Longer overdue review, but we had a wonderful experience working with Destination Events Hawaii for our wedding in September. Jen was extremely accommodating, responsive, and easy to work with. The food was incredible, all of our guests raved about the food with many guests saying it was the best wedding food they had ever had, especially the kale salad. Everything went smoothly on our special day thanks to their hard work and expertise. We're so grateful for their role in making our day so special and would absolutely recommend them to anyone planning a wedding or special event! read more

I recently collaborated with Destination Events Hawaii for a wedding at Waimea Plantation Cottages and they were fabulous to work with from concept to creation. Jen accommodated the Bride and Groom regardless of their request, everyone raved about the food, and the staff on site was amazing. Organized, professional, and great communicators. The quality of food and service exceeded our expectations. Thank you to everyone on Team DEH! I hope to work with you all again. read more

I will never run out of wonderful things to say about Jen and Destination Events Hawaii! We first started working with Jen to cater our wedding in 2019 for our event in June 2020... as you can imagine, we had to postpone our original wedding. Jen was so kind and more than willing to work with us, saving our original contract to use at a later date. She was kind and flexible with us as we had to postpone for three years due to COVID and new family additions. When 2023 rolled around and we were finally able to have our wedding ceremony and reception in Kilauea, Jen was beyond helpful in helping us plan our food and bar setup, including how to ensure we had delicious vegan and child-friendly options for our guests. Our guests could not say enough good things about how fantastic all of the food was! We were blown away by all of it. We chose to do passed appetizers as well as appetizer stations, a buffet style dinner, and dessert stations with a bar also run by Destination Events Hawaii. Everything was delicious, the staff were all so kind and helpful, and Jen's presence was warm and inviting. We would work with Destination Events Hawaii one hundred times over! Thank you for everything, Jen! (And please forgive my woefully late review!! You're the best!) read more

We had a tasting with Jen and her team. Everything was amazing and delicious. Her commitment to quality was noticeable in every dish. We can't wait for the wedding. Keep up the great work, Jen! read more

Destination Events Hawaii is amazing! The food is OMG- so good! We want to start by saying thank you to Jen. When I initially reached out, Jen was so helpful, answering all of my questions and offering recommendations. From our first email in 2020 up to our event in 2022, Jen was extremely responsive which we appreciated so much. The DEH team is equally as awesome! Leigh came to tour the property before our event and was genuine and friendly. They all work as a team and everything turned out flawlessly! The appetizers were delicious- I could not stop eating them. The drinks were phenomenal as well. I tried a Mai Tai twice at two places on the island and questioned if I actually liked them. I told my husband- "yikes we have this drink on our menu and I really don't like it." But on our wedding day, one of our friends ordered the Mai Tai and said it was soooo good. So I tried it and my mouth dropped. Best drink I have had on the island. It was so tasty and the whole night I continued to order Mai Tais. This was also our most popular drink from the bar for our wedding day along with the margaritas. Our guests said our wedding meal was the best food they had all week in Kauai! We loved DEH so much that we also had them cater our Welcome Brunch prior to our wedding day. They made delicious breakfast food and worked alongside my mom to create a menu. The whole team is friendly, positive and truly want you to enjoy your experience. Thank you DEH! read more

See all

I truly can't say enough about Jen (owner) and her team at Destination Events Hawaii. From the moment I first reached out to my wedding day, they went above and beyond in every way. She thoroughly answered every question (and I had a lot!) and addressed every concern. All of our guests commented how great the food and service was. For those who had traveled out of state, treating them to a good meal and convenient bar service was important to us. As someone who has worked in the service industry, I notice the little things, like ensuring everyone's water is full at all times, being ready with a recommendation or a substitute and always having a smile. This was absolutely true of DEH. Jen wasn't able to make it to my wedding day, but I think it says a lot about a business when the team is just as capable to carry on and deliver an above-and-beyond experience without the owner present. There is so much that goes into catering, and it can be overwhelming for a bride-to-be. Thank you to DEH for everything. Trust me, they are worth it! read more

