Wedding Questionnaire

Fill out this questionnaire. You should have a firm date and location before completing this form.

READ THE INSTRUCTIONS AND HELPFUL INFORMATION BELOW BEFORE YOU COMPLETE THIS FORM.

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

Elders do not charge for ceremonies. It is acceptable to make a contribution to MAIC for its volunteer services, however, it is not required. Hand-made gifts for your officiating elder is always appreciated.

CEREMONIES AT MANATAKA

Ceremonies on the Sacred Manataka Mountain:

No permit is required. Good walking shoes are required and most areas are not accessible by a wheelchair. 15 minutes brisk walking distance.

Ceremonies at the National Park Fire Circle or Amphitheater:

These locations are recommended only for large wedding parties, however, It is not required for the ceremony to take place at either of these locations.

The National Park Service requires a Special Use Permit to be completed in advance of the planned date. A non-refundable application fee applies ranging 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. 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

Note: The current Hot Springs National Park Superintendent discourages American Indian religious ceremonies. Some services are not available inside the boundaries of the National Park. No special use permits required outside the boundaries of the National Park.

Lodging: Motels, hotels, condos, lake cabins are available and prices vary. Call the Hot Springs Visitors and Convention Bureau 800-543-2284 for a visitor packet or log on to http://www.hotsprings.org/

Photographer: MAIC can arrange for a professional photographer to the be present. You are responsible for finalizing the arrangements and payment for this service. An experienced Manataka photographer is available at $75 using your camera and film. The best way is to have a friend or relative take pictures.

Ceremonial Assistants -- Singers / Drummers / Dancers: It is customary to have at least two singers and drummers in regalia to perform traditional songs during the ceremony. At least two ceremonial assistants are required to insure your ceremony goes smoothly. They also serve a double role as drummers and singers performing during ceremonies. Our drummers/singers know all the old wedding songs and perform them beautifully. Our singers also play an Indian flute, but it may be necessary to consider hiring someone local. Arrangements must be made in advance. Fees vary according to the date and time, but generally range between $100 and $175 each.

CEREMONIES IN OTHER STATES AND COUNTRIES

Manataka Elders are licensed to perform ceremonies in all states and some foreign countries. Travel, lodging and food expense is the responsibility of the wedding party. It is customary for the officiating elder to require the services of one or two assistants.

Music Performers / Ceremonial Assistants:
At least two ceremonial assistants who accompany the Spiritual Elder are required to insure your ceremony goes smoothly. They also serve a double role as drummers and singers performing during ceremonies. Our drummers/singers know all the old wedding songs and perform them beautifully. The normal charge for this service is $150 per performer. Our singers also play an Indian flute, but it may be necessary to consider hiring someone local.

The Photographer and Music Performers should be paid in cash prior to the ceremony.

Transportation / Lodging / Food: We ask the wedding party to cover these costs. We require transportation and lodging confirmation numbers and details to be emailed before we can confirm the date for you.

Transportation: Compare the cost of flying verses renting a car for the time needed for travel and ceremonies. Please consider the distance between Manataka and your ceremony location.

Ground Transportation: A premium car large enough to hold three people, drums, a large amount of ceremonial items and luggage is needed.

Lodging: Only one room with two-double beds is needed. Staying in a private home is acceptable.

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.

Deposits: Go to http://www.manataka.org/page201.html to submit deposits for the services. Wedding ceremonies are confirmed only after a deposit has been made. Scroll down to the Wedding Deposit payment button and complete the simple form.

CEREMONIES

Blanket Ceremony: If you decide to perform the Blanket Ceremony, you will need two blue blankets (not cut from the same cloth) and one white blanket. Blankets can be Indian-made or manufactured.

Wedding Vase: An inexpensive double-spouted wedding vase can be purchased at

http://www.manataka.org/page579.html
http://63.166.240.165/navajoworks/pottery.htm
http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?from=R40&_trksid=m37&satitle=Indian+Wedding+Vase&category0=

The vase should be filled with water or tea before the ceremony and secured where it will not spill traveling to the wedding site.

Seven Steps:    This ceremony requires a great deal of forethought and planning. You will need 7 gifts to the bride from the groom and 7 gifts from the groom to the bride. The gifts may be hand-made (the personal touch) or manufactured.   Gifts are exchanged after each Step to symbolize each vow spoken during the ceremony. Both the groom and bride will have a basket to hold the gifts. The gifts are kept in a special place of honor in your home after the wedding. Vows for each Step must be written on small pieces of paper or memorized. See the example we have at: http://www.manataka.org/page25.html The groom is responsible for transporting the baskets of gifts to the sacred circle.

