Native Hawaiian Wedding Officiant (Kahu) on Oahu
Rooted in Culture. Guided with Intention. Honoring Love and Place.
Your ceremony is the reason everyone is here. A Kani Events kahu gets to know the two of you first, then writes and leads a ceremony that sounds like you, not like a script read at every wedding on the beach that week.
We are Native Hawaiian owned. If you want Hawaiian culture in your wedding, it is shared by Kanaka Maoli who live it and can tell your guests what each tradition means..
Ceremonies We Perform
Weddings of any size, from two people on a beach to 300 guests at a resort
Elopements and destination weddings
Vow renewals and commitment ceremonies
Spiritual, non-denominational, secular or non-religious ceremonies.
LGBTQ+ weddings, always welcome
Hawaiian Traditions + Cultural Protocols
Cultural Protocols
To start off any wedding ceremony, we explain to your audience the tradition of Kani Ka Pū, or the Blowing of the Conch, as well as the Oli, or the Hawaiian chant. These protocols are then performed by your Kahu/Officiant.
The following cultural and ceremonial elements may be incorporated into your wedding ceremony upon request.
Lei Exchange – The giving and receiving of lei as symbols of love, respect, and the joining of two lives. (Lei provided by client, act facilitated by Kahu)
Pī Kai (Water Blessing) – A blessing using water to symbolize purification, renewal, and the beginning of a shared journey.
Honi (Traditional Hawaiian Greeting) – The sharing of Hā, or The Breath of Life, through a traditional greeting, symbolizing connection and mutual respect.
Hoʻomaʻemaʻe i nā Apo (Ring Cleansing Ceremony) – A ceremonial cleansing of the wedding rings using ʻōlena (Hawaiian turmeric) and paʻakai (sea salt), symbolizing purification, protection, and the removal of negative energies as the couple begins their marriage together.
Hoʻopili Lima (Joining of Hands) – A symbolic joining of the couple's hands, representing unity and commitment.
Pule Hoʻomalu (Blessing of Protection) – A ceremonial blessing incorporating the oli He Mu, invoking spiritual protection, clearing negative influences, and establishing a sacred space of peace, harmony, and positive intentions as the couple begins their marriage together.
Pule Hoʻomaikaʻi (Blessing of Goodness and Well-Being) – Calls upon blessings of love, happiness, prosperity, and harmony for the couple's life together.
Your Cultures, in Your Ceremony
Hawaii is where cultures meet, and so are most of the weddings we officiate. Whether you share one heritage or are bringing two families' traditions together, we will help you weave them into a single ceremony that feels natural and explains each moment to your guests.
Traditions we have led or made room for many times include:
Tea ceremony. A Chinese Wedding tradition where you serve tea to your parents and elders as a sign of respect and gratitude, and receive their blessings in return.
Veil, cord and coins. A Filipino wedding tradition where your sponsors drape the veil and cord over you as symbols of unity and a lasting bond, and the coins (arras) are exchanged as a promise to care and provide for each other.
Breaking of the glass. The Jewish tradition that closes the ceremony, followed by a room full of guests shouting "Mazel tov!"
Handfasting. Your hands are bound together with cord or ribbon as you make your promises, the origin of "tying the knot".
Jumping the broom. A tradition rooted in African American heritage: you jump the broom together as your first step into married life.
We work with you and your families beforehand on who takes part, what is said, and where each tradition falls in the ceremony. If parents, elders or sponsors have a role, we guide them through it on the day so no one is unsure when to step forward.
Do not see your tradition here? Tell us about it. We are always honored to learn, and we will make sure it is done properly.
In Your Language
We officiate in English, Spanish, Japanese, Portuguese and French, or a blend, so both families understand every word of your vows. We can also incorporate Hawaiian and Samoan into your ceremony.
How It Works
A call to hear your story and what you want the ceremony to feel like.
A clear outline of the flow of the ceremony program so you can ensure it feels how you want it to feel.
Your wedding day. We arrive early, coordinate with your planner and lead the ceremony.
We sign and file your marriage paperwork. Our officiants are licensed by the State of Hawaii to perform marriages, and we can guide couples through getting a Hawaii marriage license.
