The lei not only represents a greeting of welcome, but is also a common symbol of love, friendship, honor, congratulations, celebration, and more. Many brides and grooms who plan to celebrate their wedding in Hawaii choose to incorporate the beautiful flower lei as part of their celebration.
You may have noticed or thought of Hawaiian leis that come in a wide variety of flowers, vines, and colors. Perhaps you have wondered if there is a meaning behind all the different colors of flower necklaces. Do different colored leis mean different things?
It turns out that the color or colors of a Hawaiian lei often mean something. Here is a breakdown of the most common Hawaiian leis and their colors, and what these colors mean or represent. If you’re planning a Hawaiian wedding and want to include leis as part of your celebration, you may want to keep these meanings in mind.
Carnation Leis
Carnation-based flower leis are very popular in Hawaii. These leis have very full flowers and are known for their strong yet sweet fragrance. Complexion necklaces come in different colors, with each color serving as a symbol for something:
-White carnation necklace: luck
-Pink carnation necklace: friendship
-Light red carnation leis: admiration
-Leis of darker red carnation: love
Due to the full beauty and sweet fragrance of carnations, many brides in Hawaii may choose to select a carnation lei, such as white for luck or deep red for love, to wear.
Green Maile Vine Garlands
The highly fragrant green vine lei from Maile is a traditional and common lei worn and given in Hawaii. This lei is traditionally seen as a symbol of peace and is often worn by grooms at their weddings, something to consider if you are planning a wedding yourself.
Ti Green Leaf Leis
Another green leaf lei in Hawaii is one made from the Hawaiian ti plant. Like white carnation flower necklaces, ti flower necklaces are given to bring good luck to the wearer. Traditionally, they were made to ward off evil spirits. This type of lei, symbolizing luck, could be a suitable wedding choice.
ohia flower necklace
Ohia flower leis are also worn and given throughout Hawaii, particularly on the Big Island of Hawaii, where this red flower is the official flower. Ohia’s red flower necklace also represents Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of fire, also known as the goddess of volcanoes.
Ilima flower garland
Some in Hawaii prefer necklaces made from the ilima flower. These flowers come in a wide range of red hues, as well as orange and yellow, and symbolize both the island of Oahu and love, for all the colors of ilima. If you are getting married on Oahu and enjoy shades of red, orange, and yellow, the ilima lei flower, which symbolizes love, would be a great choice for your wedding.
As you can see, there are a wide variety of leis available in Hawaii, each with its own unique look, color, fragrance, and meaning. If you arrive in Hawaii and are presented with a lei, you may be able to identify the flower, vine, or plant, as well as the meaning. Also, if you’re planning a Hawaiian wedding and planning to include garlands as part of it (whether it’s just for the bride and groom, the entire wedding party, the party plus the family, or even all the guests), now you have some ideas of what leis might be more appropriate.