TGI Staff Writer While Valentine’s Day does rank among the top days of the year for purchases of flowers and candy, and stress for men agonizing over what to get their significant others, it is not the day that sees
TGI Staff Writer
While Valentine’s Day does rank among the top days of the year for purchases of flowers and candy, and stress for men agonizing over what to get their significant others, it is not the day that sees the most Kaua’i weddings.
While day-specific data is not available from the state Department of Health’s vital statistics branch, Susan Hamada of the Lihu’e DOH office reports that May in 1998, September in 1999 and some spring and summer months last year were the months with the greatest numbers of weddings on the island.
In both February last year and February 1999, there were 230 weddings on Kaua’i, or about eight a day, with 164 in February 1998. The month in 1998 with the highest number of weddings on the island was May, with 321 (over 10 a day). In 1999, it was September, with 332 (over 11 a day). Last year, though full-year statistics weren’t readily available, May and June both saw over 300 weddings on Kaua’i, Hamada said.
In 1999, there were more than 2,800 weddings, and what Hamada could say for certain is that more and more people — residents and visitors — are choosing to tie the knot here.
“It’s a record-breaking day,” said Theresa Koki, who is one of several marriage license agents on the island. Koki and Annabelle Pacleb issue marriage licenses out of the governor’s office in the Lihu’e state building.
In 1999, lots of folks came to Kaua’i to get married on 9-9-99, Koki said. Today, those who perform marriages are busy, she added.
To get married on Kaua’i, all you need is $50 (cash) for the license, which is good for 30 days from date of issue, and picture identification. No blood test, or residency or citizenship proof, is required.
Staff Writer Paul C. Curtis can be reached at mailto:pcurtis@pulitzer.net or 245-3681 (ext. 224).
