I am Lovina’s “English” friend Ruth, and I had the opportunity to help Lovina the week of Susan and Ervin’s wedding by taking photos of the wedding prep, running a few last-minute errands, and also attending the wedding on Friday, December 30. Typically, Amish weddings are held in the shed (pole barn) of the bride’s parents’ house, but with it being winter Susan and Ervin decided to use the CYC (Community Youth Center), which is a beautiful building that is used primarily for the youth to gather on Saturday nights for social activities but is also available for the Amish community to use for special events. It has two large rooms (the size of a gym) plus a fully furnished kitchen. This building has solar power, and the kitchen even has electrical outlets, which are not allowed in Amish homes even if they have solar but are allowed in the CYC building. The one large room was set up for the wedding ceremony and the other large room was set up for the noon meal after the wedding.
On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday before the wedding, friends, family, and church members came to the CYC to set up for the wedding, to prepare food for the noon meal, and to support Susan and Ervin. More folks gathered early Friday to start the cooking for the meal. Each morning when Lovina and I arrived for the preparation, Susan and Ervin and the children were there before everyone else to get started on that day’s list, and they were the last to leave each afternoon. They greeted everyone as they came in with smiles and words of gratitude for the help given. Many of you know Susan lost her husband Mose about two years ago, and Ervin lost his wife Sarah a few months before Mose passed. What I found so endearing was that both Sarah’s and Mose’s families were not only supportive of the marriage but came to help with the wedding prep. On the day of the wedding Omer and Rose (Sarah’s parents) and William and Rosanna (Mose’s parents) were seated at the head tables with the family. Susan and Ervin also were intentional about honoring and acknowledging Sarah and Mose as they started their new journey as husband and wife.
A typical Amish wedding ceremony goes from about 9:00 a.m. until noon. It includes preaching by a number of local ministers, some singing, and finally the pronouncing of the couple as married near the end of the service. Before the service begins, the couple and their witnesses sit near the door where people come in and greet all guests as they arrive. Then they go to a private room to meet with the Ministers, the Bishop, and a deacon to receive advice on having a good marriage and to pray. They are then seated in special chairs in the middle of the room where the wedding is. The bride and her witness sit across from the groom and his witness. After the ceremony there is typically a noon meal, a 5:00 p.m. meal, and a meal with the youth at 7:00 p.m. Susan and Ervin only had a noon meal and limited the guests to family, church members, and some close friends. Even with cutting back, there were still about 425–450 people there. Typically everyone sits down and table waiters pass food to everyone, but only the head table and immediate family was served this way. Everyone else walked through a buffet line to get their food. It was done very efficiently and we were all served quickly.
Susan chose jewel tones of burgundy, purple, red, and green for the wedding. The cooks wore hunter green, family wore burgundy, Susan, her and Ervin’s children, and the mothers wore purple, and Ervin wore a black suit and a white shirt. Susan’s cape and apron were white, as were Verena and Sarah’s, who were witnesses. Susan chose sister Verena and brother Kevin as her witnesses, and Ervin chose his brother Nelson and his wife Sarah as his.
The décor was red and white with Christmas-themed touches of evergreen, pine, poinsettias, and candles. The “Eck,” or corner table, where they sat was set beautifully with china, special glasses, and candles. Lovina will write more about the wedding in upcoming columns.
My impression of the week and the wedding was that Susan and Ervin are loved and supported by their families and community, and that was shown by the gifts of time and words of encouragement they received. It was clear that Ervin and Susan love each other and love their children, both their own and each other’s. May God continue to bless them richly as they begin their new life together and may their home be filled with love and laughter.
Lovina’s Amish Kitchen is written by Lovina Eicher, Old Order Amish writer, cook, wife, and mother of eight. Her newest cookbook, Amish Family Recipes, is available wherever books are sold. Because Lovina is Old Order Amish, she does not have email or a telephone in her home. Lovina does not respond to comments on this website, if you would like to contact her directly, click here.
Thank you for the lovely update, Ruth. May Susan and Ervin enjoy many years of serving the Lord and eachother.
Ruth,
Thank you so much for sharing your experience from the “English” perspective. I am so happy for Susan and Ervin and wish them many years of happiness.
judy
I have been reading Lovina’s column for years and, like everybody else, was heart-broken for Susan when Mose was killed. I am thankful to God that she has found love again with Ervin. The fact that Mose’s parents and the parents of Efvin’s wife were at the wedding is so beautiful. I teared up when I read that part. I hope that Susan and Ervin have many happy years together!
I have been reading Lovina’s column for years and, like everybody else, was heart-broken for Susan when Mose was killed. I am thankful to God that she has found love again with Ervin. The fact that Mose’s parents and the parents of Ervin’s wife were at the wedding is so beautiful. I teared up when I read that part. I hope that Susan and Ervin have many happy years together!
Congratulations to the couple. Blessings on their new family. That cake was beautiful with the whole family represented ❤️
Wonderful job on the article Ruth. I love your stories about Lovina’s family.
Congratulations on your marriage
Sending love and prayers and blessings to all of the families
You did a wonderful job on writing this! Sounds like a celebration for sure. May God bless the entire family ?
It is wonderful that God has brought these two together to make you as one. Prayers and best wishes for your family.
I love reading your column !!
A simple life, a relationship with God, and how the women appreciate family and always kind to others.
Im so happy for the married couple and I know how blessed they are…the children will be so happy together and loved by many families..
Congratulations!!!
Congratulations to the bride and groom and their family!!! I am so happy to hear that you have found happiness again. Thank you Lovina for this column. I love reading them.
Thank you for this column. I really enjoy reading these and even read them to my husband!
What a wonderful description of the wedding, Ruth. And what a beautiful wedding cake!! Thank you for telling us all about it.
I have been a follower of Lovina’s column for a long time and am always impressed by how their community loves and supports each other.
Congratulations to the happy couple and their children. I love the how they included the children on the wedding cake.
What a wonderful article. Thank you for sharing this beautiful ceremony. May God bless them many times over.
Finally get to see some of Lovina’s people! I’ve been reading her column for years and feel like I’ve known them forever!
Well written Ruth..I have been to a few Amish weddings as we have Amish friends by our cottage…delightful people…they even came to Joe’s funeral visitation. ❤️❤️ I love Fridays…looking forward to this column..❤️❤️
Susan,
Your wedding cake was so beautifully done as well as the colors you chose!
I’m asking God’s blessing on your new life with Ervin!
It’s wonderful how the children are adjusting so well together!
Such love in your family…God bless you all richly…lovely Amy Layman.
Congratulations to Susan & Ervin! God bless you both and families richly as you begin your new life together as man and wife!
I enjoy reading your articles, it all started from Elizabeth Coblentz writings, so insightful and interesting of Amish life.
Love & Greetings from Singapore.
Saying prayers for a long, happy, fulfilling married life for these two young people and their children. It is such a lovely thing to be able to see, even at a distance, such strong family ties and always with God in mind.
Great job reporting on this special ceremony, Ruth. I am writing from Holland MI and we share the same last name. (BOSS)
Beautiful picture of the 5 children. You are a very good writer, so much detail.