The Kahala Hotel & Resort’s respectful approach to weddings that honor the bride and groom’s cultural traditions has reached a new apex. Nalani (The Heavens) and Lōkahi (Unity) are The Kahala’s new Hawaiian wedding programs that both establish the Hawaiian sense of place while also honoring traditional non-denominational Hawaiian spiritual and cultural rituals throughout the ceremony.
“We endeavor to make the term ‘Hawaiian Wedding’ mean so much more than just having a wedding on a beach in Hawaii,” explains Charles Keegan, The Kahala’s Director of Group Sales and Catering and Conference Services. “At our client’s urging, we’ve created a new wedding program available in two packages that honors the rituals and protocols of a Hawaiian wedding ceremony grounded in ancient Hawaiian spiritual and cultural traditions.”
The Kahala has a long history of working with brides and grooms to create multicultural, non-gender specific culturally enriched ceremonies that honor and respect the heritage of the couple and their families. Among the various cultural wedding programs The Kahala offers are ceremonies appropriate for Korean, Japanese, Filipino, Indian, Greek, Chinese, and kosher Jewish weddings, as well as commitment and union ceremonies for Gay and Lesbian couples.
The Kahala’s new Hawaiian wedding ceremony is available now in two packages and are officiated by a traditional Hawaiian spiritual counselor and healer, Renee Pomaika‘i, whose ceremonies are deeply rooted in Hawaiian cultural traditions. As the guests gather, a conch shell is blown in all four corners of the site, to summon the ancestors and alert them to the significance of this historic gathering uniting two in love and commitment. An oli or chant greets the ancestors and welcomes the wedding guests.
With sacred ti leaves in hand and pa'akai (blessing salts) and holy water from the sacred pools of Makapu'u, the Kahu begins with a pule, or prayer, and a Ho'oponopono (meaning to make right, align and balance) ritual which puts things in their proper order prior to the couple taking their vows. The land is blessed and cleansed, from sea to mountaintop. The couple receives a pinch of the pa'akai for spiritual purification and cleansing.
“This ritual aspect of the Hawaiian wedding releases the ties to all past relationships, allowing the couple to be bonded solely to one another, going forward. It also grounds them to the sacred connections of the ‘aina or land upon which they will seal their vows. Hawaiian values both respect and revere the ‘aina as a sacred place,” says Kahu Pomaika‘i.
Another traditional Hawaiian aspect incorporated into The Kahala Hawaiian wedding is the lei greeting. Two open-ended maile lei are placed around the couple’s necks, then tied together, symbolizing two lives intertwined as one. Maile, a spicy-scented, shiny-leaved vine that grows on the wet mountain slopes of the Big Island of Hawai‘i is probably the oldest and most popular lei material used by early Hawaiians. It is considered a traditional wedding lei as it was most often used by the Kahuna (priests) of old Hawai‘i to bind the hands of the bride and groom, symbolizing their commitment to one another.
The ring exchange involves placing the rings into a sacred koa calabash or wooden bowl mixed with sea salt and sacred waters from the healing pools of Makapu‘u. The calabash is then passed from bridesmaid to groomsman, and then to all the other members of the bridal party, so that each may, in turn, bless the rings with their individual Hā, or breath of life. In this way, the sacredness of the wedding union is blessed by family and friends.
In another symbolic exchange, the bride and groom may elect to offer a lei greeting to their newly acquired family members. This exchange celebrates both sets of parents, bestowing honor and respect and the spirit of aloha onto the new relationships created by the union of the couple. Other family members, or special guests, may also be incorporated into this exchange at the discretion of the couple.
Other ceremonial implements incorporated into The Kahala’s Hawaiian wedding include a canoe paddle that serves as a symbol of strength to help guide the couple through any rough seas they may encounter on this new journey in their lives together.
