I said, "Of course!" when my niece asked me to help plan and coordinate her destination wedding on…read morethe Big Island of Hawaii. I assumed it was going to be at a hotel. When she mentioned the Kona Salt Farm, I did an internet search and saw the beautiful photos, however, I did have a lot of reservations. Having to research and consider all the vendors that would have to be involved and communicating long distance would be challenging . . . as none of us were from Kona. Jen Hughes at the Salt Farm was very helpful and generous with her vendor information in all categories. One of the best requirements of the Salt Farm, is to have a professional wedding coordinator be present on the day of the event. Ally B of Ally B Inspired responded promptly, and she was a perfect fit, i.e., sweet, patient, accommodating, knowledgeable, and a hard worker determined to ensure a perfect outcome. We were very happy when my niece and her fiancé selected Ally. Ally was contracted to be the on-site coordinator on the day of the wedding. She and Annie executed everything perfectly and more. Leading up to the wedding date, we tried to adhere to the list of duties covered in the contract. She did and offered so much more. Instead of rescheduling, we Facetimed with her braiding her daughter's hair in the car! Now, that's dedication and commitment. We had everything planned out as to who would do what throughout the evening, i.e., relocating furniture, humongous floral arrangements, situating the cake, the sparklers send off, etc. TIP #1 - No matter how reliable and willing, not a good idea to rely on relatives/guests who are invested in being present during the ceremony and the festivities. By the time I thought of the timeline and things that needed to be done, Ally and Annie had taken care of them and so much more. She was truly a godsend. TIP #2 - If you're not from Kona, you won't know all the ins and outs of what's happening currently. Having a local "in-the-know" person was so helpful and a blessing. This was especially true when we tried contacting different vendors through information from their websites only to find out that due to personal issues, certain companies were not operating currently. Also, Ally was able to make great recommendations which were spot on. TIP #3 - Contract Ally B from the get-go to coordinate your ENTIRE wedding. I did it for my niece. If we could do it over again, it'll be Ally B Inspired all the way! It was a dream wedding come true for the couple and an event of a lifetime for all of us. Ally B Inspired made sure of it.

Aunty Tutu - More Than Just an Officiant, She's Family!…read more If you're looking for the most incredible wedding officiant in Hawaii, look no further than Aunty Tutu! Seriously, don't walk, RUN to book her! She's not just an officiant, she makes you feel like ohana (family) throughout the entire process. From the very beginning, Aunty Tutu put us at ease. She has this infectious smile that lights up the room, and her warmth is truly genuine. We trusted her completely, and that trust made the whole wedding planning process so much smoother. On the wedding day, Aunty Tutu absolutely stole the show (in the best way possible!). Her ceremony was perfect - a beautiful blend of Hawaiian traditions and the spirit of Aloha. Our guests couldn't stop raving about how wonderful she was. There was literally a line to take pictures with her after the ceremony! If you're looking for an officiant who will make your wedding ceremony a truly special and unforgettable experience, look no further than Aunty Tutu. Mahalo nui loa (thank you very much) Aunty Tutu for making our wedding day so perfect!

Auntie Tutu was our officiant at a lovely wedding on the water in Hilo at Richardsons Beach Park…read more She was amazing to work with and had great suggestions and ideas for us as we were our own wedding planners. We chose to have a spiritual as opposed to religious wedding and she came up with an amazing service. Even though Auntie is out of Kona she came to Hilo for just a little bit more. All of our guests said it was one of the best services they had ever been to. Arranging a Hawaii wedding from the mainland seemed daunting at times...but she was great at communicating with us. I would recommend her to wholeheartedly.

From the moment he stepped into my life, there was an instant connection. He is kind, respectful,…read moreand very knowledgeable about how my husband's retirement/birthday party should be catered. He came over to our home to look at the space we had for the party. From there he built a fabulous menu a genuinely cared about each aspect of the party. He showed up on time, set everything up and even did a Hawaiian chant to let us know that "dinner was served". The food was delicious and his wife, who helps him cater, sang the most beautiful rendition of happy birthday to my husband. We were all blown away to say the least. He cleaned up, secured all the leftovers so that I could pack and freeze them for another time. My husband and I have been eating on the leftovers ever since. I highly highly recommend Beornappetit for your next catering event. He's the sweetest!

