Hard to find beach wedding venue!

I am getting married in June, my fiance and I would like to have our wedding at the beach. There are so many beaches in Hong Kong, and I thought it is a really good idea. So, I started to look for protential locations since January. First of all, all the beaches, or restaurants by the beach were close for Winter season. We found few locations at the beginning, the first one is Concerto Inn at Lamma Island, people there are really nice but only thing we don't like is, they cannot set tables on the beach for dinner. Another one is Ooh La La Restaurant & Bar at Lantau Island, the people there are not that organise, and it is so hard to look for them for any discussion. The only thing good about it, the restaurant is right on the beach and they can set tables on the beach for dinner party, which is exactly what are we looking for! Well, but not sure about the communication with them. Another place is called Cococabana at Deep Water Bay, people are very nice there as well, but the restaurant itself can only hold 120 guests maximum. They can set tables on the beach as well, but the restaurant is situated right on the comples where the toilets, changing rooms and showers are. It is a bit weird to have dinner or taking pictures while people having shower as your backdrop..... Other than these, I've tried to contact the government and see if we can rent the beach, NO! And a lot of restaurants by the beaches are too small to host such event....... So, we decided to go with Oohlala.......

Oh la la....... here comes the problem. They raise almost 50% of the rental fee from their orginal quotation and saying that was just a rough quote. But don't know why suddenly the price went up so much. They charge HK$5,000 for site decoration, but basically what they do is just giving you table cloth, some chairs and the coverage (kind of veil with bamboo like a canopy) for our ceremony! And they refer this venue decorator that roughly charge around $15,000 for decoration without fresh flowers...... but then, we called the decorator and asked for a similar quote, they come back with $3,880 without fresh flowers. (When we asked for the contact of the decorator, they said they don't want to disclose, but then they have their name on the pdf file, so that's how we call and check)

Their attitude is really bad, and they don't seem like wanting to help. When we tell them the rental fee is really high, and they would not trying to help on let's say taking out the $5,000 deco fee if we have venue decorator anyway...... Just keep saying it's like that! It's like you take it or leave it!

We checked other venues, and no one asked for rental fee, as long as what you spend is meeting their minimum. We really don't understand why they do so........... so, what can we do is just cancelled with them. We don't want to end up spending a lot more than what we expected, because these people seem to change their mind and ask for more and more money.......

Now, keep looking for a venue and time is getting close to our wedding, but we have some good resources........... Let's see.

Have you checked out Palm Beach, Lantau they seem really well organized and have good facilities? Not sure if they do weddings, i have been to a family event for Lantern Festival. I know a good wedding photographer in South Lantau if you need one.

Actually, one of my friend told me Cheung Sha is really nice, but when I try to find the name of the restaurant, cannot find out. Here I go! Thanks, and will definitely check it out tomorrow if they do wedding banquet.

Sadly, dikduk, in HK there seems to be a real trend with the ol' "It's like you take it or leave it!"


Once you have shown interest and if you said it was hard to find a venue, then they know you are hooked (line and sinker). So they know that no matter what they charge, if its something you really want, you will always come back to them coz although you would expect them to be "hungry" for the money/work, for them maybe its no big deal if they get your business or not, so basically, its a realsh*tshow!


Good luck though, and hope it all pans out. My friends had their wedding near the beach but not on it, but it was at The Repulse Bay hotel, so yeah, a tad bit more expensive, no doubt...but hey, please do keep updating here about how it goes, no doubt the information you accrue will come in handy for another poster in the future who may fancy a beach wedding.

not sure whether it's any good, but i heard that cafe roma does beach weddings on park island. but i dont think they can hold for more than 120 guests either

Thanks for the contribution from everybody that trying to help out.

So, Palm Beach in Lantau can be rented for wedding, but they don't do dinner banquet. If we want to do it there, have to look for catering service. We think it's too much work.....

I've checked with few other restaurants along Cheung Sha in Lantau, but they are all too small, and cannot hold so many guests.

Repulse Bay is a very good idea and spot, one of my best friend had her wedding there as well, very easy and cool. But it is fully booked on that day.......

Cafe Roma at Park Island is too small, can only accomodate 100 guests maxiumum......

So, we give up the idea of beach wedding party! Too stressful and marriage should be happy and easy......

Now, we are waiting for the confimation of our first choice, The Peak Lookout. We are on the second option, and the other party ahead of us will decide if they are going to take the venue or not........ cross our fingers xxxxxxxxx

We still have 2 other venues to choose, Pawn and Hooray.

Pawn is with different floors, so it might be a problem for sitting together with everybody.

The terrace area of Hooray is really nice, stunning view as well. But somehow I don't like the fact that, you have to make an escalator trip at World Trade Centre, floor by floor, and the appearance of the entrance is not that nice, looks a bit like Cafe de Carol. But once you walk in, it's completely a different world.

Or, we can still go back to the other two beach venue from day one.......

I don't know, somehow I still want to try to keep looking for beach location, but I know it is tough and I guess I've been through almost all of them. It is hard to find one that fits all criteria. Don't want to give up this lovely idea to get married on the beach, but if that has to stress us out so much, maybe really not worth it.......

given the locations you are looking at

- 188 in harbour grand hotel. i remember they can host something on their roof, 270 degree harbour view

- lawn of the hong kong country club

- american country club

-

thanks a lot, checking............. more more more, please!!!

Does it definitely have to be HK?.....otherwise I'd head for Philippines. I've been to 3 there....stunningly beautiful....and very cost effective.

yes, it has to be in HK, otherwise a lot of friends have to fly over to wherever our wedding is......... well, I am glad that finally the venue is confirmed!!!!

I did try, the restaurant is called Cococabana, and I guess "staring at you", you found my original post too long and boring.....lol, that was on my 3 initial choices ;)