Native American culture is rich in tradition and custom. Their wedding ceremonies are no different. Many of the Native American wedding ceremonies are very beautiful. Adding one of these traditions to your upcoming wedding ceremony may add an extra element of spirituality to your nuptials.

It is the custom in the Native American culture for the man to ask for permission to marry into the woman’s family. The man will normally ask permission of the shaman or priest. Once the permission is granted, the two families customarily exchange food, livestock or other gifts in order to show their approval of the union.

In many Native American tribes, the new couple lives with the bride’s family after the wedding. It is up to the new husband to take care of his in-laws and to do what he is told by his new mother-in-law. It is also customary for the couple to be given baskets of corn as gifts, since the corn symbolizes 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 wedding ceremony is also a popular ceremony in Native American culture. This ceremony begins by lighting a sacred fire. The bride and groom then take seven steps around the fire. The groom starts it off with the first step and then says a vow. The bride responds with a step and recites a vow of her own. Then the groom takes the next step and recites the next vow. It continues in this manner until all seven steps and vows have been completed. Sometimes the couple also exchanges ears of corn or stones to further show their commitment.