Exchange of Lei or Flower Garland
Below are
some wording examples for an exchange of lei or flower garland element in a
wedding ceremony. Keep in mind all wording can be mixed/matched and tailored to
fit your desires. All wording can be changed to represent same sex ceremonies,
as well as vow renewals.
This element is perfect for a beach ceremony, but also works well indoors. It’s also great for vow renewals in place of exchanging rings.
You can choose to have your maid of honor and best man hold the lei/garland until you exchange them or you may prefer to have a flower girl designated to hold them. It can also be nice way to include a special family member such as a Grandparent or Aunt.
You can choose to have your maid of honor and best man hold the lei/garland until you exchange them or you may prefer to have a flower girl designated to hold them. It can also be nice way to include a special family member such as a Grandparent or Aunt.
*You may
want to combine 2 options, example: have the bride and groom exchange lei/flower
garland and then present their parents or children with one.
**It is tradition to kiss the person you are adorning with the lei/garland on their check. You can also say Aloha or I love you.
***Throughout the ceremony we can refer to the flowers as either a Lei or Flower Garland, whatever you prefer.
**It is tradition to kiss the person you are adorning with the lei/garland on their check. You can also say Aloha or I love you.
***Throughout the ceremony we can refer to the flowers as either a Lei or Flower Garland, whatever you prefer.
Option 1 Simple exchange by the couple (no wording)
This exchange is done at the beginning of the ceremony. The best man holds the grooms lei/garland for the bride and the maid of honor holds the brides lei for the groom. When the bride makes her entrance and meets with her groom they take the leis from maid of honor and best man and adorn each other with them.
Option 2 Acknowledgement of Children: Bride and Grooms present their children with lei’s/flower garland
This moment in time is truly a cause for joyous celebration for we are gathered here to witness not only the beginning of a new marriage, but also the beginning of a new family.
Bride and Groom, would like to take this moment to recognize the significant role that (**say children’s names) _____, ______, and ______, play in this marriage celebrated today, by presenting them each with the symbolic gift of love, a lei/flower garland. (Bride and groom adorn each child with a lei/garland and give them a kiss on the check, they may say Aloha)
From this day forth, you shall be more than one couple or two individuals – you shall be a loving and united family. You are a family drawn together by love and held together by devotion.
This exchange is done at the beginning of the ceremony. The best man holds the grooms lei/garland for the bride and the maid of honor holds the brides lei for the groom. When the bride makes her entrance and meets with her groom they take the leis from maid of honor and best man and adorn each other with them.
Option 2 Acknowledgement of Children: Bride and Grooms present their children with lei’s/flower garland
This moment in time is truly a cause for joyous celebration for we are gathered here to witness not only the beginning of a new marriage, but also the beginning of a new family.
Bride and Groom, would like to take this moment to recognize the significant role that (**say children’s names) _____, ______, and ______, play in this marriage celebrated today, by presenting them each with the symbolic gift of love, a lei/flower garland. (Bride and groom adorn each child with a lei/garland and give them a kiss on the check, they may say Aloha)
From this day forth, you shall be more than one couple or two individuals – you shall be a loving and united family. You are a family drawn together by love and held together by devotion.
Option 3 Uniting Families: Parents of the Bride Exchange Leis with the Groom and the Parents of the Groom Exchange Leis with the Bride
_____ And ___ come here from two different families, two different heritages. We are especially grateful for the values which have flowed into them from those who have loved and nurtured them along life’s way.
The Heritage each brings to this marriage will continue to be an important element in their lives, but now will be shared between them. Out of these two families, a new family will be created.
At this time I'd like to invite the mothers (or parents) to come forward to welcome their new family member by presenting them with a garland. This garland is a symbol of your blessings and joining your families together. (Mother’s or parents put a garland around their new family member, give them a kiss then take their seat)
Option 4 Uniting families Bride and groom present their parents with leis.
_____ and ____, today you stand before us ready to share the rest of your lives together as a married couple.
But long before today your parents provided you with a foundation of love and caring which has brought you to this point.
At this time Groom and Bride would like to acknowledge the love and sacrifice that their parents have made to make their children who they are today….a man and a woman who are ready to be committed, in a loving marriage of their own. They honor their parents with the symbolic gift of love, the giving of a lei/flower garland. (Bride and groom adorn their parents with the lei/flower garland and as they do they kiss their checks and then return to in front of the Officiant to continue the ceremony)
***This is sometimes done just in honor of the mothers
_____ And ___ come here from two different families, two different heritages. We are especially grateful for the values which have flowed into them from those who have loved and nurtured them along life’s way.
