Tradition
The Giving of Flower Leis
Hawaii is home to some of the most exotic and colorful flowers in the world, and it has become a tradition to string these flowers together into a lei. Leis are given to family and friends to show love and aloha between each other, and at a Hawaiian wedding the bride and groom give each other a lei as a promise from one heart to another.
Fragrant flower leis are enjoyed by everyone for their scent and splendor. Even after the flowers fade, travelers who visit the islands and receive a lei from friends or family carry home the symbol of giving aloha. These precious flower necklaces become a priceless memory of Hawaii.
Lei styles
Leis We Create for Your Wedding
Aloha from Hawaii! We create custom flower leis to match any color theme. Plumerias, orchids and pikake are the flowers most often used for wedding leis, along with these island favorites:
Maile Wedding Leis
The open green maile lei is the traditional lei for the groom, often with white orchids.
Plumeria Garlands
Sweet smelling plumerias in white, yellow, pink and rainbow colors for the bride and family.
Orchid Strands
Elegant, long lasting orchid leis in white, purple and blue.
Ti Leaf Leis
Twisted green ti leaf leis, said to bring good luck, handsome for dads and groomsmen.
Micronesian Leis
Delicate white and pink Micronesian ginger leis, a lovely gift for the moms.
Haku Leis
Flower crowns of plumerias, orchids and fern for the bride and flower girls.
Design
Flower Leis Wrapped Around the Arch
Leis are not just for wearing. We wrap maile and plumeria leis around the wedding arch, rope off the aisle with them, drape them across the chairs and lay them on the ceremony table beside the conch shell.
Greenery
Maile & Ti Leaf
Fragrant maile and lucky ti leaf bring the green of the Hawaiian forest to your wedding, worn by the groom, woven into a lei or wrapped around a bouquet.
Native flowers
The ʻŌhiʻa Lehua, Flower of Pele
Many of the tropical flowers in Hawaii were brought here from other lands, but some are truly native. The ʻōhiʻa lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha) is a native tree with red or light yellow blossoms that grows widely across the islands, especially around the volcano national park. Its blossoms give nectar to the ʻapapane, one of Hawaii’s native red birds, and its wood was used for carvings in temple structures and images.
The ʻōhiʻa lehua is the official flower of the island of Hawaiʻi. In Hawaiian legend it is the flower of Pele, the volcano goddess, and an embodiment of Laka, the goddess of hula; some say its blossoms are Pele’s tears. It was once believed that rain would fall if you picked the lehua blossoms from the tree.
State flower
The Yellow Hibiscus, Hawaii’s State Flower
Hawaii’s official state flower is the yellow hibiscus, called pua aloalo in Hawaiian. It has been honored as the state flower since the 1920s, and the official declaration was made on June 6, 1988. Hibiscus also come in red, pink, white and purple, grow easily in the warm island weather, and are found in yards all over Hawaii.
The rare native creamy yellow hibiscus, Hibiscus brackenridgei, is known locally as maʻo hau hele. It grows as a shrub up to about ten feet tall, with three pronged leaves like a maple. It has been listed as an endangered species since 1994, and critical habitat was set aside to protect it in 2002. At one time only about 60 wild plants were known, threatened by fire, development, livestock and wild pigs, and by non-native plants taking over its habitat. With care, these native flowers will live on to be cherished by the people of Hawaii and visitors alike. We love using hibiscus in wedding arrangements and bouquets; see our hibiscus wedding flowers.
Hula
Leis, Hula & Aloha
Leis and hula go hand in hand. A hula dancer can bless your ceremony with dance, teach your family a few steps on the sand, and some brides even dance a hula for their new husband at the reception. See our hula dancers.
Video
Leis on Video
The science of bouquet beauty
Bouquets of Island Color
Cinnamon calla lilies, champagne roses, peach sweethearts and pale lavender, rosemary flowers hiding in cream hued roses. Cascading waterfalls, teardrop shapes and spherical globes. Purple and green dancing lipped dendrobium orchids mixed with forest moss green and Hawaiian fern, with a sprinkle of sunny marigolds for extra spice.
See more on our wedding bouquets and plumeria pages.
“Hawaiian wedding teamwork makes the dream work. Let us help manifest your vision and lead you to the next dynamic.”
— Paul, your wedding coordinator
Frequently Asked Questions
What does giving a lei mean in Hawaii?
Giving a lei is an old Hawaiian tradition that shares love, respect and aloha. At a wedding the couple exchange leis, and leis are given to family and friends to show love between each other.
What flowers are used for Hawaiian wedding leis?
Plumerias, orchids and pikake are the most common flowers for wedding leis, along with maile, ti leaf and Micronesian ginger. We create custom leis to match any color theme.
What is the ohia lehua?
The ohia lehua is a native Hawaiian tree with red or yellow blossoms and the official flower of the island of Hawaii. In legend it is the flower of Pele, the volcano goddess.
What is Hawaii's state flower?
The yellow hibiscus, called ma'o hau hele or pua aloalo in Hawaiian, has been Hawaii's state flower since the 1920s and was made official in 1988. The native creamy yellow hibiscus is rare and protected as an endangered species.