Where We Officiate
Beaches, estates, resorts, hotels, country clubs and private homes across Oahu, including Waimea Valley, Loulu Palm Estate, Disney’s Aulani Resort, Paliku Gardens at Kualoa Ranch, Lanikuhonua Cultural Institute, Cafe Julia, and Ko’olau Vista. We also travel regularly to officiate ceremonies on the other Hawaiian Islands as well.
Pricing
Officiant services start at $849. However, if you are booking our DJ package, your officiant service will be heavily discounted. Bundling services will always get you a more affordable rate than a la carte services.
Questions couples ask
Do we need a permit?
If your ceremony takes place on a public beach in Hawaiʻi and involves paid wedding professionals, a permit is generally required, regardless of the number of guests. Ceremonies held on private property typically do not require a State beach permit. Because requirements vary by location, we recommend confirming with the Hawaiʻi Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) before finalizing your ceremony location.
How Do We Obtain a Marriage License in Hawaiʻi?
Obtaining your marriage license in Hawaiʻi is simple! Start by completing the online application at Hawaiʻi's Marriage License Portal and paying the $65 fee. Then, within 30 days of your wedding, both partners must meet in person with an authorized marriage license agent and present valid government-issued photo IDs. Your license will be issued at that appointment, with no waiting period, and is valid for 30 days. You do not need to be a Hawaiʻi resident or U.S. citizen to get married here!
Can our ceremony be customized?
Absolutely. Every ceremony is custom-designed based on your story, preferences, and vision. We work with you to determine tone, length, cultural elements, and personal touches, ensuring the ceremony feels authentic, meaningful, and true to you.
Can a friend or family member take part?
Yes. Readings, blessings and lei presentations by family are welcome.
Is it ok for us to have Hawaiian cultural elements in our ceremony, even though we are not Hawaiian?
Yes. You don't have to be Hawaiian/Kanaka Maoli to respectfully embrace Hawaiian traditions in your wedding ceremony. Hawaiʻi is a place where aloha is shared, and incorporating Hawaiian cultural elements can be a meaningful way to honor the land, its people, and the traditions of the islands. When guided by a knowledgeable Native Hawaiian Kahu, these elements can be shared with authenticity, respect, and cultural understanding.
Reviews
We hired Crichton as our officiant at Kualoa Ranch, and it was one of the best wedding decisions we ever made (second to the "I do", of course)! I am writing this review months after our wedding, and I've had this on my to do list forever... but I didn't want to miss out on giving a shoutout to this amazing vendor!
Crichton made our ceremony feel so personalized and special. He explained the symbolism behind some of the Hawaiian traditions, and he was also prepared to facilitate some of our cultural wedding practices. The way he officiated our wedding really elevated our ceremony and made the moment so memorable for us. He's also really funny and kept everyone engaged.
Make sure to secure him!
- Tiffany & Kevin, June 2026, Paliku Gardens at Kualoa Ranch
Cannot recommend Crichton enough! We were having a hard time picking an officiant for our wedding. Everyone else that had been recommended to us didn’t quite fit the style we were looking for. A friend mentioned Crichton so we reached out and scheduled a zoom call to get to know each other. From that first call, he was so easy to talk to and get along with, and I knew he was a perfect fit. Fast forward to wedding day, he was absolutely phenomenal. Professional, naturally funny, and so engaging. He really put us at ease in such a nerve racking time. He struck the perfect balance of well timed humor and tender, intimate moments. In previous weddings I’ve been to, I’ve rarely heard any of the guests talk about the officiant much. In our case, every single guest we spoke to after the wedding made it a point to mention how great Crichton was and what a great job he did. We truly cannot express how grateful we are to have had him.
- Falon & Michael, May 2026, Ko’olau Vista
We hired Crichton as our wedding officiant, and we are so happy we did.
He was a pleasure to work with and after we booked him, he thoroughly walked us through the ceremony timeline and made sure that he knew exactly what we wanted our wedding ceremony to look like and feel like.
He later sent us a prompt of some deep questions to answer individually to share each other's responses at the ceremony.
He made our wedding ceremony so memorable and FUN, and we are so grateful to have found him!
- Kayla & Skylar, May 2026, Loulu Palm Estate