Deborah Chan
The Amish wedding season usually occurs towards the end of the year, after the harvest season. Amish weddings are typically held on Tuesdays or Thursdays, with a full day set aside before and after for preparation and clean-up. The ceremony is followed by a sermon, and the bishop gives the couple advice and blessings. The couple then proceeds outside to give their vows in front of the congregation. The bride's family hosts the guests, serving homemade food for around 200 to 400 people. Amish weddings are less flashy and decorative than Western weddings, with no photographers, dancing, or kissing at the altar. The bride typically makes her own wedding dress, which is usually calf-length, plain-cut, and without any adornments. While the colour of the dress varies across communities, blue and purple are common choices, paired with a white cape and apron.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Wedding dress colour | Blue, purple, black, green, burgundy, navy, mint green |
| Cape colour | White, black |
| Apron colour | White |
| Dress style | Plain, calf-length, no lace or trim |
| Headwear | Black prayer covering |
| Wedding day | Tuesday or Thursday |
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What You'll Learn
Amish brides typically make their own wedding dresses
Amish weddings are a special experience, with intimate and meaningful celebrations that showcase how much family and tradition mean to these tight-knit communities. The Amish wedding season occurs towards the end of the year when the harvest season ends, and the weddings themselves are usually held on Tuesdays or Thursdays. This is because the day before the wedding is spent setting up, and the day after is reserved for cleaning up—holding the wedding on a Saturday or Monday would mean setup or clean-up would fall on the Sabbath, which is forbidden.
After the wedding, the bride's dress may become her new Sunday church attire, and it is also the dress she will be buried in when she dies. In the days leading up to the wedding, the bride or her mother will make the bridal dress and the dresses of her attendants in matching colours. On the wedding day, the bride will wear a black prayer covering on her head, and after the ceremony, she will change it to a white covering, never to wear black again.
Amish weddings are less flashy and decorated than Western weddings, with no photographers, no wedding dance, and no kiss at the altar. Instead, the main events are a sermon and a large feast, with lots of fellowship and socialising. The food served is all homemade and grown, with bread and pies being particularly common.
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Blue is a common colour for Amish wedding dresses
The Amish wedding season usually occurs towards the end of the year, after the harvest season. Amish weddings are a special experience, with an intimate and meaningful celebration that showcases how much family and tradition mean to these communities.
Amish bridal dresses are typically calf-length, with a plain cut and no lace, trim, or flashy adornments. The dress colour is usually chosen by the bride, and blue is a common choice, especially in very conservative Amish communities. The bride will also wear a cape and apron, typically in white, although in some communities, the cape and apron will match the dress colour.
In the Swiss Amish settlement of Adams County, Indiana, brides traditionally wear black dresses with a white cape and apron. In contrast, at Old Order and Markham Waterloo Mennonite weddings in Ontario, the brides wear navy dresses, and the girls attending the wedding wear pale blue or grey dresses.
After the wedding, the bride's dress may become her new Sunday church attire, and it is also the dress she will be buried in when she dies.
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White capes and aprons are often worn with the wedding dress
Amish weddings are a special experience, with intimate and meaningful celebrations that showcase the importance of family and tradition within these tight-knit communities. The bridal dress is typically calf-length, with a plain cut and no flashy adornments, embodying a plain yet elegant aesthetic. While the dress colour may vary, with popular choices including blue, purple, or even black, white capes and aprons are often worn as a complementary piece.
In some Amish communities, the bride chooses the colour of her dress, but it is customary for her to pair it with a white cape and apron. This combination of white cape and apron with a coloured dress is known as a "dress suit" and is distinct from the attire worn to church, where a black cape and apron are typically paired with a white dress. The cape, a triangular piece of fabric that goes from the waist, over the shoulders, and crosses in front, is a distinctive element of the outfit. It is often accompanied by an apron, which is belted around the waist, partially covering the bottom of the cape.
The white cape and apron ensemble is not exclusive to the bride, as female attendees at weddings may also wear this combination. In certain communities, such as the Swiss Amish settlement in Adams County, Indiana, it is customary for brides to wear black dresses with white capes and aprons. This tradition is unique to their community and differs from the practices of non-Swiss Amish groups.
