Many years after falling in love, couples are heading to Outrigger Reef on the Beach Waikiki to reaffirm their romance, sometimes alone, but increasingly, with their families. Outrigger's Hawaiian Vow Renewal Ceremony is free to guests of the Outrigger Waikiki on the Beach and Outrigger Reef on the Beach, and takes place every Tuesday and Friday at 8 a.m. Couples must sign up at their respective hotel's concierge desk by 3 p.m. the day before. A certificate to remember the day is presented to each couple at the conclusion of the ceremony.
Since the program's inception, more than 4,000 vows have been exchanged on the sands of Waikiki Beach, in front of the Outrigger Reef. And the pages keep adding to Luana Maitland's memory book.
Maitland is the events and activities manager at the Outrigger Reef, and among her responsibilities is the vow renewal program. "I heard many, many stories of how couples would've liked to have gotten married in Hawaii on the beach, but weren't able to because their families wanted the wedding to take place back home, or because they couldn't afford a trip to Hawaii back then. Some of them have waited 50 years to take their first romantic trip to Hawaii," Maitland says.
Maitland consulted with the hotel's Hawaiian cultural advisor, and, with a team of employees, introduced the Hawaiian Vow Renewal Ceremony - a non-denominational ceremony in which couples recite their vows in the Hawaiian language and are honored by a Hawaiian kahu (priest) with chanting, traditional hula dance and song. Each ceremony is open to a limited number of couples in order to retain a sense of intimacy.
One of Maitland's fondest memories involved a visiting youth baseball team staying at the hotel. "One of the coaches wanted to surprise his wife at our vow renewal," Maitland recalls. "She was the team mother and chaperone. The entire team served as their witness, and presented the couple with a tiki to commemorate the event."
Kimberly Agas, Outrigger's VP of operations overseeing both the Outrigger Reef and Outrigger Waikiki hotels, credits the Vow Renewal Ceremony's popularity to its location and the authenticity of the cultural experience.
"The Hawaiian Vow Renewal Ceremony was developed with the guidance of a Hawaiian cultural expert, and draws upon an ancient custom called ho'ao pa'a, in which a man and woman formed a lasting union together," Agas says.
"So, in addition to being romantic, our ceremony is also a culturally rich experience, which is something we want all of our guests to enjoy when they stay with us," she continues.
In addition to the ceremony, the 858-room Outrigger Reef offers multiple restaurants, shops and services including a full-service spa and twice-weekly complimentary Hawaiian-style exercise program on the beach. Amenities include an on-site Hawaiian Airlines check-in kiosk.
The Outrigger Waikiki offers 525 rooms and features such as the rooftop Waikiki Plantation Spa, three restaurants, the Society of Seven cabaret show, shops, meeting rooms, business centre and displays of Hawaiian artifacts and artwork.
Hawaii: Free nights in the Islands (Offer good through 2/19/07)
