Hawaiian Wedding Rituals
Whether you're a native of Hawaii or want to have your wedding there, it's essential to learn about a few Hawaiian wedding rituals that you may want to incorporate into your ceremony. Hawaiian wedding customs are often a mix of cultural traditions, so it will be easy to include all the rituals that are important to you.
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Leis
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The bride and groom may choose to exchange leis with one another during the wedding ceremony, as a symbol of their everlasting love, and a nod to Tahitian culture. It is appropriate for the bride and groom to kiss one another after the leis are placed around their necks, as opposed to waiting until they are officially pronounced husband and wife. The bride may also wear a "haku lei," or small wreath of flowers, around her head for the wedding.
Conch Shell
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Since many Hawaiian wedding ceremonies include Christian influence, it is appropriate to have someone blow a conch shell three times at the start of the ceremony. These three soundings represent the presence of the Holy Trinity, or Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In addition to the blowing of the conch shell, Catholic couples can also choose to have mass as part of the ceremony.
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Origami Cranes
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The folding of origami cranes is a ritual that comes from Japanese culture. The bride must fold 1,000 cranes together before her wedding day to bring luck, peace, and good fortune to her marriage. The groom folds crane number 1,001. Folding the cranes takes time and patience, qualities that are necessary for a healthy marriage, and cranes are animals that have the same mate for life, which are why they are used as symbol of marriage by the Japanese. The cranes are often framed for display, so that wedding guests can enjoy the artwork and be reminded of the good fortune they hope the couple will share.
Attire
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Both the bride and groom wear white for a Hawaiian wedding. The groom wears a long-sleeved shirt and white slacks, along with a red or multi-colored sash that is tied around his waist. The bride wears a "Holoku," which is the formal version of a muumuu. Since many Hawaiian weddings take place on the beach, it is appropriate for the bride and groom, as well as members of the wedding party, to be barefoot.
Wedding Rings
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Wedding bands are often inscribed with the names of the bride and groom. Couples can choose to have their last name inscribed on the ring, or to have the Hawaiian version of their name decorate their wedding band. It is also common for the word "kuuipo" to be written on the bride's ring, which is the word for "sweetheart."
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References
- Photo Credit pineapple and lei image by William Berry from Fotolia.com
