As there was no written language until the 1820s, Hawaiians used songs, chants, and poems to record their history. Because of this, Hawaiian wedding ceremonies usually begin with the "Oli Aloha," a chant meant to prepare the space for blessings and to welcome the happy couple and their guests. The words of the chant are as follows:

Onaona ka hala me ka lehua, He hale lehua no ia na ka noe,
`O ka’u no ia e `ano’i nei,
E li’a nei ho’i o ka hiki mai,
A hiki mai no ka kou,
A hiki pu no me ke aloha…
Aloha e! Aloha e! Aloha e!

The chant says, “This is the sight for which I have longed. Now that you have come, love has come with you."