The wedding couple may also elect to add elements of inspirational Hawaiian music and dance, or hula, to the ceremony. Musical accompaniment may be provided by a trio of Hawaiian musicians playing traditional Hawaiian instruments, such as the ukulele, and inspirational vocals performing traditional Hawaiian wedding songs to accompany the ceremony. Hula has long been used in Hawaiian rituals and ceremonies to tell a story through movements of the body and hands. Special dances in both ancient and modern (kahiko or auana) styles of hula may be performed by two members of a traditionally-trained Hawaiian hula halau in celebration of the exchange of wedding vows.
Following the end of the ceremony, the Kahu disposes of the ceremonial elements used in the rituals, such as the sea salts, holy water, and ti leaves, with culturally appropriate rituals. Guests are invited to “shower” the newly united couple in flower petals as they walk down the aisle, beginning their new life together. The bride and groom are also toasted with The Kahala’s own fresh fruit concoction, Kahala Ke Aloha punch.
The Kahala’s Hawaiian wedding ceremonies may take place in either of the hotel’s two outdoor venues overlooking breathtaking Kahala Beach, on land once considered sacred by the indigenous peoples of the island of O‘ahu. Both versions of the Hawaiian wedding package include standard necessities such as photography, videography, sound system, bride’s bouquet, and musical entertainment.
Other enhancements available include additional photography shooting time, a carpet of flower petals made from 3,000 orchids decorating the aisle, Hawaiian Wedding certificate, flower shower and fresh white orchid arch piece. At an additional cost, post-wedding receptions complete with custom-designed menus, party favors, printed programs and other amenities, may be arranged for groups as small as 10 and up to 300.
The Kahala’s Hawaiian Wedding programs are available in two packages–one basic and the other, more elaborate.
Lōkahi Wedding Package
$6,300.00
Package includes:
- Ocean front ceremony
- Bridal bouquet
- 40 white chairs
- Maile leis for the bride and groom
- Kahu (Hawaiian minister)
- One hour photography with (24) 4”x 6” photos
- Haku lei for bonding
- One hour videography with (3)
- Ti leaf and sea salt for blessing 15-minute edited DVD copies
- Hawaiian musical soloist
- Exclusive use of The Kahala Hotel & Resort
- Amplification system with two property for wedding photography microphones and sound technician
Nalani Wedding Package
$9,800.00
Package includes:
- Ocean front ceremony
- Bridal bouquet
- 40 chiavari chairs
- Maile Leis for the bride and groom
- Kahu (Hawaiian minister)
- Four flower leis for family
- Haku lei for bonding
- Hawaiian wedding certificate
- Ti leaf and sea salt for blessing
- Two hours of photography with (48)
- Hawaiian musical trio and two hula 4” x 6” photos dancers– one hour
- One and a half hours of videography
- Conch shell blower with (3) 15-minute edited DVD copies
- Amplification system with three
- Kahala Ke Aloha signature drink passed microphones and sound technician before ceremony starts (2 gallons)
- Fresh white orchid aisle, 3000 pieces
- Exclusive use of The Kahala Hotel & Resort
- Fresh white orchid arch piece property for wedding photography
- Cones for a fresh orchid flower shower
The Kahala’s wedding planning services offer complete, one-stop shopping for all your wedding ceremonial needs. Hawaiian Wedding packages range from $6,300 to $9,800, and additional post-wedding receptions, enhancements and special amenities may be purchased at the discretion of the wedding couple. For complete information, contact Charles Keegan and his team of wedding specialists at (808) 739-8715 or email weddings@kahalaresort.com.
– About The Kahala –
With 338 guestrooms, The Kahala Hotel & Resort is an oceanfront destination resort known for its impeccable service and hospitality. Just minutes from Waikiki, yet offering the peace and serenity of a neighbor island experience, The Kahala has been Honolulu's social address for weddings and gatherings since its opening in 1964. Captains of industry and celebrity guests continue to call The Kahala their home-away-from-home in Hawai'i. Travel + Leisure ranks The Kahala among the Top 3 Hawaii hotels and among the World’s Best 100 Hotels in its 2010 World’s Best Awards. For more information, please contact The Kahala Hotel & Resort at (808) 739-8888 or toll-free at (800) 367-2525; or visit their website at www.kahalaresort.com
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