Maui, Hawai‘i
Reverend Keoki Sousa,
Celebrant
Oli Aloha - Welcoming
Chant
Onaona
i ka hala me ka lehua
He
hale lehua no ia na ka noe
O
ka`u no ia e `ano`i nei
E
li`a nei ho`i o ka hiki mai
A
hiki mai no `olua
Hiki
pu no me ke aloha.
Aloha
e, aloha e, aloha e
Fragrant
is the hala and lehua.
Adorned with a misty fragrance
It is mine I am longing to give
Yearning for its arrival
You two have arrived
Completely together with love
An abundance of love
This chant is called the
Oli Aloha. It is the chant of love and welcome. And so it is, that love has
brought the two of you to become one as husband and wife in these beautiful
surroundings and in the presence of our Creator. This chant also says welcome,
and so it is with love we welcome the both of you on this blessed event in your
lives. Aloha and welcome.
In
addition, the blowing of the conch shell symbolizes the desire of all men and
women to use their sacred breath of life, the “ha”, to reach out to that which
is holy and sacred: our Lord God, in Hawaiian, Ke Akua. It is also a call to and acknowledgement of
those with whom we feel deep kinship who can be here today only in spirit.
Sharing of Lei
Here in
My beloved [Bride], I offer this lei to you as a symbol of my
everlasting love for you. Aloha.
[Bride], it is now your
turn. Take this lei and gently place it upon the shoulders of your beloved [Groom].
Take him by the hands, gently move close to him, and say to him:
My beloved [Groom], I offer this lei to you as a symbol of my everlasting
love for you. Aloha.
Pule Wehe: Opening Prayers
As
we begin today, I invite you to join me and inhale deeply and gratefully of the
fresh air of
[Bride]
and [Groom], we give thanks to the highest power of all for each and every one
of the millions of choices you have made in your lives that have led you to be
here, in this moment, in this beautiful place, choosing each other as lifelong
partners and mates.
We
hold you in the light of love so that life, with its hopes and dreams, its
challenges and disappointments, will ever be a smooth path before you and lead
you to a depth of love and understanding far beyond that which your minds can
imagine here today.
Let
us bow our heads in prayer:
Heavenly Father, we say mahalo, thank you, for
all the blessings that you have given this beautiful couple. We say mahalo for
bringing these two hearts together and uniting them as one. We ask that you
guide them in their journey and that you bring them peace, joy, love and light
all the days of their lives. Amen.
Let me share with you
Apostle Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians on the subject of Love:
If I had all the eloquence of men or of
angels, but speak without love, I am simply a gong booming or a cymbal
clashing. If I have the gift of prophecy, understanding all the mysteries there
are and knowing everything, and if I have faith in all its fullness to move
mountains, without love then I am nothing at all. Love is patient and kind; it is not jealous
or boastful or conceited; Love is not rude or selfish; it does not take
offense, and is not resentful. Love
takes no pleasure in other people’s sins but delights in the truth; it is
always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes. In a word, there are three things that
matter: faith, hope and love, and the
greatest of these is love.
[Bride] and [Groom], your
love for one another is truly a wondrous thing of beauty. I counsel you both to
be diligent and vigilant in your love for one another. Constantly seek for ways
to cultivate, nurture and protect your love throughout your life together.
[Bride] and [Groom], with this marriage you are adding to your
lives not only the affection that your hearts desire, not only the happy
companionship of times spent together, but a deep trust and consideration for
one another as well.
Marriage is a commitment to
life, a commitment to be the best that two people can find and nurture in each
other. Marriage offers opportunities for sharing and growth that no other human
relationship can equal: a spiritual, emotional and physical joining that is
promised for a lifetime.
Within the circle of its love, marriage encompasses all of
life's most important relationships. A wife and a husband are each other's best
friend, confidant, lover, teacher and listener. There may come times when one
partner is heartbroken or ailing, and the love of the other brings healing and
the stead-fastness of a sturdy foundation that allows the marriage covenant to
be maintained.
Marriage deepens and enriches every facet of life. Happiness is
fuller; memories are fresher; commitment is stronger. Marriage understands and
forgives the mistakes life is unable to avoid, and yet it encourages and
nurtures new life, new experiences, and new ways of expressing love through the
seasons of life.
When you pledge to love and care for each other in marriage, you
create a spirit unique to yourselves, which binds you closer than any spoken or
written words. In its beginning marriage is a promise, a potential, made in the
hearts of two people who love each other, and which takes a lifetime to
fulfill.
Declaration Of Intentions
[Bride]
and [Groom], I
ask you now to affirm your willingness to enter this new relationship and share
all its joys and sorrows and whatever the future will bring to you. If this be
true please respond affirmatively.
[Groom],
do you here in the presence of God and these
witnesses, declare your commitment to [Bride], and choose her as the one with whom you wish
to spend the rest of your life? Do you give yourself to her and accept the gift
of self which she gives to you? Do you also pledge to endure all of the
difficulties of life even as you look forward to sharing the joys to be
experienced together?
[Groom],: .I Do.
[Bride], do you here in the presence of God
and these witnesses, declare your commitment to [Groom], and
choose him as the one with whom you wish to spend the rest of your life? Do you
give yourself to him and accept the gift of self which he gives to you? Do you
also pledge to endure all of the difficulties of life even as you look forward
to sharing the joys to be experienced together?
[Bride]:
.I Do.
Marriage Vows
[Groom], please repeat after me:
I, [Groom], take you,
[Bride], to be my wife. I promise to
love you, only you, and to do my best to show you how much I love you with all
my heart, and to love with you in joy; to grieve with you in sorrow; to grow
with you in love. I promise to cherish you. I will be a companion to you. I
will share my strengths and my achievements with you; I promise to respect you
and to be a friend to you; I trust in your love for me and pray it grows
stronger everyday as we dream and plan together.
[Bride], please repeat
after me:
I, [Bride], take you,
[Groom], to be my husband. I promise to love you, only you, and to do my best
to show you how much I love you with all my heart, and to love with you in joy;
to grieve with you in sorrow; to grow with you in love. I promise to cherish
you. I will be a companion to you. I will share my strengths and my achievements
with you; I promise to respect you and to be a friend to you; I trust in your
love for me and pray it grows stronger everyday as we dream and plan
together.
Ring Ceremony
Wedding
rings are a symbol of eternal love without beginning or end. They are the
emblem of your love and commitment to each other. They represent your devotion to one another,
and may they always remind you of the commitment that you are making to each
other here on this very special day. I
ask [Heavenly Father] [Higher Power][Lord] [God] to bless these rings.
[Groom], repeat
after me: [Bride], I give this ring to you as a symbol of my love and loyalty
to you and our marriage, and with it I offer you all that I am and all that I
have. I do so freely and with all my
heart.
.
[Bride], repeat
after me: [Groom], I give this ring to you as a symbol of my vow of love and
loyalty, to you and our marriage, and with it I offer you all that I am and all
that I have. I do so freely and with all
my heart.
We
now have a reading from Ruth 1:16 regarding having your lives bound together:
I want
to go wherever you go, and to live wherever you live; your people shall be my
people, and your God shall be my God. I want to die where you die, and be
buried there. Amen.
Please
join hands and face each other. [Bride] and [Groom], you have declared your
sacred vows before God and those of us gathered here today. Therefore by the authority vested in me by
our Loving Creator and the State of
You
may seal your vows with a kiss.
Ladies
and gentlemen may I now present for the first time, [Groom] and [Bride], Mr.
& Mrs. [Marriage Name], husband and wife. Aloha and Amene.
Reverend Keoki Sousa