I booked Destination Events Hawaii for my 50th birthday party. The party was held at a residence on the north shore of Kauai. I personally worked with Jen. From our first correspondence, right through the day of the party, Jen's response time to any of my questions and her sincere interest or concern with anything I put to her was above and beyond. Once we established the size and kind of party I was having, Jen was able to help point me in the right direction with food, bar service and a cake. The day of the party, Jen and her team arrived a couple of hours before the party was due to start and began to work their magic. They prepared the food and set a bar in the front room. As soon as the first guest arrived there was food and drinks at the ready. To say the food was amazing, doesn't say enough. As I told Jen when we were planning the menu that I had a couple of picky eaters and a vegetarian attending. Needless to say, they were more than able to accommodate them. We had a full tended bar. If you're ever on the fence with having a bartender I highly recommend it. And the cakes. Yes 2 cakes! Delicious! After the last of the guests departed, her team began to return the house to the way it was when they arrived earlier. This was a worry-free party, enjoyed by all who attend. I would refer Destination Events Hawaii to everyone. Mahalo Jen! MIke read more

We are extremely disappointed in the customer service of this company. We had to cancel our June 2020 wedding due to the coronavirus pandemic. We were only given the option to postpone our wedding to later in the year. We paid a deposit of over $1400.00 for no services rendered, except a contract and quote. While per the contract, Destination Events will only give partial refund for events canceled 120 days ahead of the date, given the circumstances, this doesn't seem like the fair or ethical thing to do. We didn't want to cancel our wedding; we weren't given a choice considering the safety of our guests and ourselves is our highest priority. My fiance is out of work due to the pandemic, and we could really use the money. read more

Very good farm to table food on Kauai. Came for Sunday brunch and the food did not disappoint. Made to order omelette or eggs Benedict in addition to a full buffet with a variety of delicious offerings makes this a definite stop while visiting the island. Nice live music too. A tad pricey at $45 per person (hence the 4 stars). For what they are offering $30-35 per person would be more appropriate. After brunch walk the trail to the waterfall! My only disappointment is that all the guava trees on the property are gone since we visited in 2009. I wish Common Ground offered guava picking instead of cutting down all the trees. This fruit is used in everything yet so hard to find. read more

I honestly cannot say enough positive things about both working with Jen and the food that her team provided for our wedding!! My husband and I recently got married on the North Shore of Kauai at Na Aina Kai (June 2017) and used Destination Events Hawaii for our 85 person wedding. We were able to meet Jen through our planner, Marie (at Legacy Events) and we went for a brunch in April 2016 so we could check out the food since Marie recommended them hands down. Jen was absolutely lovely from the start and extremely professional, organized and thoughtful throughout the whole process. She was one of the absolute best vendors to work with and we had SO many guests compliment the food the day of and for weeks after so we definitely knew we chose well. A couple of areas that I'd like to specifically callout about Jen + her team: - Organization: Jen has the whole process nailed down and it was so easy to sign her on to do the wedding and pick food choices - we barely had to do any work she was so good at letting me know what I should do, providing documentation and she was super responsive to both emails and was always willing to do a call if I had questions - Budget: Jen was wonderful in understanding our budget and helping us assess tradeoffs or doing anything that she could do to reduce our total cost - I sincerely appreciated this - she knew her stuff! - The Food: The food was soooo good and as mentioned, many guests complimented the meal + desserts. Everything was full of flavor, hot, etc. - she made sure my husband and I were taken care of to the last detail of making sure we had our own appetizer plate, plenty of food for dinner, etc. My husband and I also LOVE hot sauce so we had a hot sauce bar and her chefs made their own, local hot sauce for the event - it was so yummy and super unique. - Service: Everyone on her team (servers, bartenders, etc.) were SO kind and professional (I can't emphasize this enough) - they were seriously fantastic. It made our special day go off with a hitch and our guests were extremely well taken care of You really can't go wrong with Jen and her team for any event! read more

