Hawaiian weddings are some of the most desired weddings for people wishing to be newly married or for people who want to renew their vows. One of the reasons that people desire to be married on the islands is because of the beauty of the islands and the beaches. Another reason people wish to be married on the islands is because of the Hawaiians unique customs and traditions. Some of the traditions include the circle of love, which is where the bride and groom stand on a beach or somewhere outdoors in the middle of a circle of flowers. This tradition represents the couple becoming one. Another tradition that the Hawaiian people sometimes follow is a sand ceremony. During a sand ceremony the bride and groom pour sand into a bottle and recite a popular Hawaiian poem about them becoming one. The poem speaks about the different colors of sand not being able to be turned back to their original form, just like the bride and groom. There is also a lighting ceremony that can be done; during this ceremony many couples will light a candle. Sometimes people like to put a romantic twist on this tradition and light tiki torches because of the windy weather on the islands.

Oftentimes traditional Hawaiian weddings will contain music native to the islands as well as many fresh and fragrant flowers. Part of having fresh flowers is making lei’s for the bride and groom as well as their families. A bride will often receive a lei made of Pikake flowers which look like pearls and have a wonderful smell. The bride will usually give the groom a lei made out of Maile leaves which stands for royalty. Then the father in laws will receive lei’s made out of green tea leaves and the mother in laws will receive lei’s made out of ginger.

Another famous tradition that often takes place during Hawaiian weddings is the blowing of a conch shell. In the past a conch was blown to announce royalty, and at a wedding the long shell is blown in each direction to announce a bride or the wedding party. All of these traditions can be incorporated into a wedding. Most of the resorts in Hawaii specialize in hosting and planning Hawaiian weddings. For a reference into Hawaiian weddings the television show John and Kate Plus Eight renewed their wedding vows on the island and used some of these traditions.