Some Honolulu City Council members have preferred lei vendors; others make their own. But all nine of them spend hundreds of dollars on the floral garlands to honor constituents and for other ceremonies.

The expenses — a relatively small portion of each member’s allocated $25,000 for discretionary spending — range from completed lei to the eyelash yarn and ribbons used to string them.

It’s one thing council members don’t shy away from spending money on, especially during monthly meetings when they bedeck community members who have distinguished themselves in some way: championship sports teams, longtime business owners, a retiring principal.

“I feel it’s a critical part of my community outreach efforts,” said council member Esther Kiaʻāina, who represents the Windward Coast. She feels “it’s money well spent.”

The City Council isn’t alone. Lei are plentiful at most functions in the islands, whether it be the opening of the Legislature or high school graduations. But a look at council member expenditure reports for the fiscal year that ended in June offers a glimpse into the process of carrying out the tradition.

Kiaʻāina’s office spent $863.76 on lei during the past year. Her go-to spots include Lin’s Lei Shop and Pauahi Leis and Flowers, both in Chinatown, and she tends to gravitate toward garlands with fragrant flowers like plumeria and tiare.

Tyler Dos Santos-Tam, who represents downtown and Chinatown, said he likes to use Cindy’s Lei Shoppe, and he recently honored its 93-year-old namesake Cindy Lau during one of the council’s ceremonies. “My family has been a Cindy’s family for a long time,” he said.

Dos Santos-Tam’s favorite lei is red hala, made from the sweet fruit that symbolizes his alma mater, Punahou School.

Council Chair Tommy Waters, whose office spent $700.56 on lei, also likes Cindy’s Lei Shoppe, his spokesperson Andrew Phomsouvanh said, as well as Watanabe Floral.

Council member Matt Weyer tries to avoid fragrant lei when he doesn’t know attendees’ sensitivities. His favorite is cigar flower lei, which lacks a scent but sports a vibrant orange color. 

Weyer, who represents the North Shore, doesn’t have a preferred vendor but credits his chief of staff Letani Peltier, who is also a lei maker, with helping him decide which garlands are most appropriate to buy. He was the second highest spender on lei at $1,134.

The cost of lei has gone up a lot in recent years, council member Radiant Cordero said. She was the council’s most frugal spender on lei this year, at $347.84, besides Scott Nishimoto, who took office in January and so far has spent $180.07.

“Sometimes if it’s a group – like mainly for school groups – we end up making our own lei,” Cordero said. That often means using ti leaves from the yards of friends, family and staff.

Andria Tupola, who represents parts of West Oʻahu, spent the most on lei at $1,307.18, including $19.32 for ribbon lei material for the Legislature’s opening.

Fellow West Oʻahu lawmaker Augie Tulba was third at $984.49, including $301.55 for eyelash yarn to make lei for honorary certificate recipients at a ceremony earlier this year.

While every council member at the city level reported spending hundreds of dollars or more on lei, many state lawmakers didn’t report spending any money on the garlands.

Some, however — like Rep. Nicole Lowen and Rep. Kirstin Kahaloa — spent upward of $500 on lei. A big chunk came during opening day celebration, when Lowen spent $536.13 and Kahaloa spent $314.14 to offer some aloha to fellow House members.

Some of the Senate’s biggest spenders on lei were Sen. Henry Aquino, who in the 2025 calendar year spent $748.46, and Sen. Michelle Kidani, who spent more than $614.

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s office doesn’t have a preferred vendor, spokesperson Scott Humber said in a written statement. The office spent $4,329.95 on lei during the 2025 fiscal year, and purchases were coordinated by the Administrative Services Officer. Giving lei is used to demonstrate “love, respect, and appreciation for our honored guests,” Humber wrote.

“Providing lei also helps humanize our hardworking City team,” the statement says, “reminding residents and visitors that their local government is made up of friends, family, and neighbors.”

“Data Dive” is supported in part by the Will J. Reid Foundation.

CORRECTION: The name and job title of council member Matt Weyer’s staffer was misstated in a previous version of this story. Letani Peltier is Weyer’s chief of staff.