Sacred Fire:    This ceremony requires two small amounts of split wood (6" X 6") stacked in teepee shapes opposite of each other inside a circle of stones (3' diameter). Another small amount of split wood (6" X 9-12") is stacked in a teepee shape in the middle of the circle. The groom is responsible for constructing the circle and stacks of wood before the bride arrives at the exact location of the ceremony.   We suggest that a small back-pack or other container be used to transport the wood and fire-starter materials and a canteen or bottles of water. All ash, wood and other materials will be removed after the ceremony and the area returned to its original appearance.

Wedding Baskets:    (Mentioned above in the Seven Steps Ceremony) The basket can be of any material or size you wish, so long as the baskets (2) are large enough to carry seven gifts each.

Ring Ceremony:    The groom's ring should be given to the individual appointed to act as the Bride's mother or grandmother. The wife's ring should be given to the individual appointed to act as the Groom's father or grandfather.   A small ring presentation pillow is optional and not required.

Time:
Ceremonies can take from 1 1/2 hours up to 2 1/2 hours to perform depending on which ceremonies (or all) that you choose. The wedding party should be available to the Spiritual Elder at least two to three hours before the ceremony begins. Outdoor weddings are normally performed in the early afternoon.

Flowers and decorations are optional. Most American Indian weddings, funerals, and blessing ceremonies do not display flowers, but the decision is yours.

Other Details
Wedding Regalia:    This is optional. Indian people wear whatever may be their best apparel at the time. However, pictures of the ceremony with all parties wearing regalia are always colorful treasures.

A Wedding Booklet will be prepared for the wedding party containing all the vows and ceremonies performed by the appointed Spiritual Elder. This booklet is intended to be used during anniversaries and other special occasions to re-perform the ceremony in coming years. The booklet is not only a beautiful artifact of memorabilia of your wedding, it serves as a constant reminder of your wedding vows.

    We need the names, ages and relationship to the wedding couple so we can print them in the Wedding Booklet.

Witnesses:    To serve Colorado's legal requirement for witnesses, two drummers/singers will also serve this purpose.   We will arrange for several local Indian people to attend and participate in the ceremony.

Gifts to the Spiritual Elder:   Manataka elders do not accept money for performing ceremonies. However, they are allowed to accept gifts of respect.   All our Spiritual Elders are licensed in every state and some foreign countries.

Spiritual Elder to Perform Ceremony:    We must have a confirmed date before we know which Spiritual Elder will be available. Please let us know as soon as possible about travel arrangements.

Counseling: It is our tradition to arrange for both bride and groom to participate in Marriage Counseling by one or more of our Spiritual Elders. Because of the distance involved and the short time available, we can proceed with this requirement by telephone after all the arrangements have been confirmed. We will send you a telephone number to call when both of you are present. Then, a subsequent telephone call will speak with each of you individually. There is no cost for this service and Manataka offers free Marriage Counseling for Life after your wedding ceremony.

When the date of the ceremony is confirmed, email the date and time to begin Marriage Counseling sessions:

Groom will call for telephone session: Date: ______________ Time: _____________

Bride will call for telephone session: Date: ______________ Time: _____________

Both will call for telephone session: Date: ______________ Time: _____________ (speaker phone if possible)

MARRIAGE LICENSES

Manataka requires a marriage license to perform ceremonies. We understand that some couples feel "a piece of paper" does not make a good marriage and this is true, but we are bound to follow civic laws and the Creator's wishes.

Learn about marriage license laws in your state: http://www.usmarriagelaws.com/

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.

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

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 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.)

ON THIS PAGE	ON OTHER PAGES
Wedding Questionnaire	Wedding Planning
Ceremonies at Manataka	Wedding Customs
Ceremonies in Other States / Countries	Wedding Stories
Ceremony Details	Wedding Consulting
Marriage Laws
Example Ceremony

* 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?
Drummers and singers Required	Yes No	NPS Special Use Permit approved?	Yes No If yes, email a copy.
Traditional Blanket Ceremony?	Yes No See Blanket Ceremony	Wedding Vase Ceremony?	Yes No See Vase Ceremony
Will you compose wedding vows?	Yes No	Seven Steps Ceremony?	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 wedding rings be exchanged?	Yes No	Are you a Manataka Member Yet?	Yes No