We Are Married!! Tahitian Style!!

Avatar was dressed in full flag attire for the day.

The Moorea Swing Boy's dance club were hired to put on our wedding. Mike got ready in the “men's room” over in Kevin's hut and I got ready in another room with several of the girls coming in to dress me in the costume. Mike was to arrive in an outrigger canoe and they gave him a new “temporary” tattoo with a magic marker. Once he arrived on the beach the girls escorted me to the beach to be with him.

The dancers blew the Triton conch horn to call us together.

One of the girls went in front of us throwing flowers all over the ground.

Once we were seated the Tahitian priest began the ceremony.

We felt like King and Queen for the day!! He talked about how the gods were blessing us and that the winds blew in our favor (it stopped raining just long enough for the ceremony and it was very windy !)

The priest had us stand up and then wrapped our hands in the sacred leaf. He chanted as he released the coconut milk on our hands tied together, as it is considered the sacred water of the gods. He tore the leaf in two and tied each side around us. (this is what they used before rings)

Then he gave us our Tahitian names. Mataihere Tane and Mataihere Vahine. Mataihere means “Lover's Wind” and Tane means man and Vahine means woman.

We were then wrapped in the “Tifaifai” which is a hand made quilt, which we special ordered from a local lady 3 months ago. She did an amazing job!!

The priest spun us and we danced in circles with the drummers drumming to symbolize our oneness wrapped up together.

With a kiss, it was official we were married.

Our big headdresses were removed and we were crowned with flowers.

The priest blessed us again and then the dancers started putting on our show.

The Vahines dance to my favorite Tahitian song.

The Tanes did the traditional Haka dance, which is a very tribal dance where the drumming pounds in your chest.

Then they got Mike up to dance the wedding dance where he shook his bootie and pareo right in front of me! It was awesome!

Then we both got up and all the dancers surrounded us to wish us luck and a long marriage.

The priest then blessed our whole family and the ceremony was over.

We posed for many photos. First with the Tifaifai which shows the Baja on the right side, Moorea in the center and the Eyes of Buddha (on the bow of Avatar) embedded in the sun to the left. The double hulled Polynesian Sailing canoe and all the creatures of the sea were included as well. It turned out fantastic!! And is now on our settee in the main salon.

Then of course we had photos with all the dancers.

And then the family.

Our friends, Rick and Jasna, aboard Calypso, posed for this shot.

After a great meal of Swordfish or Steak for lunch/dinner at the Club Bali Hai restaurant, Mike and I made our promises to each other and exchanged our rings.

Mike's son Kevin made a great toast, calling us “two pieces of a puzzle that fit together perfectly”. So sweet!

The wedding cake had a great double hulled Polynesian Ocean Sailing Canoe and it turned out beautiful. Not to mention the chocolate cake was incredible!!

We drank a lot of wine with dinner and had champagne with the cake.

We then danced to our song “Southern Cross” by Crosby Stills and Nash.

We each danced with my parents to “It's a Wonderful Life”.

Then everyone got up to dance! My friend, Angelique, a local English teacher and her boyfriend.

Our friend, Tahani, with her daughter and boyfriend, Scott.

Even Jaye got Irwin from Windsome up on the dance floor!

The rings were custom made. Mine is a black pearl with a wave and Mike's is a Turks Head knot ring from Israel. I also wore my Grandma's emerald and a diamond nautical bracelet that my mom gave me. It was truly a very special day.

The French say if it rains on your wedding day, that is God blessing you. But the fact that the sun shined just long enough to have the ceremony out on the beach where I wanted it, makes me know, we both are very blessed for sure!!! Wish you could have been there!!!!!!