GOING TO AN AMISH RECEPTION

Penny For your Thoughts By: Nancy Whitaker

I was very fortunate to be invited to an Amish wedding reception. The sweet Amish gal that cleans my house, invited me and said any friends of mine could come too. We were very excited to get invited and began to wonder what an Amish wedding would be like. I asked Naomi, my Amish friend, what the bride would wear. I said, “I bet she will wear white for her wedding.”

Naomi replied, “No, Amish brides wear black dresses with a white prayer cloth over it.” 

Actually this Amish family has 16 children and resides close to Geneva, Ind.

We did learn that the Amish usually get married on a week day. This day was set for Tuesday, Sept 1. What we were invited to was a reception for family and friends.  The actual ceremony was to take place on Friday.  Another reception would be held on the day of the wedding

An Amish wedding can last all day  starting in the morning and lasting into the evening.  The closeness of family is part of what makes the Amish community such a tight-knit group and choosing a spouse to build a family with is a crucial and joyous element of that.  

Being we were friends of the family, we knew we should dress conservative. However, it was to be 94 degrees outside that day and we knew it was going to be a hot day. The reception was to be held at the bride-to-be parents’ home in a big cement like building. 

The invitation we received stated the address of the event, but we did not know the directions. Two different routes to get there was on the internet and we had them all, and we all wanted to take our own way. We got lost and at one time had navigated to Chattanooga Ohio. After stopping to ask directions we were on our way.

Dating customs and wedding traditions among the Amish vary from community to community. While you can’t assume one community will be just like another, you can bet they will be quite different from a typical English courting and wedding.

Dressed conservatively , we parked the car and walked thru a graveled driveway. My friend Naomi came to greet us and she was barefooted but she was walking across the stone drive like she had shoes on. In fact quite a few young Amish gals were barefoot.

We went into the long cement building and long tables covered in blue table cloths and blue vases of flowers adorned the big room.

Each Amish lady  was wearing dresses and bonnets, and the guys were all in dark pants and shirts. 

After greeting us, we sat down at a long table on benches. Food was served as a buffet with chicken, mashed potatoes, noodles, corn, salad and pie. Water was drawn from the well and a big pitcher of cold well water was on the tables. What can I say? The food was perfectly cooked, pies were baked to perfection and the cold well water (which was located outside with a pump to pump out the water) eased our thirst.  

Also passed around, was a big cardboard box full of all kinds of candy bars and also a box of combs for your hair.

The bride and groom were both in attendance and the bride was wearing the black dress with the white prayer cloth over it.  There were a lot of children in attendance all attired in the traditional Amish clothing. There were a lot of babies there and the little baby girls had on their Amish clothing too. Everyone was happy and smiling and for a while you wished you were a part of the Amish community. I wanted the bride-to-be to open my gift as I had got them an automatic salt and pepper grinder. The grinders ran off of 4 batteries. She liked the gift and said she would be sure to use it.

We saw no cell phones, TVs or radios. In fact, a game of volleyball was being played, the older men were visiting on the porch and outside were a bunch of women washing dishes in an enamel pan. They all smiled and told us goodbye. 

This family has 16 children, 11 married and 5 still at home. There is no electricity, running water, furnaces, or showers. One thing I forgot to visit was the outhouse, I was curious but did not want to wait in line. 

What a simple life style and what happiness they have, loving one another, helping one another without pride or prejudice. (We did not take any  pictures). 

Have you ever attended an  Amish wedding or reception? Would you enjoy the simple pleasures of the Amish? Let me know and I’ll give you a Penny For Your Thoughts.