George & Emily

Oh Captain, my Captain,

Absolutely fantastic, amazing, spectacular, incredible, magnificent, touching and beautiful was your ceremony and these words are only but a few that I heard from all those present.  Thank you for those beautiful words you spoke in Hawaiian and I we shall always remember that very special moment that you made possible on board the beautiful “Pride of America.”

Whenever you visit Hawaii, be sure to look us up.

Warm Regards,

Emily & George

Note: Captain Arnold was asked by The Wedding Experience, representatives of the Norwegian Cruise Line to perform the 1st inaugural wedding ceremony aboard the Pride of America.

George and Emily are the 1st couple to be married aboard the Pride of America, the largest U.S. Flag cruise ship in history that made its star-spangled debut on June 17, 2005 in New York City.  After a series of inaugural festivities, complete with a christening ceremony that was held on Friday, June 17th in the Big Apple, Pride of America made her way to her homeport of Honolulu, Hawaii.

Pride of America’s All-American theme extends to the ship’s spacious public areas but on this special day the flavor was all Hawaii and Captain Arnold was asked to include into his beautiful ceremony a little “something” about Hawaiian tradition.  Here is an excerpt from his ceremony:

“The lei (a beautiful string of flowers) is the Hawaiian symbol of love and aloha. The custom of giving and receiving leis at weddings began in the days of old Hawaii.  During the wedding ceremony the minister bound the hands of the bride and groom as a symbol of the couple’s commitment to each other.  During the lei exchange, the following words are usually spoken”: “E lei kau, e lei ho’oilo i ke aloha,” meaning love is worn like a wreath through the summers and winters; love is everlasting.”

(The groom then presents his bride with a beautiful white lei that he places around her neck and then the bride places a colorful lei around the groom’s neck.)