Customs of a Hawaiian Wedding Traditions Worth Knowing
Think again before you start picturing bridesmaids in grass skirts and a line of fire dancers walking down the aisle.
In fact, the traditional Hawaiian wedding is a very humble ceremony that has a lot to do with nature. If you’re lucky, you’ll get to see how beautiful the big day is in person. Here are six things to keep an eye out for.
Hawaiian Wedding Traditions: #1 The shell of a conch
Most of the time, a member of the wedding party blows the conch shell to start the ceremony and to end it. If you listen closely, the person blowing the conch, or “pu,” will blow in four directions, one for each of the four elements, to let everyone know how important the event is.
Hawaiian Wedding Traditions: #2 The exchange of leis
The bride and groom did not wear the wrong lei by accident. The exchange of lei has been a tradition in Hawaii for hundreds of years. Natives would often give each other their lei to show how much they loved and cared for each other.
Hawaiian Wedding Traditions: #3 The bride’s dress
For a wedding dress, the bride’s dress may look a bit too loose. Most typical Western wedding dresses do tend to be more form fitting. On purpose, this is done. The dress is actually meant to be loose and flowy so that it can move with the wind, adding to the focus on nature during the ceremony.
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Hawaiian Wedding Traditions: #4 How to clean wedding rings
If you see water being sprayed on the wedding rings, it doesn’t mean that they are dirty and need to be cleaned. This event is actually a blessing. The ti leaf stands for health of body and soul, and the water is meant to clean the rings for a new start and a new life together.
Hawaiian Wedding Traditions: #5 The rock of lava
You might think that when the ceremony was over, someone forgot to pick up the lava rock that was wrapped in ti leaf. In fact, it’s supposed to stay there even after the ceremony. For Hawaiians, it’s both a gift to the land and nature and a way to give the bride and groom a sense of place.
Hawaiian Wedding Traditions: #6 Ke Kali Nei Au
You will probably hear the Ke Kali Nei Au at some point during a Hawaiian wedding, either in its original Hawaiian lyrics or in the version made famous by Elvis Presley. It is usually the first song played at the wedding reception and during the first dance of the newlyweds. Listen to it before the wedding so you can enjoy it more afterward.
Topic: Customs of a Hawaiian Wedding Traditions Worth Knowing
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