The choice of colour for the dress suit may hold significance as well. For instance, in Old Order and Markham Waterloo Mennonite weddings in Ontario, the bride provides small samples of her wedding dress material to the guests. The cape and dress are crafted from the same fabric, creating a cohesive and carefully curated look for the special day. While the specific traditions may vary across communities, the white cape and apron remain a distinctive and integral part of the Amish wedding attire, adding a touch of uniformity and elegance to the celebration.
Amish weddings, with their unique blend of simplicity and joy, stand as a testament to the enduring importance of family and tradition within these communities. The white cape and apron, often paired with a coloured dress, symbolise not just the bride's joy but also the unity and camaraderie shared by the women in the community.
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The wedding dress is often the bride's Sunday church attire after the wedding
The Amish wedding dress is typically calf-length and plain cut, with no lace, trim, or flashy adornments. It is usually a shade of blue or purple, with a white cape and apron. In some communities, brides wear black dresses with white capes and aprons. The bride's dress may become her new Sunday church attire after the wedding, and it is also the dress she will be buried in.
In the Amish community, the wedding season occurs towards the end of the year when the harvest season ends. Weddings are usually held on Tuesdays or Thursdays, with a full day set aside beforehand for the family to prepare and set up, and a full day after to clean up. The wedding ceremony starts around 8:30 in the morning and lasts 3 to 3.5 hours. After a sermon, the bishop gives the couple advice, private instruction, and his blessing. The couple then proceeds outside to give their vows in front of the congregation. The rest of the day is spent in fellowship and socializing at the bride's family home, where meals are served for the guests, typically reaching 200 to 400 people.
Amish brides typically make their own wedding dresses, and often the dresses of their bridesmaids, known as "newehockers." The bride never wears a veil but instead wears a black prayer covering, as opposed to the white cap she wears daily. In some communities, the bride wears a black covering during the wedding service and changes into a white covering afterward, which she will wear for the rest of her life.
While Amish weddings are less flashy and decorated than Western weddings, with no photographers, dancing, or kissing at the altar, they are still a special and intimate celebration that showcases the importance of family and tradition in Amish communities.
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Amish weddings are held on Tuesdays or Thursdays
Amish weddings are traditionally held on Tuesdays or Thursdays in the late fall after the harvest. This is to allow for clean-up to be accomplished on the Wednesday or Friday following the wedding. The couple will be counselled by their Bishop in the hours leading up to the ceremony, which will consist of testimonies and a sermon. No rings or other jewellery are exchanged during the ceremony.
The Amish wedding meal is usually a typical Amish fare with fried or broasted chicken, mashed potatoes, and gravy, with other vegetables. The typical foods at an Amish wedding have sparked a cottage industry in making Amish wedding foods. The meal usually serves 200-600 people, and preparation requires a lot of help from the community. A cooking tent is often set up to accommodate the portable stoves and food preparation areas needed for such large groups.
The bride's dress colour is typically not white, but one of the more acceptable colours of her community group. In some communities, the bride wears black with a white cape and apron. In others, the bride chooses her dress colour, but wears a white cape and apron. In yet other communities, the bride wears blue or purple, and her attendants wear the same colour. The groom will typically wear a black suit with a bow tie.
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Frequently asked questions
Amish brides typically wear blue, purple, or shades of these colors. Some brides wear black dresses with white capes and aprons. In some communities, brides wear the same color cape and apron as their dress.
In some communities, the bride chooses her color of dress. In others, the bride has no choice in the color because all brides in that community wear the same color.
Amish wedding dresses are typically calf-length, plain-cut, and without lace, trim, or flashy adornments. The bride never wears a veil. Instead, she wears a black prayer covering.
The cape is a triangular piece of fabric that goes from the waist, over the shoulders, and crosses in front. The apron is put over the bottom of the cape and belted around the waist. In some communities, the bride wears a white cape and apron to symbolize purity. In other communities, the bride wears a cape and apron that match the color of her dress.
Amish weddings are held on Tuesdays or Thursdays, with a full day set aside for preparation and cleanup. The ceremony starts around 8:30 in the morning and includes a sermon, vows, and a blessing from the bishop. After the ceremony, there is a simple service for the couple, followed by fellowship and socializing at the bride's family house, where meals are served for the guests.
