When The Amish Fall In Love
July 8th, 2010 by Tomas Byler, under Travel and Leisure. No Comments
Perhaps the most interesting religious sect in the U. S. is that of the Amish people. Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and Holmes County, Ohio, have the largest Amish population of any other counties in the U. S. The Amish are easily recognized by their quaint clothes, their horses and buggies, and by the fact that they do not use electricity or other modern conveniences. Visiting Amish country makes for an interesting vacation.
Amish Wedding Customs
Amish weddings are quite different from typical weddings in the United States today. First, the couple are not likely to schedule their wedding in June. The reason is that a large portion of Amish live on farms. As a result, from March through October, most Amish are at work in the fields and produce stands. So the Amish generally avoid the period from March through October for their weddings. That’s the reason that November and December are the “wedding months” for the Amish. Because most of the Amish live in the north, January and February are normally too cold to have weddings.
One item of preparation for weddings is planting celery. About three hundred stalks of celery will be needed at an Amish wedding, so plenty of celery must be planted in advance of the wedding. Most Amish brides sew their own wedding dress, and they will select identical material for the bride’s maids, who will also sew their own dresses. The groom and his attendants will all be dressed in black suits featuring hooks and eyes instead of buttons.
Amish Marriage Ceremony
The couple will be married at the house of the bride’s parents, rather than at a church. No musical instruments are allowed, nor are solo performers. However, the wedding guests themselves sing an ample number of hymns. While the second song is being sung, the wedding couple enter the room where the ceremony is being held. Once the singing is over, the Amish bishop will then speak, emphasizing both the joys and the responsibilities of marriage.
When the minister is finished preaching, the bride and groom step forward, holding hands. Next, the pastor reads a number of questions to the groom: “Do you acknowledge that you accept this sister to be your wife, and do you affirm that you will never leave her until you are separated by death? Do you firmly believe that marriage is from God and that you have come to this place in life due to your prayers and faith? Do you promise to be faithful to your wife and to take care of her if she is ever in affliction, illness, adversity, weakness or faintheartedness, as is the duty of a Christian husband who fears God?”
The same questions are next propounded to the bride. After she has answered, “I do,” the Amish couple are pronounced husband and wife. That finishes the ceremony itself, which is then followed by a large meal for all of the guests.
The author, Tomas Byler, writes extensively about Amish life. He recently wrote an ebook about the Amish, entitled “Amish Life.” It describes their unique way of life and explains why they live the way they do. This ebook features many color pictures. For a limited time, you can receive a free copy by visiting his website, Amish life.
