Wedding Questionnaire

Manataka American Indian Council

Manataka

WEDDINGS

Wedding Questionnaire	Example Ceremony
Marriage Laws	Wedding Regalia
Wedding Planning	Wedding Stories
Wedding Customs	Wedding Consulting

Wedding Ceremony

Questionnaire

If you would like to get married at Manataka fill out this questionnaire.

Do not complete this form it you do not plan to marry at Manataka.

*Denotes Required Fields

* Bride Full Name:		* Groom Full Name:
* Address:		* Address:
* City:		* City:
* State/ Prov:		* State/ Prov:
* Zip Code:		* Zip Code:
Country:		Country:
* Home Phone:		* Home Phone:
* Email Address:		* Email Address:
Race/Tribe:		Race/Tribe:
Religion:		Religion:
* Age:		* Age:
* Date of Birth:		* Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:		Place of Birth:
* Ceremony Date:		* Arrival Date:
Ceremony Location:		Departure Date:
Motel/Hotel Lodging Required?	Yes No	Number in party?
Need Professional Photographer?	Yes No	How Many Rooms?
Who Will Officiate Ceremonies?		Who Will Counsel You?
Do you want drummers and singers?	Yes No	Is the U.S. National Park Service Special Use Permit approved?	Yes No If yes, we need a copy.
Will the traditional Blanket Ceremony be performed?	Yes No See Blanket Ceremony	Will the Wedding Vase Ceremony be performed?	Yes No See Vase Ceremony
Will you compose wedding vows?	Yes No	Will the Seven Steps Ceremony be performed?	Yes No See 7 Steps Ceremony
Do you want the Sacred Fire Ceremony	Yes No See Fire Ceremony	Will Wedding Baskets be exchanged?	Yes No See Baskets Ceremony
Will the Bride give a wedding ring?	Yes No	Will the Groom give a wedding ring?	Yes No
Do you want to be contacted about a Wedding Dress?	Yes No See Silversmith Regalia	Do you want to be contacted about Groom's Regalia?	Yes No See Silversmith Regalia

What do you envision your wedding to be like?We would love to....

MAIC does not arrange transportation and wedding services such as catering, floral, wedding attire rentals, printing, media announcements, or honeymoon. MAIC can arrange ceremony officials, witnesses, lodging and photographer at no fee. Your personal wedding counselor will contact you about the details of the most important day in your life.

Manataka Teepee: If the proposed wedding is to take place inside the boundaries of the National Park, the Manataka Medicine Lodge Teepee is available to serve as the wedding lodge for ceremonies only. The cover of the lodge is raised to approximately 7' creating a colorful canopy over the fire circle and altar. Time allowed for the for displaying the teepee is four (4) hours for the ceremony only. Call 501-627-0555 if you have checked "Yes" to reserve the Manataka Medicine Lodge.

Other teepees may be leased and picked up off National Park grounds and transported to the campgrounds by the wedding party for camping. There is a $10 per night camping fee payable to the National Park. Currently, reservations for camp sites cannot be made in advance.

If the wedding ceremony is to take place anywhere else except the National Park, rules for the use of the Medicine Lodge are more liberal. Again, Call 501-627-0555 if you have checked "Yes" to reserve the Manataka Medicine Lodge.

Ceremonies: Elders do not charge for ceremonies. It is acceptable to make a contribution to MAIC for its volunteer services, however, it is not required. A gift to the officiating elder is acceptable, but again not required.

Ceremonies in the National Park (Manataka):

The National Park Service requires a Special Use Permit to be completed in advance of the planned date. No ceremonies may take place without an approved permit. A non-refundable application fee applies. The fee ranges from $50 for a two-hour event to $100 for a four-hour event. Call the National Park Service and send the application and the fee early to reserve a date and time. The fee only applies to the ceremony only and does not cover campsite fees. There will be an additional fee if electricity is required. There are no special use permits required outside the boundaries of the National Park.

Call Hot Springs National Park at: 501-623-2824

You may print off a copy of the permit application and send it to the address shown on the application. MAIC cannot perform this task for you. NPS Special Use Permit

Lodging: Motels, hotels, condos, lake cabins are available and prices vary. Check with your wedding counselor for booking arrangements and costs.

Photographer: MAIC can arrange for a professional photographer to the be present. You are responsible for finalizing the arrangements and payment for this service. A volunteer photographer is available by special arrangement.

Other Items: Arrangements for all other items such as floral decorations, wedding regalia, blankets, wedding bowels and vases, travel, and personal gifts are the responsibility of the couple and their families, however, MAIC is happy to assist with these items.

Deposits: We ask that you visit http://www.manataka.org/page201.html to make at least a fifty percent (50%) deposit for the services you want reserved for your wedding ceremony. Wedding ceremonies are confirmed only after a deposit has been made. Scroll down to the Wedding Deposit payment button and complete the simple form. Note: many services are not available inside the boundaries of the National Park.