Jen Vanderlaan was a gem to work with from start to finish. Planning a destination wedding from a different state can be quite the challenge. I spent a year planning all the details of my intimate wedding, and many of the restaurants I looked into fell short in one respect or another. A local Kaua'i friend referred me to Jen and Destination Events, and I am so happy I chose to have her cater at our rental house. There was just something instantly trust-worthy about her and the way she communicated. I could feel her good intent in how she outlined the menu, the prices, the options, the combinations. There was so much humility, flexibility and patience in how she responded to each of my questions. I was a little hesitant in how to approach prices because so many other vendors I spoke with were a little on the pushy side and seemed annoyed if I had budget concerns. I respect the fact that vendors need to take advantage of the season, but it can be tricky striking the balance between spending enough to have quality and not succumbing to being too overcharged. Jen didn't make me feel "cheap" or uncomfortable or pressured in any way. She offered suggestions on how to adjust the choices in a way that helped us stay closer to our budget without compromising the meal. And even so, our appetizers and main entrees translated as very "high-end" cuisine. Everything was presented uniquely and well, the sushi was delicious and fresh, and the entrees were extremely well-prepared and seasoned. My daughter, who has become a very picky eater in kindergarten, loved Jen's wasabi mashed potatoes! Go figure! Wasabi! The two cakes we had were also amazing--better than a well-known bakery in Lihue that many had recommended. They did not last long in our fridge the next day. All our guests finished them off for breakfast the following morning. lol Lastly, Jen and her crew were professional, organized, and very gracious. They packaged all of the left-over food in neat little boxes and stacked them so nicely in our fridge. All of our guests were impressed with how they all carried themselves and how they served/prepared the food. It was a classy night. Thank you, Jen. read more

Jen is simply amazing! Our wedding was supposed to be 8.24 but with Hurricane Lane potentially headed towards Kauai, Jen pulled off a miracle coordinating everything to move the wedding a day earlier -selflessly trying to make our wedding as amazing as possible and thinking of those who may want to get off the island earlier. The comments from all of the guests was that no one would have even known that the wedding wasn't supposed to be that day and how effortless Jen made it seem, with a smile the whole time! Even without so much adventure, Jen is just incredible at what she does. Every suggestion she made felt like a perfect match for what we were looking for and the food and drinks were phenomenal! Our guests raved about everything but I highly recommend choosing the Pina on the Rocks as one of your specialty drinks! You could not find a better event coordinator / caterer anywhere! read more

I can't say enough about the fantastic quality and customer service you will receive by using Destination Events Hawaii for any of your special event needs. If you have a vision they will make it happen and do so with ease. With their vast experience and knowledge of the island they are your go-to company for any event large or small. read more

Incredible in every way! Jen was such a pleasure to work with from start to finish. We had a very specific menu for our wedding celebration - vegan/gluten-free and a few other specific dietary requests. She created a delicious menu that worked for everyone's needs. We all thought the food was spectacular and the drinks were delicious, too! I also have to comment that the servers/bartenders went above and beyond to take care of us. They were phenomenal! I would highly recommend working with DEH for an event on Kauai. read more

AMAZING! the food is fantastic and so fresh and flavorful! as a wedding planner I get to taste many caterers and this is one of the best. Not to mention working with Jen is wonderful! she is able to come up with great options and ideas and the final product is always above and beyond. Not to mention the location is beautiful with a outside feel but still protected and intimate. A real treat of Kauai! read more

Jen and her Team are AMAZING! They know how to make your dream event at any time of the year and will go above and beyond to make your escape the most memorable experience you'll ever have! read more

We chose to use Destination Events for our wedding catering after looking at several companies on island. Jen welcomed us for a tasting about six months prior to our special day, and worked with us to provide several options to fit our needs and budget. Even with several vegans and vegetarians on our guest list, they were able to supply delicious, appealing appetizers and entrées for our wedding. Jen and her staff exceeded our expectations and helped to make our wedding fantastic. Highly recommend them to anyone looking for a caterer on Kauai!!!!! read more

Destination Events did our September wedding at Na Aina Kai Botanical Gardens and it was fantastic! Not only was the food the best wedding food I have ever had (truly high-end restaurant quality) but the staff was flawless! Jen was there to personally oversee everything and her staff could not have been more prepared, professional and unobtrusive. If you are considering catering for any event on Kauai, I cannot recommend Destination Events enough! read more