother that she always wanted to go see and him - HUGE Lilo & Stitch fan, ha).

The airfare, to get to HI, for whatever reason, was extremely out of line with what we expected by several hundred dollars. It was odd, b/c we figured the West Coasters would be able to fly to HI cheaper than to Orlando... but nope, significant price difference out of LAX for our date.

Seeing that they have cheaper packages for the wedding, itself... Well, I don't know if it's back in the running or not. We are both pretty excited about Orlando (he's never been - he's a Disneyland kid). It's good information to have... I like that this is going kind of quickly. Boom, boom, check, boom. Done & done... why can't I put this much effort and efficiency into my school work?

Thanks for sharing! Especially to those who shared photos - very helpful to me!

 

[tric8783]

We went to Aulani for our honeymoon, these areas are VERY public. The pictures by the infinity pool are gorgeous, but I wonder when they took those or if they closed the pool for them, hmm. Almost the entire time we were there, there were kids and adults in bathing suits everywhere and that was one of the most popular areas for people to be, not my idea of an ideal location to get married. But the property sure is breathtaking and gorgeous!

There are also two other chapels within walking distance- one is right next to the Aulani property and shares the lagoon/inlet/beach with Aulani. The chapel is right on the beach and we saw a lot of couples getting married there the 10 days we were at Aulani.
The chapel on Aulani's lagoon is the 'Place of Joy' and the one two lagoons over is ''Place of Welina,' I don't remember the 3rd one they reference here:
http://www.koolina.com/experience/weddings

 

[lurkyloo]

The airfare, to get to HI, for whatever reason, was extremely out of line with what we expected by several hundred dollars. It was odd, b/c we figured the West Coasters would be able to fly to HI cheaper than to Orlando... but nope, significant price difference out of LAX for our date.

How far out from your date were you looking? We're in LA too, and airfare to HI can usually be had for $350-$450 RT if you wait til about 3 months out to book. Still, that's more than the $250-$300 we usually pay to fly to Orlando!

We went to Aulani for our honeymoon, these areas are VERY public. The pictures by the infinity pool are gorgeous, but I wonder when they took those or if they closed the pool for them, hmm. Almost the entire time we were there, there were kids and adults in bathing suits everywhere and that was one of the most popular areas for people to be, not my idea of an ideal location to get married.

At Alohi Pointe they close the jacuzzi area for the ceremony, but only that area so, like you say, there are tons of people in bathing suits running around directly behind your ceremony. To me this lack of privacy is the biggest drawback to an Aulani event. But since there is no Disney theme park nearby to draw guests away from the resort during the day, I don't know how they ever could provide a truly private location.