Arkansas Marriage License Rules:

To be married in either state you must obtain a marriage license from any County Clerk's office. The cost for the license varies in Arkansas and is payable only in cash, no checks or money orders. No refunds are permitted.
A license is valid for 60 days and can be used anywhere in the state.
There is no waiting period or medical or blood tests required.
No proof of residency is necessary to be married.
A license must be returned within the 60 days used or unused, otherwise a $100 bond will be issued.
Any state licensed or ordained clergyman may perform marriages.
Ministers performing the ceremony in the state of Arkansas, must have their credentials recorded in one of Arkansas' 75 counties.

Documents Required

All persons age under 21 must show a state certified copy of their birth certificates, Military ID card, or a valid passport.
All persons over age 22 can present either a valid driver's license, a state certified copy of their birth certificate, Military ID card, or a valid passport showing their correct name and date of birth. If your name has changed due to divorce and they do not show this change, a certified copy of the divorce decree will be needed.

Age Requirements for Arkansas

All persons must be 18 in order to be married.
Males age 17 and females ages 16-17, may be married with the consent of their parents. Parents of the couple must however come in to sign the marriage book with the applicants when the license is issued. If only one parent is able to sign, due to death, separation, divorce or other circumstances, then certified papers must be produced for verification before a license will be issued.
Males under the age of 17 and females under 16 are prohibited from marrying without a court order which is given only in extreme circumstances, such as if the female is pregnant or the couple already has a child together.

EXAMPLE CEREMONY

Entrance

Groom appears at the tipi wedding lodge with elders. Elders inquire as to his ability and favor to be married. He shows gifts prepared for the ceremony. Elders give permission for the ceremony to be conducted.

Bride and her entourage gather in the forest to begin the wedding procession.

Elders smudge ceremony circle, paths to lodge and individuals who wish to be cleansed.

Music begins with three hard and slow heartbeat strikes of the drum. Drumming continues.

Bride hears the drum and begins a slow march to the wedding tipi as everyone else walks behind.

Bride/entourage enter camp area as the drum beat increases to fast and three hard strikes ends the drumming as the Women’s Council and others begin to sing love songs.

The elders walk to the bride and inquire as to her ability and favor to be married. The bride’s mother or stand-in replies for the bride and shows gifts prepared for the ceremony to the elders. Elders give permission for the ceremony.

The grooms entourage, elders and guests form two lines on either side of the path to the lodge.

The mother and her brother assist the bride to dismount and she is led down a path to the wedding lodge. The bride’s mother and her entourage lead. Followed by the bride and her entourage.

The loud strikes of the drum begins a slow cadence march to the lodge, between the lines of guests to stand in front of the lodge.

Drums stop with three loud beats and the eldest of the gathering steps forward to offer a prayer of thanksgiving.

Ceremony

(A fire has previously been started in the fire circle by the spiritual leader using seven sacred woods and blessed with smudging.)

The spiritual leader will enter the wedding lodge first, followed by the groom along with two men who serve as his stand-ins, followed by the bride and her entourage. They all move sun-wise (clockwise) around the fire circle one complete revolution and come to stand in front of the fire circle and altar as the spiritual leader and the elders take their place behind the fire circle and altar.

Three prayers are then offered. The first is given by the spiritual leader, the second by the mother of the bride, and the third by the groom or his elder.

Three wedding songs are sung.

The elders announce to the spiritual leader they have given permission to proceed.

The spiritual leader asks the couple a few questions about their intentions and vows. He will then invite the groom to state his vows and intentions.

Vows may be given in a number of ways. The words may be composed by the couple, taken from traditional ceremonies according to the couples religious beliefs, or vows may delivered by the spiritual leader. Your wedding counselor will confirm your intentions prior to your arrival.

The spiritual leader hands to the groom offerings of sage, sweet grass and tobacco. The groom gives a prayer and sprinkles the offerings into the fire.

The spiritual leader then asks the bride for her vows and intentions.

The spiritual leader hands to the bride offerings of corn, squash, beans or mullein. The bride sprinkles the offerings into the fire.

(A Fire Ceremony may be inserted at this point.)

(A Ring Ceremony may be inserted at this point.)

(A Blanket Ceremony may be inserted at this point.)

(A Wedding Vase Ceremony may be inserted at this point.)

The Basket Ceremony, the Rite of the Seven Steps or other gifting ceremony may be inserted at this point. If the ceremony is conducted in the tipi wedding lodge, the entourage forms a processional behind the spiritual leader and the couple and walks slowly to the sacred fire circle with the beat of the drum, pausing at each of the seven steps down into the circle to offer a prayer.)

The spiritual leader then offers a prayer and the couple performs the gifting ceremony. Songs and prayers are given.

In closing, the wedding entourage moves sun-wise out of the fire circle with the bride and groom leading the way, followed by the spiritual leader, elders, the bride’s family and finally by the groom’s family.

Looking for Wedding or Traditional Regalia?

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