Four Seasons Lodge at Koele, Lanai, Hawaii

The basics

The quiet island of Lanai has only two true resorts: a Four Seasons property on a beach, and a Four Seasons property on a mountain. Though the beach compound is sunny and sprawling, it’s the one in the hills—the Four Seasons Lodge at Koele—that seems made for a wedding. Unlike anything else in Hawaii, it blends the lush greens of Scotland, the piney scent of the Pacific Northwest, and the dark timbers and fireplaces of an English hunting lodge.

Wedding details

An indication of just how seriously they take their wedding business, the hotel recently tasked Allison McDaniel, one of the Four Seasons’ most respected event specialists, with coordinating wedding here; she’s been party planning for the hotel group for over 25 years. As far as the ceremony goes, the 1938 wooden chapel lures traditionalists, a Chinese pagoda attracts serene types, and you can pose for photos in a flower garden, in front of a split-rail fence, or on a croquet green. Couples hold cocktail gatherings in the Orchid House, cowboy-themed barbecues at the stables, and intimate dinners in the lodge’s leather-and-brass library. The Great Lawn gets the bulk of reception requests; it gets chilly, so tell guests to bring a sweater.

Getting there

Lanai is a 20-minute flight from Honolulu; the lodge is a quick shuttle ride away. (A one-time transportation fee gets you pretty much anywhere.) If you want to head off-island for an afternoon, Maui’s tourist hub, Lahaina, is 45 minutes by ferry.

Keep in mind

Because there’s so little on the rest of the island, you’re pretty much going to be living the Four Seasons life 24/7. There’s one small town that’s fun to walk around for an hour, and that’s about it. But if you can afford it, you’re in for one cushy wedding weekend.