The Heritage each brings to this marriage will continue to be an important element in their lives, but now will be shared between them. Out of these two families, a new family will be created.
At this time I'd like to invite the mothers (or parents) to come forward to welcome their new family member by presenting them with a garland. This garland is a symbol of your blessings and joining your families together. (Mother’s or parents put a garland around their new family member, give them a kiss then take their seat)
Option 4 Uniting families Bride and groom present their parents with leis.
_____ and ____, today you stand before us ready to share the rest of your lives together as a married couple.
But long before today your parents provided you with a foundation of love and caring which has brought you to this point.
At this time Groom and Bride would like to acknowledge the love and sacrifice that their parents have made to make their children who they are today….a man and a woman who are ready to be committed, in a loving marriage of their own. They honor their parents with the symbolic gift of love, the giving of a lei/flower garland. (Bride and groom adorn their parents with the lei/flower garland and as they do they kiss their checks and then return to in front of the Officiant to continue the ceremony)
***This is sometimes done just in honor of the mothers
Option 5 As Part Of the Pledge
The exchange of leis/flower garland is symbol of love. The beautiful crafted lei/garland with its hand-picked flowers and twine, carefully bonded together with love, is a reflection of your love (and Aloha) that you share for one another. May the exchange of these lei's/garlands be the new beginning of your lives woven together in love throughout eternity. And now, please present your leis to one another (Bride and groom adorn each other with leis and as they do they give each other a kiss on the check and may choose to say Aloha).
Option 6 As part of the charge.
The Lei/garland, like the rings that will soon be exchanged, is an unbroken and never ending circle. It symbolizes a commitment of love that is also never ending.
Each individual flower that is woven into the Lei loses none of its’ individual beauty when it forms the circle. Its’ beauty is enhanced. Likewise In your marriage you do lose your individual identity and unique beauty. In fact, because of the nurturing care and support of your relationship, you grow even more fully into that special individual with whom your partner fell in love with.
Exchange you leis/flower garland now and may your love for each other be like these leis/garlands, never ending (Couple adorn each other with lei’s/garland and as they do they kiss each other on the check and may say Aloha)
The exchange of leis/flower garland is symbol of love. The beautiful crafted lei/garland with its hand-picked flowers and twine, carefully bonded together with love, is a reflection of your love (and Aloha) that you share for one another. May the exchange of these lei's/garlands be the new beginning of your lives woven together in love throughout eternity. And now, please present your leis to one another (Bride and groom adorn each other with leis and as they do they give each other a kiss on the check and may choose to say Aloha).
Option 6 As part of the charge.
The Lei/garland, like the rings that will soon be exchanged, is an unbroken and never ending circle. It symbolizes a commitment of love that is also never ending.
Each individual flower that is woven into the Lei loses none of its’ individual beauty when it forms the circle. Its’ beauty is enhanced. Likewise In your marriage you do lose your individual identity and unique beauty. In fact, because of the nurturing care and support of your relationship, you grow even more fully into that special individual with whom your partner fell in love with.
Exchange you leis/flower garland now and may your love for each other be like these leis/garlands, never ending (Couple adorn each other with lei’s/garland and as they do they kiss each other on the check and may say Aloha)
Option
7 As part of the charge:
____ and ____ It is love that has brought you here today and in the spirit of that love I would like to share a reading with you from 1 Corinthians:
Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.
And now faith, hope, and love abide, but the greatest of these is love
In the wedding ceremony, the exchange of a lei/flower garland is a symbol of the love you have to give to one another; an unbroken circle that represents your commitment and devotion to one another
Groom place brides lei/garland on her and as you do repeat to her after me these words:
Please wear this lei/garland
As a symbol
Of my never ending love (Aloha)
(Groom places lei/garland on bride and kisses her check)
Bride place Groom’s lei/garland on him and as you do repeat to him after me these words:
Please wear this lei/garland
As a symbol
Of my never ending love (Aloha)
(Bride places lei/garland on groom and kisses his check)
Option 8 As part of the ring exchange
Like a wedding ring, the lei/ flower garland is an unbroken circle that represents your eternal commitment and devotion to one another. The beauty of each individual flower is not lost when it becomes a part of the garland, but is enhanced because of the strength of its bond. Just as each of you are individuals, you’re coming together as one serves to enhance each of your beauty and strengthen the love that was already present in each of your hearts.
And now as a token of your love and of your deep desire to be forever united in heart and soul, you _____, may place a lei/flower garland around your bride (Groom places lei/garland on bride and kisses her check)
And now as a token of your love and of your deep desire to be forever united in heart and soul, you _____, may place a lei/flower garland around your groom (Bride places lei/garland on groom and kisses his check)
____ and ____ It is love that has brought you here today and in the spirit of that love I would like to share a reading with you from 1 Corinthians:
Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.
