Right before we left on our trip, Mike asked me if we could get our wedding vows renewed on the beach while we were in Hawaii. At first I was against it, after all it wouldn't be to celebrate a "special" year anniversary, we didn't have anything to wear, it would cost money, etc. But then the more I thought about it, the more I loved the idea. We had always wanted to get married on the beach, the kids would be there this time and play a special part in it, and hey, you are only married for 13 1/2 years once! And, we found someone to marry us at a very low cost and who was willing to throw in a CD of family pictures to boot. The girls thought we were joking and didn't believe that we were getting re-married at first, but once they realized we weren't pulling their leg, they were as excited as we were! We decided they would wear their Hawaiian dresses we had bought for the luau, and Mike and I picked up some Hawaiian wedding clothes on the cheap in Lahaina (my dress cost $26). Why didn't we do this the FIRST time around????
The ceremony took place in Kihei at a local beach.
We chose the ceremony "filled with Aloha" rather than a traditional Christian service. In Hawaii, there are many meanings for Aloha. One of the most common meanings for "Aloha" is simply "hello". But there is a deeper meaning...Aloha also means compassion and to show kindness and affection. The spirit of Aloha is the spirit of love.
The exchange of flower leis signifies open hearts and love for one another. The flowers are intertwined together as a reflection of your love and aloha for each other. The blossoms only last for a few days. This is to remind you to take your marriage one day at a time, for life is both precious and fragile.
The Hawaiians have a special word for deep long lasting love. It is "Hoa aloha" which means my "beloved friend".
For the Sand Ceremony, each of the five of us gathered some of the sand at our feet and put it in a jar. The sand represents all the roads you have travelled and all the things that have made you what you are today. Pouring the sand together as a family represents the time spent together and apart in your past, which is the foundation of your future.
Though there was some minor conflict as to who should hold the jar of sand at the end, the girls had fun taking part in the ceremony.
After the ceremony, we had so much fun taking family pictures on the beach. Though it wasn't a private beach (you can see other people in the background of some of the photos) it was an absolutely beautiful location on the island.
I LOVE this picture!
Yahoo, we're Maui'd!!!!
It was nice to commit ourselves to each other all over again, especially after the crazy roller coaster ride of life we have ridden together so many times through the years! It is comforting to know we would choose each other again if we had to do it all over.
