It's also used in creamed celery, a standard side dish at every Amish wedding. And instead of flowers, the Amish use the celery as decoration, often for table centerpieces that consist of mason jars filled with celery stalks. Celery is an important part of tasty Amish wedding dishes.
Aside from the Amish casserole, weddings feature a selection of starches ranging from noodles with brown butter and cheese to mashed potatoes. Vegetables include carrots, corn, Harvard beets, and coleslaw. The meal would not be complete, however, without a selection of cakes, pies, and cookies for dessert.
The Amish wedding night will usually be spent in the bride's parent's home, as the couple will need to assist in clean up the following day. They will then spend their first months of marriage – their honeymoon – visiting relatives. (This is when most gifts they receive will be given.)
The wedding ceremony starts around 8:30 in the morning and lasts 3-3.5 hours. After a sermon, the bishop takes the couple aside while the congregation sings songs. He gives the couple advice, private instruction, and his blessing. Afterward, the bride and groom give their vows at the front of the church.
Black and White Bonnets
An unmarried woman may be in the process of an Amish courtship, but until she gets hitched, she wears a black bonnet. Once married, a woman will swap out her old black bonnet for a fresh white one.
Marriage in the Amish community is seen as a passage into adulthood. To get married in the Amish community, members must be baptized in the church. Outsiders, non-Amish, or 'English', as they call the rest of the world, are not permitted to marry within the Amish community.
The blue door is a physical representation of their commitment to God, humility, and simplicity. In the eyes of the Amish, blue represents tranquility, peace, and elegance. It's a platform for self-expression and a reminder to outsiders that the Amish have chosen a life of strength, courage, and resilience.
Feminine Hygiene
Female Amish wash their hair and wear it in a bun. As for makeup, Amish women aren't allowed to wear cosmetics or adornments considered worldly. This includes lipstick, mascara, eye shadow, and jewelry.
In addition, members of the Amish community are allowed to remarry after their spouse passes. Widows sometimes garner financial assistance from their families or the church and may even find work outside of the home, according to Amish America.
White Bonnets
In most cases, the only time you see an Amish woman wearing a white bonnet is after she is married. It's essentially a symbol that she is a lifelong relation and “off the market” so to speak. If a man sees an Amish woman wearing a white bonnet, he will know that she's already married.
This is based on the biblical principle of wives being submissive to their husbands (Ephesians 5:22-24). This doesn't mean that Amish women are treated as second-class citizens. They're still considered equal in worth and value. However, they're expected to defer to their husband's decisions and opinions.
Amish women are expected to cook, clean, and care for the children. They also often help with farm work. While some Amish women do work outside the home, it is usually in a job that is related to the home, such as being a midwife or a teacher. The Amish believe it's important for women to be involved in the community.
As you probably already know, Amish don't wear jewelry. This includes wedding rings and engagement rings. No jewelry of any kind. In Lancaster County Amish men traditionally would have a pocket watch rather than a wristwatch for the same reason.
After giving birth, Amish mothers breastfeed their babies for as long as possible.
Traditionally that would be purple or blue but might be pink, green or lavender. Her attendants and sisters all wear the same color. Men wear their Sunday best: black pants and jackets with a white dress shirt. Once married, the Amish man will start to grow his beard and that stays for his whole life.
The Amish bedroom rules contain what is known as bundling. This is the practice of sleeping in the same bed with someone of the opposite sex while fully clothed.
Amish men and women usually assume traditional and well-defined gender roles. Husbands carry the primary responsibility for the financial well-being of the family. Wives typically devote themselves to housekeeping and motherhood.
Amish boys and girls start looking for a partner as young as 16 years of age. Many marry in their early 20s. Both must be members of the Amish church and baptized in the faith to marry. The bride to be does not receive a ring, instead the groom might give her something like china or a clock.
All types of birth control, and also all forms of natural family planning such as calendar-based methods, are forbidden in Old-Order Amish communities. However, especially in recent years, more Amish women have begun using contraception.
However, in addition to the modesty aspect, women must keep their heads covered at all times so that they can pray at any time. Both modesty and prayer are central to the daily lives of Amish people and for women, wearing head coverings and bonnets is an important part of that.
Women are to keep their hair long and worn in a single braid or bun that is pinned behind their head. Hair must be kept out of sight, as it's seen as too sensual and can be distracting for men in the community. The reason Amish women don't cut their hair is more than just aesthetic preference.
Buttons are frowned upon because of their potential for ostentation, and such things as Velcro and zippers are banned. Instead, clothes are fastened by pins or hook-and-eye closures.
Mothers are very demonstrative with their babies when they nurse them and sing to them as they soothe them to sleep. But they don't pick up their children to hug and kiss them.
Can Amish Clothing Have Buttons? The old-order Amish forbid buttons on clothing as they are seen as a sign of vanity and pride. This means that traditional Amish clothing does not use buttons but instead relies on pins or ties for closure.