EPIC FAIL. TOTALLY DISAPPOINTED IN BEORN…read more We booked Beorn to do a breakfast event for our residents last month. We paid him close to $900 in advance.The first problem I have is that Beorn didn't even bother to show up. He must have booked another event the same day and wanted make more money, so he sent us a friend of his to do the catering that he was supposed to do. He sent us Chef Joseph. Although he was a nice guy, he was totally unprepared for the event. He was hinting to us before the event started that he may run out of fuel and eggs. How can you be low on fuel and food when the event hasn't even started? Just to recap... 1. We were invoiced for 2 chefs, but only got 1. 2. He only used (2) of the (8) brand new omelet pans we were promised. There were only 2 portable stoves used instead of the 6. 3. Chef did not bring 2 cases of fuel. Ran out after one hour. 4. Only received 2 of the 3 sauces. Missed the pesto sauce. 5. We were invoiced for 10 gallons of champagne/oj, which equals 160 cups. We did not get this. We were out of juice and champagne within 1.5 hours of the event. Chef ran out of the following items: * Fuel * Forks * Plates * Egg Beaters * Oil * Butter * Mushrooms * Passion fruit juice - Did not get 12 gallons 6. The décor was subpar. It was nothing like the photos he sent to us. When I first called him to discuss the issues, he assures me he will correct it. A few days later, he emails me saying we had more guests than expected and that they were over consuming the food bottomless mimosas. What?! We had a person at the front door checking off names on the rsvp list. We had 130 guests. Then he says that he has "closed his business and relocated out of state." Huh?? This guy has no idea how to make customers happy. We would have booked his company numerous times if he would have provided what he promised and/or corrected his mistakes. I don't know where these 5 star reviews are coming from, but my advice would be to not book him. Book another company. If you do go with him, pay with PayPal like we did. We got our half our money back which was fair. I will NEVER use his company again.

Chef Paul was fantastic to work with for my sister's 50th birthday celebration. He was responsive…read moreand was able to accommodate her dietary restrictions (gluten free & vegetarian). He had a special lei made for her too! Food was delicious. It is scary to book someone, never meeting them in person, but I would highly recommend Chef Paul!

We had such a great experience with Chef Paul. He was friendly, professional, and knows his craft…read morewell. He delivered an incredible 6 course meal for our group of 6 and we loved every bite of it.

Each year, our family gathers for a week to reconnect and spend time together, as we all live in…read moredifferent places (Palo Alto, Ca, Houston, TX and Asheville, NC). This year we rented a home on Keauhou Bay on the big island of Hawaii, and enjoyed a week in paradise! One of the best things we did to make our time together really special was to have Big Island Chef, Martha, and her team prepare three dinners for us: two buffet style and one drop-off. We had high expectations, but my goodness, we were blown away by how delicious the food was (and by the generous portions!). Martha had sent us menu ideas, but we simply told her what we liked and didn't like (not much) and asked her to prepare an omakase ("I'll leave it up to you") menu for us. The ingredients were all incredibly fresh, most of it local fish, meat and produce, much of it sourced from her own farm. She is an enormously talented chef who clearly loves what she does, and her clients reap the benefits of her passion for food. We thoroughly enjoyed every single bite of our dinners, and there were plenty of leftovers for a complete meal the following evening, too. She is happy to share her recipes with you, with one exception: her legendary (and fabulously decadent!) Honey Caramel Macadamia Nut Tart that she served us with homemade macadamia nut ice cream. All five adults and our two young grandchildren are still raving about the meals Martha prepared for us, and are an integral part of the afterglow we're basking in from our week in Hawaii. I would highly recommend Chef Martha to anyone seeking a private chef for any event, but especially for families who are renting a home and want a break from the kitchen. Our culinary experience with her was truly 5-star on all accounts! Mahalo, Chef Martha!!!

Martha is an incredible chef. I was lucky enough to have her cook a private meal for myself and…read moreguests. Attention to detail, delecious food, easy communication all equalled a wonderful dining experience. Appetizers, all courses plated and her incredible macademia caramel tart for desert made for a perfect evening. I look forward to my next trip to the Big Island and having Martha create another magical evening.

