Wedding traditions of the pennsylvania dutch amish mennonites

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"Sorry if the speeches drag on. Wedding receptions can be a bit like an X Factor results show. You just want to skip through the talky bits to find out ..."

The Amish, also known as the Pennsylvania Dutch or the Amish Mennonites, are a closely knit cultural and religious group with small communities located mainly in the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and New York. They are known for their aversion to modern technology, customs that include the anachronistic use of plain 19th-century dress and horses and buggies, and simple community-oriented living. Even their wedding traditions reflect their unique cultural and religious outlook.

1. Conditions for an Amish Wedding

   • Amish weddings take place during specific times of the year and specific days on the week: from the end of October until the end of December, and on Tuesdays or Thursdays. Amish weddings are between a baptized Amish man and a baptized Amish woman, and their respective families must approve of the union. The bride's family then plants celery, which is to be eaten at the wedding meal. Engagements are kept secret for as long as possible and then announced before the congregation a short period before the wedding.

   Wedding Preparations

   • Amish brides do not usually wear white. The bride chooses a dress color that is acceptable in the community, and both she and her female attendants create Amish plain dresses in this color. Baskets of candy to be used as wedding favors might be procured. A couple of days before the wedding, the women in the community begin preparing and cooking the meal to be served after the wedding service.

   Wedding Ceremony

   • Amish wedding ceremonies are held at a regular church service presided over by a minister with a sermon and reading of passages from the Bible. It takes place in the home of the bride or another community member. After the regular church service, the bride and groom step forward for their vows. They promise to care for one another until death, which is taken very seriously, as the Amish do not recognize divorce. The minister then pronounces them man and wife. Younger congregation members then sing a number of hymns.

   Wedding Reception

   • The wedding meal follows the ceremony and is attended by the whole community, numbering hundreds of guests, and sometimes by some non-Amish who have been invited. Wooden tables and benches are decorated with celery stalks in jars. A meal of chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, creamed celery and other vegetables are served. Then wedding cakes, as well as fruit and pies, are eaten. The bride and groom hand candy out to the guests. Due to the number of guests, the wedding meal may be served in several seatings. Hymns are sung again after the wedding meal as well.

Source: www.ehow.com

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