The Marriage Celebration of [Bride] and [Groom]

 

 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 Hawaii we have a lovely tradition of exchanging lei to signify our open hearts and love for one another. You will now exchange lei with each other. And as you do so, you will begin to weave your own lei of life. And now, [Groom], take this lei and gently drape it upon the shoulders of your beloved [Bride]. Take her by the hands, gently move close to her and say to her:

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 Maui which our Divine Creator has given to us.  I further invite you to take a moment to look around and notice the blue of the sky and the sea, feel the grains of sand beneath your feet.  Listen to the sounds of the ocean and the wind.  And be fully present for this joyous occasion so that you may better remember it when you are on a distant shore. 

 

[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 Hawaii, it is my great joy to now pronounce you husband and wife. 

 

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