DJ Ed Geer came recommended by our venue, and he was one of the first vendors we hired when we…read morebegan planning our Big Island wedding. From the moment we started working with Ed, up until our wedding reception in April 2025, he was nothing short of consistent, professional, and a joy to communicate with. It's immediately clear that Ed has years of experience in the industry, having worked at countless weddings -- he truly knows his craft. Ed was the heartbeat of our wedding reception. His passion for what he does is undeniable, and it shows in every interaction. He's a true professional who wants nothing but perfection for your special day. Throughout the planning process, he was quick to respond to every email and phone call, and each conversation felt more like chatting with a close friend than a vendor. In the months leading up to our wedding, we had several calls where Ed took the time to really get to know us -- our love story, backgrounds, the vibe we wanted to create at our reception, and of course, our musical tastes. He even recommended adding special songs to specific moments in our timeline, and let me tell you, it made a huge impact! Some of our calls lasted almost two hours, which just goes to show how invested he is in making your day exactly what you envision. And, as a lovely surprise, Ed threw in extra lighting at no charge because he's that passionate about creating the perfect atmosphere for you. When we finally met Ed at our wedding reception, it truly felt like a family embrace. His warm, positive, and friendly personality made us feel like we'd known him for years. He really looks out for you and ensures you have the best time, which we absolutely did. Ed played all the songs from our curated playlist, and the dance floor was packed all night. He's also a naturally gifted emcee, and everything he said over the microphone flowed effortlessly. If you're looking for a professional with extensive experience AND an incredible personality, don't hesitate to book Ed for your wedding. You won't regret it. Mahalo, Ed, for everything you did and more. It was an honor having you at our wedding, and we can't wait to visit the Big Island and cross paths again in the future! With love from your gangsta couple, Esther & Ryan

The music, the man, DJ Ed Geer. I nicknamed him, "The Voice," as soon as I heard him over the PA…read moresystem. Found out later that he used to be on the radio. My niece's destination wedding was held at the Kona Salt Farm in February 2026. I was a guest but also assisted with the planning and coordination as none of us were from Kona. Initially, the plan was to have recorded music with a friend serving as the emcee. Having worked for an entertainment company (not as a performer) I was very happy when the couple decided on hiring a professional DJ instead. Timing is critical on a show, and I got spoiled expecting that in every type of performance/event I attended. Ed provided the sound system and mic'd the groom and officiant for the ceremony while the main set up was in the reception area of the oceanfront sandstone. The bridal couple worked with Ed on the playlist for the ceremony, pupus/hors d'oeuvres reception, dinner and dancing. Not until sunset, did I notice the lighting focused on Ed's set up as well as the "stage/dancing" area. The soft uplighting at the foot of the speakers' stands added such a beautiful ambience to an already incredible setting. Ed is a consummate professional, with a great personality, easy to work with and very accommodating. He kept the entire event in smooth harmony from ceremony, reception, to the couple's sparklers send-off. Everything flowed perfectly, thanks to Ed. Nothing comes to mind when everything's running smoothly. It's only noticeable when there are glitches or uncomfortable pauses. We had none. From the flower girl & boy to the ring bearer, young adults and even seniors, he had the place hopping. It was great seeing everyone having so much fun and enjoying themselves. I can't imagine we would have had the same excitement and light show or expended energy with taped music. The guests did not want the evening to end . . . what more can you ask for? A great wedding celebration with happy guests not wanting to leave! All thanks to Ed "The Voice" Geer.

We hired Hawaii Sound and Vision for our wedding and we were thrilled with their services. They…read moreprovided us with lighting, sound, a dance floor, and a silent disco. They were top notch in every way, from professionalism to timeliness to the quality of the items rented. Everything was seamless, we didn't really have to worry about anything when it came to their services. The silent disco was so cool and they stayed VERY late at our party to make sure we had the experience we wanted to. Highly recommend them for your lighting and sound needs.

Let me start off by saying that my wedding was THREE YEARS in the making thanks to COVID. After all…read morethat time, we finally pulled our wedding off on 7/24/21 and thanks to HSAV everyone had an AMAZING TIME. I wish I could go into all the boring details so you could see the amount of effort and work that went into planning our big day, but I'll spare you. Jessica, who I worked with to plan everything ahead of time, was so sweet, kind and helpful throughout the entire process, even when we worked our way through the pandemic. On the day of, the HSAV team was super helpful working with my coordinator to trouble shoot. And that night, Glenn was there to emcee with another DJ too. Everyone, including my old school parents, thoroughly enjoyed having them and left us wanting to hire them for something else. If I could give a million stars to HSAV for everything they did, TRUST ME, I would. If you are in the process of planning your event, I would highly, highly recommend Hawaii Sound & Vision and can 100% guarantee you will not be disappointed. PS: They offer a LOT of different services like select rentals, DJ services, lighting, etc. Hire them for everything!!! If I could start over, I would have hired them for everything I possibly could have.

Kairie Music is the absolute BEST! We heard him play a couple of years ago at the County Building…read morein Kona. His voice and music is so captivating. After hearing him play, we had to have him for our community 'ohana festival. Everyone was amazed and wanted to know who he is. Kai will be playing again for our upcoming 'Ohana Festival on Saturday, November 16,2024 at the Kings Shops Waikoloa. Come down and hear him sing at 1:30 PM, guarantee you will enjoy.