Hawaiian Wedding Resources

A Hawaiian wedding is typically tradition-filled to show respect for the family, ancestors and culture. This ensures luck, prosperity and happiness for the bridal couple.

Include variations of Christian-Protestant traditions in your ceremony - traditional for most Hawaiian weddings. Plan for the ceremony to include a combination of English and Hawaiian.

Select a white holoku (Hawaiian wedding dress) for the bride to wear.

Choose a white shirt and pants with a colored sash for the groom’s wedding attire.

Order maile leis (garlands made out of fragrant green leaves) for both of you to wear. The lei symbolizes “aloha” and how ancient Hawaiians communicated with nature.

Request that the bride’s lei be woven with pikake (white jasmine) and the groom’s made from ilima (a flower with very thin yellow-orange petals).

Provide leis for the mothers of the bride and groom to wear. Triple strands of pikake are a good choice.

Follow an early Hawaiian tradition by having someone blow into a conch shell three times at the start of the ceremony to signify the Lord’s divine presence.

Incorporate ethnic customs that reflect the rich mix of cultures in Hawaii. Look to Filipino, Chinese and Japanese cultures for ideas. For instance, you might incorporate the Chinese tradition of setting off fireworks to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck to the marriage.

Fold 1,001 origami (tsurus) cranes out of metallic paper prior to the wedding. The crane lives for 1,000 years and represents good luck, good fortune, longevity, happiness, fidelity and peace.

Order a Hawaiian wedding cake made of wheat flour. The wheat, known as the “staff of life,” symbolizes the start of your new relationship together.

If you plan on having your wedding in Hawaii, there are several online resources that will help you plan it, or offer packages that will suit your needs as weddings can be very stressful in of themselves.