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Weddings in Hawaii
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Wedding Lei's
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A "traditional wedding" in
Hawaii has a different meaning for every island couple. More and more
brides and grooms see a wedding as a personal statement, a reflection of
their tastes, interests and respect for their heritage. They have the
option of borrowing from the many customs introduced to the islands by the
immigrants who came to Hawaii from all over the world. LEIS
The lei is the Hawaiian symbol of love
and aloha. The custom of giving and receiving leis at weddings began in
the days of old Hawaii. During the ceremony the kahuna pule (religious
man) bound the hands of the bride and groom with maile leis as a symbol of
the couple's commitment to each other.
Today, the fragrant maile lei entwined with pikake (white jasmine) and
ilima is usually worn by the groom. The bride sometimes wears a haku
headband instead of a traditional headpiece. Triple strands of delicate
pikake are also appropriate for the mother of the bride and groom. |
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| Lei Name |
Example |
Discription |
Availability & Cost |
| MAILE LEI
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Fragrant and green maile leaves are
traditionally worn by the groom. Other flowers such as pikake or ilima are
often woven with maile leaves. |
Available all year.
Plain maile leis start at $20. |
PIKAKE LEI
(White Jasmine)
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Pikake flowers resemble pearls
and have a heavenly fragrance. Pikake leis are traditional for the bride.
Pikake flowers can be entwined with other flowers such as ilima, orchids
or rosebuds. |
Temperamental flower abundantly
available in summer months.
Single strand is $5.50. (Minimum 3
strands) |
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OHAI ALI'I LEI
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The Ohai Ali'i is vibrant orange or
yellow in color. The Ohai Ali'i lei has a feathery appearance. |
Available all year.
$13-18 Single, $18-30 Double |
| TUBEROSE LEI
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The tuberose is white and has a sweet
lovely fragrance. The delicate flowers can be doubled so that only the
petals show. |
Available all year.
From $7.50 per strand. |
| CARNATION LEI
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The popular carnation lei is very
thick and showy. The flowers are naturally white, pink, red or striped,
but can be dyed any color to match the occasion. |
Available all year.
From $4.50 per lri. |
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CROWN FLOWER LEI
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Crown flowers come in lavender or
white and can be worn with or without petals. This lei has no fragrance. |
Temperamental flower.
Availability is subject to weather.
From $3 per strand. |
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LEI PUA KENIKENI
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The Pua Kenikeni is golden in color
and has a spicy fragrance. Its unusual color and fragrance make it a
popular lei when in season. |
Available around the warm summer
months.
From $5.50 per lei. |
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HAKU LEI
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The haku lei can be made with any
types of flowers, vines, leaves or seeds, arranged and woven together. The
haku is most often worn as a head lei. |
Available all year.
From $20 per lei. |
DENDROBIUM
ORCHID LEI
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The dainty dendrobium orchid comes in
white, yellow, purple and lavender and is often made double thick |
Available all year.
From $6.50 Single, $22 Double |
MAUNALOA
ORCHID LEI
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White or purple vanda orchids are
stacked with their petals lined up to create this beautiful lei. |
Available all year.
From $20.50 per lei. |
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ILIMA LEI
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Thousands of paper-thin ilima flower
petals of yellow-orange are carefully strung together to create this
spectacular lei. Ilima leis were once only worn by the Ali'i. |
Available during the summer months.
From $12.50 per strand. |
CIGAR
FLOWER LEI
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Cigar flower leis are made with
hundreds of tiny orange-red flowers strung in a rope-like style. These
leis are usually worn by men. |
Available during the summer months.
From $18.50 per lei. |
MICRONESIAN
GINGER LEI |
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The fragrant ginger flower is woven
with stems forming a delicate lace-like pattern on the inside with the
blossoms on the outside.(Various styles) |
Available all year.
From $9.50 Single, $20 Double |
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Other
considerations
HAWAIIAN WEDDINGS
The Hawaiian wedding ceremony is combined
with variations of Christian-Protestant traditions. Portions of the
double-ring ceremony are conducted in Hawaiian and English. The bride
wears a white holoku and the groom wears a white shirt and trousers with a
color sash around his waist. Both the bride and groom wear leis.
MONEY DANCE
The Filipino money dance has become a
tradition in Hawaii no matter what the ethnic background of the bride and
groom. This festive custom, usually begins with the bride and groom's
first dance. Sometimes the money is taped together and wrapped around the
bride and groom .The dance continues until all the guests have had an
opportunity to express their best wishes to the newlyweds with a monetary
gift.
ORIGAMI -TSURUS
A wedding in Hawaii would not be complete
without 1001 cranes. Folding metallic origami paper into one thousand and
one (for good luck) cranes is a tradition that began here in Hawaii
sometime during the 1960's.
In Asia, the crane (or tsuru, as they are called by the Japanese) has long
symbolized fortune, longevity, happiness, fidelity, and peace. The trend
today is to have your 1001 cranes professionally mounted and framed for
display at your wedding reception and in your new home. 1001 cranes at the
start of married life is a golden tradition - Tsuru wa sennen - the crane
lives for 1,000 years. CAKE
CUTTING
In Hawaii, the cake cutting ritual has a
beautiful tradition filled with Aloha. The wedding cake which is made of
flour, formed from wheat, the staff of life, symbolizes a new life.
Cutting the first slice of cake represents a commitment to share whatever
path life takes. Giving each other a small piece of cake is a symbol of
the vow of love, honor and respect.
According
to one of Hawaii's wedding consultants, with this beautiful tradition
behind the cake cutting ceremony, it is in very poor taste to mash a piece
of wedding cake into your spouse's face. Your entire wedding day from the
exchange of rings to throwing your bouquet is filled with tradition. Each
part of your wedding day should be symbolic of your devotion to each other.
For
more general information
on Hawaii, go to: |
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For more regional
information on Hawaii, go to: |
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more product information
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our special offers to Hawaii from Europe, go to:
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These
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Europe, interisland flights, hotels, transfers and rentalcars. Another option is to create your own package to
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Carrental
and
excursions
on the islands. |
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