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Traditionally,
Hawaiian couples invited nature to bear witness
to their loving commitment. In ancient Hawaii, the
groom wore a lei of maile, a native plant found
only in the tropical forests of Kauai. The bride
wore a wreath of flowers around her forehead called
a Haku. Only the most fragrant flowers such as pikake,
tuberose and stephanotis were woven into the bridal
haku. Today the maile lei and the haku remain as
popular icons of the Hawaiian-style wedding ceremony
(source).
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 (source).
During
the lei exchange, the following words are usually
spoken: "E lei kau, e lei ho'oilo i ke aloha,"
meaning love is worn like a wreath through the summers
and winters; love is everlasting. The groom presents
his bride with beautiful strands of pikake, and
the bride presents a maile to the groom. The groom
usually wears a fragrant maile lei made with pikake
(white jasmine) and ilima. Sometimes the bride will
wear a haku headband instead of a veil. Leis may
also be given to the guests, officiant, and family
(source).
The
Lei Exchange
is a great way to involve the families of the bride
and groom in the wedding. The groom adorns the brides
family members in leis and the bride adorns the
groom's family in leis to symbolize the joining
of the two families. Wearing the leis make the family
members stand out at the wedding and will make them
feel special. For the ceremony have a "lei
carrier" for each the bride and groom. One
lei carrier will carry the leis the bride will give
to the grooms family and the other will carry the
leis the groom will give to the bride's family.
When it is time for the bride and groom to present
the leis to the family the two lei carriers will
assist the bride and groom by handing them the leis
(source). |
