Hawaii's multicultural traditions can add sentimental value to your wedding ceremony.
If you and your spouse plan on exchanging vows in Hawaii, you may want to incorporate some local customs into your ceremony. Traditional Hawaiian weddings include a number of reminders for the couple and their loved ones that love is to be cherished and should last forever.
Leis
It is common for the bride and groom to exchange leis, or necklaces made of flowers, during the wedding ceremony. The leis represent the never-ending love the couple has for one another; the bride and groom exchange a kiss after each lei is given.
Conch Shell
At a traditional Hawaiian wedding, it is also customary to blow a conch shell three times. This action pays homage to Christianity, as the three sounds represent the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and the couple's intention to include Christian values into their new home.
Attire
The bride is dressed in a white holoku for a traditional Hawaiian wedding, which is a formal version of the muumuu. The groom wears white trousers and a long-sleeved white shirt, and sometimes a multi-colored or red sash.
Wedding Dance
After the couple have exchanged their vows, it is customary for the bride and groom to engage in the money dance at the reception. Friends and loved ones tape money to the bride and groom to wish them well and help them start their new life together.
Wedding Food
Seafood is common at a traditional Hawaiian wedding. Dishes made with shrimp, crab and lobster are served in abundance, and a whole roasted pig cooked in an Imu, or in-ground oven is also served. In addition, fresh fruit is a part of the wedding feast-guests enjoy tropical delights such as bananas, papayas and kiwi.
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