Native Americans have a culture rich in custom and tradition and their weddings are no different. Adding a few of the Native American wedding traditions, which are very beautiful, may add an element of spirituality to your ceremony.

In the Native American tradition, the man always asks permission before marrying into the woman’s family. He usually had to ask the priest or shaman. After permission is granted, it is customary for the two families to exchange livestock, food, or other gifts in approval of the upcoming union.

It is customary in many Native American tribes for the couple to move in with the bride’s family after their union. It is the responsibility of the groom to provide for his new in-laws and to take orders from the new mother-in-law. A gift that is customarily given to the couple is baskets of corn which represents fertility.

An engaged couple of the Algonquin tribe selects four sponsors. Sponsors are older individuals who will provide wisdom and advice to the newly wed couple. In tribes that follow traditions, divorce is not an option. That is the reason for the sponsors; so they can offer advice if the couple should need it. At the wedding ceremony the sponsors make a commitment to provide and guidance to the couple throughout their lifetime.

Native Americans in Northern California have two types of marriage, the half-marriage, and the full-marriage. A full-marriage occurs when the would-be groom pays the full amount the bride’s family requests. If the groom can only pay half the amount requested, the marriage is considered a half-marriage. The couple then lives with the bride’s family and the groom is under the authority of the bride’s father.

One traditional Native American wedding ceremony that is still used today is the fire ceremony. To perform this ceremony a large circle is made of stones. A pile of wood that consists of seven different types of wood is place in the center of the stone circle. Two small fires are placed on two sides of the pile of wood. One small fire represents the bride and the other one represents the groom. The bride and groom will slide their own fire into the large pile of wood. The large fire that ignites represents the couple’s new union.

Another ceremony that is used frequently is the blanket ceremony. The bride and groom are wrapped individually in blue blankets at the onset of the ceremony. The blue blankets are used to represent the sorrows that each of them have endured separately. Once the ceremony is blessed by the priest, the blue blankets are taken off and the couple is wrapped as one in a single white blanket. This symbolizes the act of becoming one.

The seven steps ceremony is another wedding ceremony that is frequently used in the Native American culture. The ceremony starts with the lighting of a sacred fire. The couple will then take precisely seven steps around the fire. The groom begins by taking just one step before stopping to say a vow. It is then the brides turn to take a step and say a vow. The groom then takes another step and says another vow. This continues until the bride and groom have each taken seven steps and recited seven vows.