How to Plan a Native American Wedding

Native American weddings are a true reflection of the couple's inner spirituality and beliefs. Some couples today embrace traditions from their heritage, while others prefer a more modern approach. Either way, each ceremony is completely unique.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Indian Love Flute
• Woven Baskets
• Woven baskets
• Drums
• Peyote

1. Determine those customs and traditions that have meaning to you, and make them a part of your special day.

2. Select a site to hold the ceremony. Some possibilities include chapels or other spiritual places, historical landmarks, Indian monuments, or reservations.

3. Choose a prayer that you would like to have read at the ceremony.

4. Ask someone to play an Indian Love Flute. Legend says that this flute, which is carved out of cedar wood, holds the power of attraction and was used to enhance courtship.

5. Invite everyone from the extended families of both the bride and groom, along with the community, to celebrate the marriage. Usually, an officiating elder is at the center of the group.

6. Prepare decorative baskets to hold corn, which is a symbol of fertility. This is presented to the couple during the ceremony.

7. Use woven willow baskets to hold cornmeal for blessings or prayers.

8. Direct the opening of the ceremonial baskets always to the east, since this is a sacred direction where no harm shall pass.

9. Follow a Native American Church tradition of using drums containing peyote tea. (Peyote is a type of cactus known for its mind-altering properties.) The drums are played during the ceremony, following which guests drink the tea.

Tips & Warnings

• The couple and wedding party often wear traditional Native American dress. For the bride, this could be knee-high moccasins and a long leather dress with beads and fringe. For the groom, it might be a hip-length native shirt with black pants and shoes.
• Use a double-spouted pottery wedding vase, which is a tradition at Pueblo ceremonies. One spout signifies the bride and the other the groom. A looped handle on the vase is symbolic of the unity of marriage. The couple drinks nectar from this vase as a way to consummate the marriage.

[charlastar]

on 10/5/2009 This person has obviously only read a few books on Native Americans or maybe been to a powwow or two and suddenly become an 'authority' on Native traditions and customs. Do us all a favor and limit your posts to something you REALLY know about, though you should probably seek the advice of some informed people to make sure you know what you think you know.

It is offensive to bring a dab of this tribe's traditions and a bit of that tribe's ways together and call it a 'Native American Wedding.'

You have never been to a Native American Church meeting or you would know that the drums are filled with plain WATER. DUH... Besides, do you want your guests throwing up all over the wedding or reception? That would likely happen to unprepared people consuming peyote in a social setting. And maybe the cops would show up and take you all away, as you must be enrolled in a Federally recogni...

[strlght]

on 7/29/2009 This a ridiculous how-to! Obviously this person is not Native American! This article would be and is very offending to Native Americans. Being a Native American myself (Navajo) I feel that this person really needs to understand the hundreds of different tribes in America and learn about the individual marriage ceremonies used by the different tribes. You can't sum it all up into one How-to. Navajos do use a woven basket and corn mush in their marriages. We also use a hogan, no tee-pee here. We don't use peyote. We don't use a flute or drums, and we have the elders in the hogan and only them along with our parents. There is no such thing as I do's in Navajo weddings (because most weddings 20 yrs ago are arranged wedding, and if you visit the reservation, any Navajo would tell you that we do hold ceremonies that were used 100s of years ago, even weddings) so no i do's.

...

[ck81906]

on 6/5/2008 This is the most ridiculous thing that I have ever heard.

[Taleweaver]

on 3/23/2008 Ummm, are you aware that you have listed numerous "steps" from numerous tribes/groups? Have you ever played a Native flute? I think not, since if you had, you would know that not just anyone can play it! It seems far more advisable to borrow a recording from a public library or purchase a recording from somewhere. Are you aware that cornmeal is a Southwest element that will fall through your woven willow basket? Most flabbergasting was your advice to get one's guests stoned on peyote! Which is a controlled substance, by the way. This too is a Southwest element. It's too bad you've never drummed. Because if you had, you would know that a liquid, such as an illegal tea that will mess with your mind, will deaden the drum!
If you can't give solid, helpful advice, stick to what you know!

[Nyko]

on 2/8/2008 Do you have any links for Native American Wedding Customs?