Getting Married in Purr-adise

Fur-ever Starts Here: Weddings at the Lānaʻi Cat Sanctuary

If you and your partner are cat people, you already know the truth. No beach, no ballroom, and no vineyard can compete with a tropical purr-adise full of purring, blissfully unbothered cats. So why not get married there?

The Lānaʻi Cat Sanctuary is one of Hawaii’s most extraordinary places. Spread across four shaded acres just minutes from the Lānaʻi airport, it is home to more than 700 rescued cats. These cats have good food, loving care, and absolutely no obligations. It’s the #1 visitor attraction on Lānaʻi according to TripAdvisor, and once you’ve been, it’s not hard to understand why.

The property itself is beautiful. Tall trees provide generous shade throughout the grounds. The sanctuary also offers a shaded picnic area and restrooms just outside the main compound, making it a comfortable place to gather even in the Hawaiian sun. This is an outdoor wedding done right.

Alexandra & Bryce pic by Madelynne Lorraine

When you exchange your vows here, your audience is unlike any other. On any given day, cats are draped across pathways, peering from cat condos, and napping in the trees. You won’t see all 700 at once, but here’s the thing: the staff make sure your feline guests actually show up. When a wedding is happening, they bring out treats to coax the kitties into attendance. And at the moment of the pronouncement, instead of tossing rice or birdseed, the staff shower the newlyweds with cat treats. Watching cats materialize from every direction to celebrate your marriage is something your guests will talk about for years.

I have performed quite a few ceremonies here, and every single one has been joyful. There is something about this setting that puts everyone at ease. Maybe it’s the cats. Maybe it’s the island air. Maybe it’s knowing your celebration is happening somewhere that genuinely saves lives.

I offer a custom ceremony script written specifically for the Lānaʻi Cat Sanctuary. I can dial the cat puns up or down depending on your taste. Want something heartfelt and understated? Done. Want your vows to include “fur-ever after”? Also done, and I have plenty more where that came from.

The sanctuary is also a wonderful setting for a vow renewal. I call it a Meow Renewal. Whether you’re celebrating five years or fifty, there is no better place to reaffirm your commitment. You can do this surrounded by animals who have been given a second chance at a happy life.

Couples who hold their ceremony at the sanctuary make a donation to this incredible nonprofit as a thank-you for hosting. It’s a meaningful way to start a marriage, knowing your celebration directly supports over 700 rescued cats and helps protect native Hawaiian birds.

Getting to Lānaʻi is part of the adventure. You can fly in from Honolulu or Maui, or take the ferry from Maui for a scenic crossing. The island has a quiet, unhurried feel that is a world away from the busier Hawaiian islands.

Maui also has some very talented paw approved photographers & videographers who’d love to capture all the romance and fun of a Cat Sanctuary wedding. I’ve listed them below the photo gallery.

If you’re a cat lover looking for a wedding that is personal, memorable, and unlike anything your guests have ever seen, the Lānaʻi Cat Sanctuary might be the venue you didn’t know you were looking for. Your photos will be incredible and it will be an unfurr-getable experience.

Learn more at lanaicatsanctuary.org, and reach out if you’d like to talk about making it official, with feline witnesses.