Maui weddings and vow renewals ministers…
Throw a rock into the water off any Maui beach and it may hit a minister on its way to the bottom. Maui weddings ministers are plentiful, to say the least. Anyone with Internet access can obtain credentials that the state of Hawaii will recognize.
- If it is important to your wedding plans, that your Maui minister is a truly "legitimate" minister. ask your coordinator.
Be aware, many coordinators (not ours) have no clue, they simply choose from a list of their favorites.
If you are not concerned about the background of your minister, don't sweat it, some (Internet ministers) do a great job and your marriage will be recognized anywhere.
- Rabbis on Maui, at this writing, are few in number. The only one I know will not perform weddings unless the couple meet "Orthodox" standards. A couple of "ministers" advertise their services for Jewish ceremonies. They usually charge twice the going rate for these particular services which is a rip-off. Don't pay it. They also perform non-Jewish ceremonies for the going rate of 180-plus-dollars. Their credentials are bogus (in the traditional sense) and there is nothing sacred about their personage.
- Catholic priests are available to provide wedding services, as long as the ceremony is held in a Catholic church. You will need to discuss your plans with your parish priest and one of the priests on Maui. Usually, the ceremony cannot be held at any place other than an approved church. I did co-officiate a Catholic wedding mass at the Grand Wailea Seaside Chapel, but the priest was also a bishop and could do special dispensations on-the-fly. Apparently bishops carry more weight.
- Some couples prefer a judge as their officiant. Judges are available on a limited basis and will cost more.
- Hawaiian ministers are often requested. Most of these are also ministers of the "Internet School of Instant Theology" genre. A number of them are not Hawaiian; a few of them are total haoles (pronounced how-lee - a pejorative for folks of western ethnicity) who have co-opted local culture and fancy themselves "locals" in the strictest sense. Some have gone completely over the ragged edge believing they have a special connection with dolphins and green sea turtles and will gladly "channel" their wisdom, for a price.
But there are, again, a few true Hawaiians who do a good job.
- Pacific Island Weddings tries to stay away from most of these self-styled men and women of the cloth. There are, however, a few who genuinely care about the process. As in all areas of our wedding business, we strive for quality and integrity in our choice of ministers.
- Religious and non-religious ceremonies are typically available. Most ministers have sample vows (ceremonies) that you can preview. A few will use custom vows provided by the client. If you have a ceremony that you would like used, ask your coordinator about this, some ministers will NOT deviate from their "script."
- Pacific Island Weddings usually uses Ron Winckler . Ron was ordained in 1974 through a large, non-denominational congregation. He is a preferred minister for resorts such as the Four Seasons and Grand Wailea on the island of Maui.
His easy-going personality and amazing communication skills bring a focused passion to your ceremony. Top of Page
