Amish weddings in Lancaster County often serve a traditional meal consisting of fried or broasted chicken, bread stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and creamed celery.
Amish weddings typically begin early, with everyone pitching in on milking and other tasks to prepare for church services.
Mild Salsa
An Amish wedding might not look the same as our conception of one, but there are still many similarities – including a festive dinner to honor newlyweds – as any traditional ceremony does. And, just as with other meals, Amish cuisine features its selection of tasty delicacies!
Mild salsa, often eaten alongside regular salsa, features less heat. Made with tomatoes, onions, peppers, and garlic – mild salsa can be enjoyed as an appetizer with chips, dip, or even as part of any meal’s toppings!
Mild salsas are a mainstay in Amish kitchens, as they add flavor to many different dishes, from soups and salads to casseroles and casseroles. Celery stalks may be chopped up and added since celery is widely seen as an emblem of fertility and used as table decorations at weddings.
After the wedding ceremony has concluded and both couples have exchanged vows, all guests will head into the dining room for a celebratory meal. Several tables will likely be set up, but one table, known as an eck corner table, will be reserved exclusively for them to dine upon. Gifts can be opened once everyone has eaten their fill, and partying commences!
Bread & Butter Pickles
Time-honored recipes combined with handcrafted care ensure these pickles are made with love, appearing at most Amish weddings. Their signature spicy-sweet balance comes from red bell pepper and onion; sugar and vinegar add sweetness for sweetness that can either be eaten right away in a refrigerator pickle form or canned to enjoy later.
Amish weddings differ significantly from what most of us may associate with the word ‘wedding”. For starters, guests rise early and attend an all-day service featuring singing, sermons, reading scripture passages, and more – typically lasting 3 hours! After this service ends, couples are then taken by friends and family members either to their house or the ‘house’ set up especially for this event.
Once the ceremony has concluded, there’s usually a rush of activity as women head straight for the kitchen to prepare food while men set up tables in a U-shape around the house. A unique corner table, an eck, is reserved for the bride and groom and their attendants during the celebration meal.
Guests at an engagement celebration are served a lavish feast consisting of chicken-and-bread stuffing casserole, roast beef, mashed potatoes, Harvard beets, and creamed celery; dessert can include apple- or cherry pie slices, donuts, pudding, and more. A wedding cake will also be offered so newlyweds can peacefully participate in their ceremony.
Pickled Mustard Eggs
Traditional pickled eggs are an integral component of an Amish wedding feast. Easy to prepare, they make great additions to salads or can even be added directly into vinaigrettes!
An Amish wedding is an occasion filled with family, worship, food, and fun for hundreds of friends, neighbors, and church members who attend from around the area. The bride’s parents often open up their home to welcome visitors into their family and show their kindness and hospitality to visitors from faraway lands.
Ceremonies tend to be short and joyful affairs. Once the last note has been sung and bridal party members take their seats, it is time for lunch! Tables are set up in a “U” shape; couples sit at one of these, called an eck. Attendants who may or may not be married sit near this spot.
Family-style meals are an elaborate affair featuring delicious fare like fried or broasted chicken, bread stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, creamed celery, Harvard beets and vegetables, and dessert. Piles of pies, donuts, and pudding make an impressive finale; no one leaves hungry! This celebration typically lasts all day; chefs begin working early each morning milking cows, doing farm chores, preparing food, and cleaning up afterward.
Pickled Cucumbers
Amish weddings differ from ours in many ways. Instead of having lavish events with lavish food and cocktails, they prefer an intimate celebration featuring family and friends over grand receptions with fancy hors d’oeuvres and cocktails.
An Amish wedding dinner usually consists of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, and pie; salad or soup may also be offered. Family-style serving is typical so all can enjoy all the food available – usually prepared by the bride’s family with assistance from unmarried girls and boys who help provide it.
One of the signature dishes served at an Amish wedding is pickled cucumbers. About three to four weeks prior, couples often prepare the pickles in a large pot on the stove using vinegar as a liquid ingredient; depending on the recipe, different amounts may be used depending on its instructions.
Engagements among the Amish are kept strictly private; wedding dates are usually determined at church services held in October. You might be able to tell when a family is expecting an engagement by planting lots of celery – a staple food among them and often used as decoration at weddings for food trays and table centerpieces made from mason jars filled with celery stalks.