And now faith, hope, and love abide, but the greatest of these is love
In the wedding ceremony, the exchange of a lei/flower garland is a symbol of the love you have to give to one another; an unbroken circle that represents your commitment and devotion to one another
Groom place brides lei/garland on her and as you do repeat to her after me these words:
Please wear this lei/garland
As a symbol
Of my never ending love (Aloha)
(Groom places lei/garland on bride and kisses her check)
Bride place Groom’s lei/garland on him and as you do repeat to him after me these words:
Please wear this lei/garland
As a symbol
Of my never ending love (Aloha)
(Bride places lei/garland on groom and kisses his check)
Option 8 As part of the ring exchange
Like a wedding ring, the lei/ flower garland is an unbroken circle that represents your eternal commitment and devotion to one another. The beauty of each individual flower is not lost when it becomes a part of the garland, but is enhanced because of the strength of its bond. Just as each of you are individuals, you’re coming together as one serves to enhance each of your beauty and strengthen the love that was already present in each of your hearts.
And now as a token of your love and of your deep desire to be forever united in heart and soul, you _____, may place a lei/flower garland around your bride (Groom places lei/garland on bride and kisses her check)
And now as a token of your love and of your deep desire to be forever united in heart and soul, you _____, may place a lei/flower garland around your groom (Bride places lei/garland on groom and kisses his check)
Aloha/Hawaii Themed Option 1
To the Hawaiians the meaning of aloha is threefold: hello, goodbye and love.
When one arrives in Hawaii they are presented with a lei; it is a sign of welcome.
When one leaves the islands, the lei they were given is thrown into the sea; it means that someday you will return.
In the wedding ceremony, the lei is a symbol of the love you have to give to one another; an unbroken circle that represents your commitment and devotion to one another
(The couple exchanges their lei’s and as they do they kiss each other on the check and say Aloha.
Aloha/Hawaii themed option 2
In the Hawaiian language the word “Aloha” is threefold in conversational exchange.
It means hello, goodbye and love.
Literally translated, aloha means to share the spirit of life, one’s breath, with one another.
In Hawaii the lei is a symbol of affection and like a wedding ring, this flower garland is an unbroken circle that represents your eternal commitment and devotion to one another. The beauty of each individual flower is not lost when it becomes a part of the garland, but is enhanced because of the strength of its bond. Just as each of you are individuals, you’re coming together as one serves to enhance each of your beauty and strengthen the love that was already present in each of your hearts.
Please exchange Lei’s at this time (as couple exchanges lei’s they wish each other “Aloha”)
To the Hawaiians the meaning of aloha is threefold: hello, goodbye and love.
When one arrives in Hawaii they are presented with a lei; it is a sign of welcome.
When one leaves the islands, the lei they were given is thrown into the sea; it means that someday you will return.
In the wedding ceremony, the lei is a symbol of the love you have to give to one another; an unbroken circle that represents your commitment and devotion to one another
(The couple exchanges their lei’s and as they do they kiss each other on the check and say Aloha.
Aloha/Hawaii themed option 2
In the Hawaiian language the word “Aloha” is threefold in conversational exchange.
It means hello, goodbye and love.
Literally translated, aloha means to share the spirit of life, one’s breath, with one another.
In Hawaii the lei is a symbol of affection and like a wedding ring, this flower garland is an unbroken circle that represents your eternal commitment and devotion to one another. The beauty of each individual flower is not lost when it becomes a part of the garland, but is enhanced because of the strength of its bond. Just as each of you are individuals, you’re coming together as one serves to enhance each of your beauty and strengthen the love that was already present in each of your hearts.
Please exchange Lei’s at this time (as couple exchanges lei’s they wish each other “Aloha”)
**Where to buy Lei or Flower Garlands. I recommend Something Nice Floral Designs in Point Pleasant Beach. They not only make beautiful floral arraignments but they make flower crowns for the bride, Lie's and flower garlands.
There are a few kinds of Leis or flower garlands to choose from. The most popular that I have seen are ones made out of Orchids or plumeria’s There are no rules to what kind you choose to use. They can both be traditional. Sometimes you find the bride will wear a traditional flowering lei/garland and the groom will wear a maile (fern) garland.
There are a few kinds of Leis or flower garlands to choose from. The most popular that I have seen are ones made out of Orchids or plumeria’s There are no rules to what kind you choose to use. They can both be traditional. Sometimes you find the bride will wear a traditional flowering lei/garland and the groom will wear a maile (fern) garland.
