Hawaiian Wedding Traditions: What They Mean and How to Include Them

Getting married on Maui gives you the chance to include Hawaiian traditions in your ceremony, and many couples do. This guide covers the ones that come up most often: the lei exchange, which represents two lives joining; the blowing of the pu (conch shell) to open the ceremony; the pule, a Hawaiian blessing; the sand ceremony for the merging of families; and the honi, where couples press foreheads and share breath. Each one has real cultural weight. We explain what they mean and how to include them in a way that is respectful, not just decorative.